The Pembrokeshire Murders (2021) s01e01 Episode Script
Episode 1
1
Breichiau mam sy'n
Dynn amdanat
Cariad mam sy
Dan fy mron
Ni chaiff dim amharu'th gyntun
Ni wna undyn a thi gam ♪.
Prime Minister Tony Blair
has led political
tributes from a grateful nation
Hey, Dad.
- Morning, sunshine. You up?
- Up? I'm out and about!
Hm, pardon me, early riser.
What is it, Dad?
You said there was a match today.
Oh, yeah.
Only a crappy school thing.
Oh, well, I wanna come. Where is it?
No, Dad, seriously,
it's not that type of match.
No parents are gonna be there.
You're wrong. I'll be there.
the Queen's 80th birthday
celebrations.
Her sense of duty and service,
said Mr Blair
We set?
Boss.
Morning.
Steve.
How's the report coming?
ACPO are asking.
Yeah, should be with you
by the end of play today.
Any nasty surprises?
I wish. It's gonna be a job
for me to find something to do.
I have a hunch you'll manage.
What's with the TV crew, Dave?
Old news.
Argh!
Hey. What's up?
So, er, Jack just texted
to say you're picking him up
from the match.
Yeah. Is there a problem?
Well, back a month
and you're running the show.
Look, just
just make sure you're there.
Fran, I'll be there.
Go on, Jack.
So, I was thinking, we could have
a mid-week boys' night in.
Take-away, DVD?
I've cleared it with Mum.
I said I'd stay over at Ryan's.
Can't you stay at Ryan's
another night?
I was thinking, how about you spend
one week with me,
one week with your mum?
You know, that gives Mum and Mike
some space, too.
Did Mum ask you to do this?
No!
But she's fine about it,
if you are.
Can I think about it?
Absolutely. Yeah.
Look, go and stay at Ryan's tonight
and we'll chat.
Come here.
With so many recent successes
nationwide
where DNA has played a key role
in solving cold cases,
attention will inevitably turn to
unsolved murders in Wales,
most notably the double murders
of Peter and Gwenda Dixon
in Pembrokeshire.
Jonathan Hill reports.
Over 17 years ago,
the couple were blasted to death
with a shotgun by an unknown killer
as they walked along here
at the Coastal Path in Little Haven
in Pembrokeshire.
Despite
a huge police investigation,
no-one was ever charged
for the crime,
and the Dixon family's long wait
for justice continues.
A lot of people have said
they no longer feel comfortable
coming to this path any more.
They say
it no longer feels the same.
We asked Dyfed Powys Police
for a comment
but were told that no-one
was available.
Old news?
Meanwhile, the identity of John
and Gwenda Dixon's vicious killer
remains unknown.
How you settling in, Steve?
It's like I never left.
I found only one area
where we're exposed.
No thorough forensic reviews
of serious crimes.
Most notably Coastal Path.
You saw the news.
Yeah. What's the story?
The unlikelihood
of finding anything new.
The distress that would cause
the Dixon family.
And, if we failed,
the delight the media would take
in hauling us through the muck.
A few years back, they branded us
"institutionally incompetent",
and it stuck.
Well, it's about time
we did something about that.
I'd like to take a look at Coastal
Path, see if there's anything there.
That OK with you?
You don't need my permission.
DCI George Jones was SIO on it.
Is he still about?
Yeah, he is. But, Steve,
go easy on the old bloke.
Thank you for seeing me, sir.
A police dog found them.
Six days
after they were reported missing.
The maggots gave us
the time of death.
After he murdered them, the attacker
stole Peter Dixon's wallet
and wedding ring.
It's not much of a reason
to end two lives, is it?
Gwenda Dixon was sexually assaulted
with her husband lying dead
not six feet away.
He was a sick, sadistic bastard.
He didn't need a reason.
We did the best we could.
I won't be made a scapegoat.
That's not why I'm here, sir.
So, four days after the murders,
a man walked into
Pembroke Bespoke Jewellers
and sold a 22-carat gold band.
The band matched the description of
Peter Dixon's stolen wedding ring.
And the seller of the ring
had signed the receipt J Cooper.
Now, on the basis of
this information,
one of your team, a DC Dylan Rees?
He questioned a John William Cooper
of 28 Rose Meadow Lane, Birchmede.
Cooper said that the ring
was his own
and that he sold it
because he needed the cash,
and then his wife
confirmed the story.
And then no further action
was taken.
I'm curious to hear your view
on this.
I sent a DC to do a DCI's job.
I should've questioned Cooper
myself, but we
we were swamped.
After the case was closed,
I learnt that Rees
drank in the same pub as Cooper,
together.
My view is that Cooper
used the fact
they knew each other.
That Rees
was manipulated.
- Where's Cooper now?
- Dyffryn Prison.
He was sentenced to 16 years in 1998
for a string of, er
burglaries and robberies.
The investigation was codenamed
Huntsman.
They interviewed Cooper,
but didn't get anything.
16 years in 1998
If he's behaved himself,
he'll be up for parole.
Where it happened
is just below Talbenny church.
The spot is marked by a plaque.
The Dixons' son and daughter
leave a wreath every year.
You found us, then.
So, you're doing a bit of digging
on John William Cooper?
I am.
Let's hope you have better luck
than we did.
Operation Huntsman.
This was us.
There's a few odds and sods
stored elsewhere,
but most of this was confiscated
from Cooper's home.
The place was a pigsty.
You arrested him for a string of
burglaries and robberies,
but you also questioned him
about the murders at Coastal Path.
- Why?
- His MO, sir.
We did him for a robbery that was
a carbon copy of the Coastal Path.
Robbery, tied-up victim, a shotgun.
That's why we also questioned him
about Scoveston Park.
20 years ago, Scoveston Park?
21 years ago now.
December, '85.
Theft, arson and double murder.
- Brother and sister.
- Richard and Helen Thomas.
The difference was that
the killer resorted to arson
to cover his tracks.
He started a fire.
He completely destroyed the place.
Tough on evidence gathering.
Yeah.
And even tougher on forensics.
Did Cooper tell you anything
in the interviews?
Nothing. When we mentioned
the murders, he just shut down.
We had to move on.
With all the lesser offences,
we found almost every single
stolen item in his home.
You charge them with
what you can prove.
- Did you speak to the family?
- We did.
Yeah, the wife gave us nothing.
She was more frightened of him
than us.
The son was useful.
Yeah, he hated his dad, though.
He wanted nothing to do with him.
The reason your Disability
Allowance payment has been delayed
is because
you changed your first name.
Yeah, eight years ago,
by statutory declaration.
I gave you people
a copy of the certificate!
Look
I've had enough of this.
Can you get a manager on the line,
please?
I'm not authorised to do that, sir.
- What's your first name, Mr Cooper?
- Andrew.
Not Adrian, Andrew.
Andrew Cooper.
And
don't talk to me
like I'm an idiot.
- Hold the line, please, sir.
- No, please don't
Please continue to
hold. Your call is important to us.
- Hi, Dad.
- Oh, hello!
Laundry.
The machine at the salon's on the
blink and you're closer than Mum's.
Well
good to know
I'm useful for something.
Payment.
"Maximum hold."
Thank you, love.
The place is looking nice now.
Very tidy.
It'll do, until I find something
a bit more permanent.
Do you want to stay,
have a bite to eat?
Sorry.
Late for the cinema.
OK, love, enjoy yourself.
Jack's really chuffed
that you're back.
Is he?
Don't try too hard.
Just give him a bit of time.
Right, OK.
I'll pick up the stuff tomorrow.
Hey
When did you become so mature?
Ages ago.
I'm a girl.
John William Cooper.
Do you know him?
Yeah, I've heard of him.
And Operation Huntsman, obviously.
What would you say if I told you
his offending kit for the robberies
was black gloves, balaclava
and shotgun?
I'd say Nolton Hill Estate.
The shotgun he used,
recovered from a robbery gone wrong
in the village of Sardis.
It was the customised shoulder strap
which got my attention.
Sawn-off, modified stock.
Jesus, Steve, is it him?
Him who?
What's going on?
Do you remember Nolton Hill?
Ten years ago.
A few months before I left.
A masked man with a shotgun
attacked five teenagers
near the Nolton Hill Estate.
One of the girls was raped.
Another sexually assaulted.
- It was never solved.
- I remember.
DI Richards and myself
were called in to assist.
The two boys knew about guns.
Yeah, they used to do
a bit of rabbiting.
Their description of the shotgun
that the attacker used
exactly matched that gun.
Hang on. Back up a bit, Steve.
The last I heard,
you were looking at Coastal Path.
I was.
I am.
And that led me to this.
I'll ask you again, John,
regarding the murders
of Peter and Gwenda Dixon
on the morning
of Thursday 29th June, 1989,
were you the person responsible?
I am not a murderer.
- Strong accent.
- South Pembrokeshire.
Watch this
John, what about Scoveston Park?
We have witnesses who say that
you knew Richard and Helen Thomas.
My client is exercising
his right to silence.
John
Come on, John, don't be like that.
John.
John!
Steve
ever since Huntsman,
gossip has put Cooper in the frame
- for 101 offences.
- I'm talking about just three.
Coastal Path, Scoveston Park,
Nolton Hill.
I think he did them all.
Not now, Jack.
Here they come.
How did Operation Huntsman
miss all this?
They didn't, ma'am.
They questioned Cooper
on all three cases
and he just stayed mute.
Plus, as I touched on earlier,
there was no hard evidence.
Where's your hard evidence, Steve?
It's waiting for us to find, ma'am.
Thanks to Huntsman
and the original investigations,
we have access to over 3,000
exhibits in storage.
That's a potential treasure trove
of victim and perpetrator DNA.
At the time of Huntsman,
the science wasn't up to scratch
on age-degraded trace DNA.
But as we know,
things have come a long way since.
Say you get enough to charge him.
Charging a man with the murders
of four adults is clear, simple.
But you add five minors, rape,
sexual assault,
the Crown's case could seem muddled.
The CPS won't like that.
Perhaps it would be wiser to confine
the review to the two murders.
With respect, ma'am, I interviewed
the five victims as a WDC.
And it made quite an impression
on me.
So much so, I've kept tabs on them
over the years.
Now, some are doing better
than others, but
all of them have been
scarred for life.
They had their childhood
stolen from them that night.
They deserve another chance
at justice.
As do all the victims
and their families.
All I'm saying is,
if you try to prove too much,
you could lose everything.
The killings at Scoveston Park and
Coastal Path are like two bricks.
And the attacks on the kids is
the mortar that holds them together.
It has elements of both cases.
And, ma'am, erm
what are the odds that offences,
which share so much similar
fact evidence,
in such a small area,
were committed by more than one man?
You know, if we reinvestigate
and it doesn't go our way,
the media, the public, the families,
they'll crucify us.
And if we don't go ahead,
it could be far worse.
We've put a call into MAPPA.
A date's been set
for his parole hearing.
He could be out in three months.
If he did do these murders,
he is, by definition,
a serial killer.
And given the opportunity,
men like him
they always kill again.
Next.
The next time you visit,
make an effort, will you?
You look like an old woman.
Adrian's back.
What?
I saw Shirley from Birchmede.
Her daughter's a receptionist
in the hospital.
Apparently,
he was walking with a stick.
A stick?
- Well, that's gotta be a scam.
- Well, that's what she said.
Anyway, Adrian wasn't like that.
He was a worker.
What, you're defending him now,
are you, hm?
He's dead to us.
Sorry, Andrew. Did I hurt you?
It wasn't you.
It's all right, just relax,
I've got you.
28 Rose Meadow Lane.
Cooper's last home
before he went inside.
Walk in any direction
from this point
and you'll hit a home he targeted
between '83 and '96.
It's the hub of the wheel.
In this tiny area,
34 burglaries and robberies,
one rape of a minor,
one indecent assault of a minor
and two murders.
If walls could talk.
Been back since?
A few times to see how the kids
were doing.
So, I was thinking a start-up team
of six, including us,
cherry-picked from division.
That way, we can keep things covert
and it should be easier
on our budget.
Mm, sounds like a plan.
I really appreciate you bringing me
in on this, Steve.
Your reputation brought you in.
WDC to DI in ten years.
Says Mr DS to Superintendent.
London.
The worst years of my life.
Yeah, I was sorry to hear about
you and your missus.
It is what it is.
They were so close to home
when he attacked them.
It looks so bloody ordinary.
To Operation Ottawa.
To Operation Ottawa.
It's all right.
This is home.
The first rule of Operation Ottawa
is you do not talk about
Operation Ottawa.
The second rule of Operation Ottawa
is?
You do not talk about
Operation Ottawa.
It's from Fight Club.
It's a film.
Thank you, Barry Norman.
We don't say a word to friends,
colleagues or family.
Yeah, they'll get narky with us,
but it's the way it has to be.
We don't want Cooper, or the media,
seeing us coming.
Boss
Cold cases are 99% forensics.
So, we need to do everything we can
to help the scientists
find that DNA golden nugget,
the DNA hit that unites culprit and
victim in the same time and place.
Now, our forensics
mustn't be tainted by any of
the work that's gone before.
Previous investigations
had all their testing done in-house
by the Forensic Science Service.
But the science has moved on.
We need a fresh pair of eyes
on this.
Angela Gallop.
She has been involved in
some of the highest profile cases
of the last ten years.
Lynette White, Stephen Lawrence,
Damilola Taylor.
Dr Gallop and her team
are the best in the business.
But they can only find
what they're looking for
if they look in the right place.
And that's where we come in.
We need to identify which items
of evidence
are most likely to carry Cooper
and/or victim DNA in whatever form.
Skin, hair, saliva, semen, blood.
Now, in an ideal world,
there'd be no limit
to the amount of exhibits
we could send for analysis.
But
forensic work is not cheap.
And our budget is finite.
In short, whatever we send
needs to be chosen
very fucking carefully.
Our first case tonight
is an extraordinary double murder
in South Wales.
On the evening of 22nd December,
1985,
Richard Thomas
and his sister, Helen Thomas,
were attacked in their home
at Scoveston Park,
three miles outside Milford.
She was shot,
probably in her bedroom.
And it was in that room
at about ten o'clock
that the fire was started.
Richard Thomas died of shotgun
wounds to the stomach and the head.
Emergency services were called
at 1:15am on 23rd of December.
Scene of Crime Officers entered
the property the following morning
and found Helen Thomas' body
on a bed.
It's believed
she was sexually assaulted.
On the morning of June 29th, 1989,
Peter and Gwenda Dixon were murdered
on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path
near Little Haven.
The couple from Oxford
decided to take a short walk
while they waited for their tent
to dry.
Their bodies were found six days
later on the cliffs at Little Haven.
Now, one of Wales
most spectacular beauty spots
Between 7:45pm and 8:45pm
on Wednesday 6th March, 1996,
five children, aged between 15
and 16, were attacked in a field
next to the Norton Hill Estate.
On the evening of November 22nd,
1996,
a bungalow in Sardis,
six miles from Milford, was burgled.
The victim was confronted
by a man in a balaclava.
They were approached
by a masked man.
The children were threatened,
told to lie on the ground.
One of the girls was raped,
another indecently assaulted.
The victim managed to press a panic
alarm, causing the offender to flee,
depositing personal items as he ran.
These included stolen jewellery,
items of clothing, a balaclava,
some black gloves
and his double-barrel shotgun.
One of the boys was struck
in the head
with a sawn-off
double-barrel shotgun.
Then husband and wife
were shot at point-blank range.
Forensic evidence suggests
Gwenda Dixon was sexually assaulted
at this location here.
Most of the evidence
was destroyed in the fire.
They did manage to retrieve
a sock belonging to Mr Thomas
and a few other items,
but that's it.
- No DNA would have survived a fire like that.
- No.
Just save our money for items
more likely to yield a hit.
Coastal Path, Nolton Hill.
Agreed.
But we still need to recover
any Scoveston Park exhibits
that would support
our take on his MO.
Exactly.
Tied-up victims.
The rope used to bind
Helen Thomas' hands.
Helen Thomas' bra was torn.
That's sexual assault.
MTJ/29.
- Er, clothing.
- Yeah.
CJE/2.
Nolton Hill rainbow T-shirt.
Give me ten patch tests
on that, corresponding with
the victim's bruising.
Yeah.
- CJE/16.
- Coastal Path rope.
Despite a massive search
for a suspect seen using
the Dixons' cash card
Peter Dixon's bank card
was used to withdraw cash
from NatWest cashpoint machines
at Pembroke, Haverfordwest
and Carmarthen.
A man wearing shorts
was seen by a member of the public
making one of these withdrawals.
From this siting, police made
this artist's impression.
Exhibit reference number MTJ/14,
black balaclava.
Exhibit reference PH/2,
double-barrel shotgun.
- The Sardis gun, yeah?
- Yeah.
12 patches tested.
Six on the barrel, six on the stock.
In total, officers recovered 66
items in a fairly straight line
from the bungalow in Sardis
to 28 Rose Meadow Lane.
The home of John William Cooper.
Dad?
Hiya, Jack!
- Have I come at a bad time?
- No, no, of course not.
Well
let the male bonding commence.
Does your mother know you're here?
Yeah. You don't need to check, Dad,
she knows.
You two haven't had a fight,
by any chance?
Nothing major.
All right.
OK.
Well, you know where it is.
Go and unpack.
- Morning.
- Yeah, Steve.
You need to re-route to HQ.
We've got a fly in the ointment.
Morning.
Jonathan Hill for Steve Wilkins.
- Just a moment.
- Thank you.
Mr Hill.
Detective Superintendent
Steve Wilkins, Deputy Head of CID.
Comms referred your query to me.
I understand
you want to make a programme
about the Coastal Path murders.
Erm, actually,
it's a bit more specific than that.
Erm, I would like
to make a documentary
exploring the possibility that
the double murders at Coastal Path
might be linked to the ones
at Scoveston Park in 1985.
That would be a problem for us.
How do you mean?
Mr Hill, what I'm about to tell you
cannot leave this room.
I'm not in the habit of agreeing to
things before I know what they are.
We are re-investigating
the two offences.
Right, and how would
a documentary about the murders
interfere with that?
The killer, or killers,
think they've got away with murder.
A news piece would rattle them,
make them vigilant.
And that would be weeks of
covert police work down the toilet.
So
I'll tell you what.
If you agree to shelve
your proposed documentary,
maintain a news blackout,
when we're ready to go public,
I will see to it that
you get the exclusive.
OK.
OK, it's a deal.
I want Dyfed Powys Police
and the media to stop fighting
and start collaborating.
But
if you fuck me on this,
I will see to it that every officer
from CID to peach-fuzz PC
knows that Jonathan Hill
is not a man to be trusted.
Boss
What the fuck are those?
Professional portrait photos.
They had them done in 1978
after he won all that money
on the Spot The Ball.
Those teeth don't look real.
They're the only two photographs
Huntsman found in the whole house.
I've done a lot of evidence recovery
in my time.
Two photos in a family home?
- It's not right.
- Mm.
- Together, but apart.
- And their son nowhere to be seen.
You've been the model prisoner,
Mr Cooper.
How confident are you
that you can maintain
this change for the better
in the outside world?
100%, your honour.
One of the offences
involved violence towards a woman.
What can you say to reassure us
that you no longer pose a threat to
the female members of the community?
I'm not the same man that I was.
The love and the loyalty
of my wife
has helped me with that.
Your wife has been
a regular visitor.
But your son, Adrian,
hasn't visited you once.
I haven't been the best father,
I'll admit that.
Although, I do plan to
make it up to him, if he'll let me.
I'm 62,
Adrian is nearly 40,
so
Craig says that a man
is never too old to want his dad.
AGJ/28.
"AGJ/28"
- That's rejected.
- Negative for DNA.
AGJ/39.
"AGJ/39"
- That's rejected, too.
- Negative for DNA.
Is it just me, or is this beginning
to look a bit bloody hopeless?
DC Rowe
if we can't keep the faith,
we have no right representing
the victims or their families.
Sorry, boss.
- Momentary lapse.
- All right.
Yeah, thanks.
- Boss
- Yeah?
Cooper's been granted parole.
That was Dyffryn Prison.
They've no idea who they're dealing
with. He's played them.
John Cooper is the prime suspect
in a major crime review.
I am requesting his release
on parole be revoked.
Well, what's the crime?
I can't share that information.
Well, clearly, you don't have
a case, or you'd be charging him.
Cooper is a dangerous man.
That is a matter of public record.
People change.
That's a matter of rehabilitation.
I'm sure your client can be
very agreeable when it suits him.
Your timing is not convenient,
Superintendent Wilkins.
Can you at least give us a date
when you expect to charge him?
Not at present.
But in the meantime,
John's rights can just go hang?
The safety of the public
comes first.
I think we all agree on that.
Although we've got
a stay of execution,
he's guaranteed another
parole hearing within 3-6 months.
If, by then, Dr Gallop and her team
still haven't found
our golden nugget,
he'll be released.
But we're not gonna let that happen.
It's time to send Cooper a message.
Good evening.
Organisers say we're on the eve
of the biggest industrial dispute
since the national strike of 1926.
So, what's it all about,
and how will it affect you
and your family?
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
We think one man
did all four murders
and we need your help to catch him.
I want to make a personal televised
appeal for information
on the evening news.
Do you think you'll get
anything useful?
It's a smokescreen.
We're going to interview
the suspect.
I want to use the appeal
to send a message to him in advance.
Plant something in his brain,
make him good and paranoid.
We're reinvestigating the cases
and we
are confident we'll catch
the culprit using DNA.
Have you found something?
No.
But he doesn't know that.
And who better than the killer
to help us refine our search?
Handled right, liars have a way of
telling you more
than is good for them.
OK, I'm on board,
but just one thing,
how can you be sure he'll be
watching when you need him to?
He's a creature of habit.
I have it on good authority
that he never misses Wales Tonight.
Ta.
About the news thing, boss.
Are you gonna mention the kids?
Nolton Hill?
Definitely not.
Why upset them
when we don't even know if the CPS
will include the offence
on the indictment?
There is someone who we should
give a heads-up to, though.
- Who is it?
- Andrew Cooper?
- Who wants to know?
- The police.
ID.
Thank you.
You're not an easy man
to track down.
We were looking for
an Adrian, not Andrew Cooper.
I get that a lot.
Why did you change your name?
Why are you here?
We thought we should let you know
that we are
investigating the possibility
that your father
may have been involved in other,
more serious crimes.
We're going to make a public appeal
for information.
I don't like people referring to him
as my father.
OK, I'm sorry.
What would you prefer?
His name.
What other crimes?
Four murders.
Scoveston Park and Coastal Path.
I'm not getting dragged back
into all that shit again.
I told Huntsman everything I know.
He's got his father's eyes.
Yeah, I clocked that.
Why do you think
he only changed his first name?
If you wanna lie low,
you change your surname.
Maybe it wasn't about lying low.
He changed his name in 1998,
the same year Cooper was put away.
Maybe it was about starting again.
A new name, a new life.
Doesn't look like
that's working out too well for him.
- The poor guy's a wreck.
- And then we come along.
- Are you OK?
- Yeah.
Mm-hm.
It's just you and me
having a conversation.
Yeah.
In front of a few hundred thousand
people, live.
You know, in my first year at uni,
me and some of my mates
went camping near here.
It was July 1989.
It was just after the murders.
We saw all the police activity.
The wanted posters.
It was scary.
Fascinating as well.
It's what made me want to become
a crime reporter.
Good to go?
- Let's do it.
- Yeah.
Good evening.
We are live in Pembrokeshire,
where there have been
dramatic developments
in two of Wales's
most baffling crimes -
the murders of Richard
and Helen Thomas,
and Peter and Gwenda Dixon.
And now, decades on,
these two double murders
are being reinvestigated.
Detective Superintendent
Steve Wilkins
is the man leading
this reinvestigation.
Developments in DNA analysis have
revolutionised cold case reviews.
As a team, we have brought
these processes to bear
on these two investigations
and they have had
a significant impact.
We believe that somebody watching
this programme tonight
may know who is responsible
for these terrible crimes.
And I'm appealing to them,
for the sake of the victims
and their families,
to please come forward.
And do you think
it's the same local man
responsible for all four murders?
I do believe that, Jonathan.
Thanks to the advances
in DNA forensic science,
we are now
in a much stronger position
to catch the person responsible.
Breichiau mam sy'n
Dynn amdanat
Cariad mam sy
Dan fy mron
Ni chaiff dim amharu'th gyntun
Ni wna undyn a thi gam ♪.
Prime Minister Tony Blair
has led political
tributes from a grateful nation
Hey, Dad.
- Morning, sunshine. You up?
- Up? I'm out and about!
Hm, pardon me, early riser.
What is it, Dad?
You said there was a match today.
Oh, yeah.
Only a crappy school thing.
Oh, well, I wanna come. Where is it?
No, Dad, seriously,
it's not that type of match.
No parents are gonna be there.
You're wrong. I'll be there.
the Queen's 80th birthday
celebrations.
Her sense of duty and service,
said Mr Blair
We set?
Boss.
Morning.
Steve.
How's the report coming?
ACPO are asking.
Yeah, should be with you
by the end of play today.
Any nasty surprises?
I wish. It's gonna be a job
for me to find something to do.
I have a hunch you'll manage.
What's with the TV crew, Dave?
Old news.
Argh!
Hey. What's up?
So, er, Jack just texted
to say you're picking him up
from the match.
Yeah. Is there a problem?
Well, back a month
and you're running the show.
Look, just
just make sure you're there.
Fran, I'll be there.
Go on, Jack.
So, I was thinking, we could have
a mid-week boys' night in.
Take-away, DVD?
I've cleared it with Mum.
I said I'd stay over at Ryan's.
Can't you stay at Ryan's
another night?
I was thinking, how about you spend
one week with me,
one week with your mum?
You know, that gives Mum and Mike
some space, too.
Did Mum ask you to do this?
No!
But she's fine about it,
if you are.
Can I think about it?
Absolutely. Yeah.
Look, go and stay at Ryan's tonight
and we'll chat.
Come here.
With so many recent successes
nationwide
where DNA has played a key role
in solving cold cases,
attention will inevitably turn to
unsolved murders in Wales,
most notably the double murders
of Peter and Gwenda Dixon
in Pembrokeshire.
Jonathan Hill reports.
Over 17 years ago,
the couple were blasted to death
with a shotgun by an unknown killer
as they walked along here
at the Coastal Path in Little Haven
in Pembrokeshire.
Despite
a huge police investigation,
no-one was ever charged
for the crime,
and the Dixon family's long wait
for justice continues.
A lot of people have said
they no longer feel comfortable
coming to this path any more.
They say
it no longer feels the same.
We asked Dyfed Powys Police
for a comment
but were told that no-one
was available.
Old news?
Meanwhile, the identity of John
and Gwenda Dixon's vicious killer
remains unknown.
How you settling in, Steve?
It's like I never left.
I found only one area
where we're exposed.
No thorough forensic reviews
of serious crimes.
Most notably Coastal Path.
You saw the news.
Yeah. What's the story?
The unlikelihood
of finding anything new.
The distress that would cause
the Dixon family.
And, if we failed,
the delight the media would take
in hauling us through the muck.
A few years back, they branded us
"institutionally incompetent",
and it stuck.
Well, it's about time
we did something about that.
I'd like to take a look at Coastal
Path, see if there's anything there.
That OK with you?
You don't need my permission.
DCI George Jones was SIO on it.
Is he still about?
Yeah, he is. But, Steve,
go easy on the old bloke.
Thank you for seeing me, sir.
A police dog found them.
Six days
after they were reported missing.
The maggots gave us
the time of death.
After he murdered them, the attacker
stole Peter Dixon's wallet
and wedding ring.
It's not much of a reason
to end two lives, is it?
Gwenda Dixon was sexually assaulted
with her husband lying dead
not six feet away.
He was a sick, sadistic bastard.
He didn't need a reason.
We did the best we could.
I won't be made a scapegoat.
That's not why I'm here, sir.
So, four days after the murders,
a man walked into
Pembroke Bespoke Jewellers
and sold a 22-carat gold band.
The band matched the description of
Peter Dixon's stolen wedding ring.
And the seller of the ring
had signed the receipt J Cooper.
Now, on the basis of
this information,
one of your team, a DC Dylan Rees?
He questioned a John William Cooper
of 28 Rose Meadow Lane, Birchmede.
Cooper said that the ring
was his own
and that he sold it
because he needed the cash,
and then his wife
confirmed the story.
And then no further action
was taken.
I'm curious to hear your view
on this.
I sent a DC to do a DCI's job.
I should've questioned Cooper
myself, but we
we were swamped.
After the case was closed,
I learnt that Rees
drank in the same pub as Cooper,
together.
My view is that Cooper
used the fact
they knew each other.
That Rees
was manipulated.
- Where's Cooper now?
- Dyffryn Prison.
He was sentenced to 16 years in 1998
for a string of, er
burglaries and robberies.
The investigation was codenamed
Huntsman.
They interviewed Cooper,
but didn't get anything.
16 years in 1998
If he's behaved himself,
he'll be up for parole.
Where it happened
is just below Talbenny church.
The spot is marked by a plaque.
The Dixons' son and daughter
leave a wreath every year.
You found us, then.
So, you're doing a bit of digging
on John William Cooper?
I am.
Let's hope you have better luck
than we did.
Operation Huntsman.
This was us.
There's a few odds and sods
stored elsewhere,
but most of this was confiscated
from Cooper's home.
The place was a pigsty.
You arrested him for a string of
burglaries and robberies,
but you also questioned him
about the murders at Coastal Path.
- Why?
- His MO, sir.
We did him for a robbery that was
a carbon copy of the Coastal Path.
Robbery, tied-up victim, a shotgun.
That's why we also questioned him
about Scoveston Park.
20 years ago, Scoveston Park?
21 years ago now.
December, '85.
Theft, arson and double murder.
- Brother and sister.
- Richard and Helen Thomas.
The difference was that
the killer resorted to arson
to cover his tracks.
He started a fire.
He completely destroyed the place.
Tough on evidence gathering.
Yeah.
And even tougher on forensics.
Did Cooper tell you anything
in the interviews?
Nothing. When we mentioned
the murders, he just shut down.
We had to move on.
With all the lesser offences,
we found almost every single
stolen item in his home.
You charge them with
what you can prove.
- Did you speak to the family?
- We did.
Yeah, the wife gave us nothing.
She was more frightened of him
than us.
The son was useful.
Yeah, he hated his dad, though.
He wanted nothing to do with him.
The reason your Disability
Allowance payment has been delayed
is because
you changed your first name.
Yeah, eight years ago,
by statutory declaration.
I gave you people
a copy of the certificate!
Look
I've had enough of this.
Can you get a manager on the line,
please?
I'm not authorised to do that, sir.
- What's your first name, Mr Cooper?
- Andrew.
Not Adrian, Andrew.
Andrew Cooper.
And
don't talk to me
like I'm an idiot.
- Hold the line, please, sir.
- No, please don't
Please continue to
hold. Your call is important to us.
- Hi, Dad.
- Oh, hello!
Laundry.
The machine at the salon's on the
blink and you're closer than Mum's.
Well
good to know
I'm useful for something.
Payment.
"Maximum hold."
Thank you, love.
The place is looking nice now.
Very tidy.
It'll do, until I find something
a bit more permanent.
Do you want to stay,
have a bite to eat?
Sorry.
Late for the cinema.
OK, love, enjoy yourself.
Jack's really chuffed
that you're back.
Is he?
Don't try too hard.
Just give him a bit of time.
Right, OK.
I'll pick up the stuff tomorrow.
Hey
When did you become so mature?
Ages ago.
I'm a girl.
John William Cooper.
Do you know him?
Yeah, I've heard of him.
And Operation Huntsman, obviously.
What would you say if I told you
his offending kit for the robberies
was black gloves, balaclava
and shotgun?
I'd say Nolton Hill Estate.
The shotgun he used,
recovered from a robbery gone wrong
in the village of Sardis.
It was the customised shoulder strap
which got my attention.
Sawn-off, modified stock.
Jesus, Steve, is it him?
Him who?
What's going on?
Do you remember Nolton Hill?
Ten years ago.
A few months before I left.
A masked man with a shotgun
attacked five teenagers
near the Nolton Hill Estate.
One of the girls was raped.
Another sexually assaulted.
- It was never solved.
- I remember.
DI Richards and myself
were called in to assist.
The two boys knew about guns.
Yeah, they used to do
a bit of rabbiting.
Their description of the shotgun
that the attacker used
exactly matched that gun.
Hang on. Back up a bit, Steve.
The last I heard,
you were looking at Coastal Path.
I was.
I am.
And that led me to this.
I'll ask you again, John,
regarding the murders
of Peter and Gwenda Dixon
on the morning
of Thursday 29th June, 1989,
were you the person responsible?
I am not a murderer.
- Strong accent.
- South Pembrokeshire.
Watch this
John, what about Scoveston Park?
We have witnesses who say that
you knew Richard and Helen Thomas.
My client is exercising
his right to silence.
John
Come on, John, don't be like that.
John.
John!
Steve
ever since Huntsman,
gossip has put Cooper in the frame
- for 101 offences.
- I'm talking about just three.
Coastal Path, Scoveston Park,
Nolton Hill.
I think he did them all.
Not now, Jack.
Here they come.
How did Operation Huntsman
miss all this?
They didn't, ma'am.
They questioned Cooper
on all three cases
and he just stayed mute.
Plus, as I touched on earlier,
there was no hard evidence.
Where's your hard evidence, Steve?
It's waiting for us to find, ma'am.
Thanks to Huntsman
and the original investigations,
we have access to over 3,000
exhibits in storage.
That's a potential treasure trove
of victim and perpetrator DNA.
At the time of Huntsman,
the science wasn't up to scratch
on age-degraded trace DNA.
But as we know,
things have come a long way since.
Say you get enough to charge him.
Charging a man with the murders
of four adults is clear, simple.
But you add five minors, rape,
sexual assault,
the Crown's case could seem muddled.
The CPS won't like that.
Perhaps it would be wiser to confine
the review to the two murders.
With respect, ma'am, I interviewed
the five victims as a WDC.
And it made quite an impression
on me.
So much so, I've kept tabs on them
over the years.
Now, some are doing better
than others, but
all of them have been
scarred for life.
They had their childhood
stolen from them that night.
They deserve another chance
at justice.
As do all the victims
and their families.
All I'm saying is,
if you try to prove too much,
you could lose everything.
The killings at Scoveston Park and
Coastal Path are like two bricks.
And the attacks on the kids is
the mortar that holds them together.
It has elements of both cases.
And, ma'am, erm
what are the odds that offences,
which share so much similar
fact evidence,
in such a small area,
were committed by more than one man?
You know, if we reinvestigate
and it doesn't go our way,
the media, the public, the families,
they'll crucify us.
And if we don't go ahead,
it could be far worse.
We've put a call into MAPPA.
A date's been set
for his parole hearing.
He could be out in three months.
If he did do these murders,
he is, by definition,
a serial killer.
And given the opportunity,
men like him
they always kill again.
Next.
The next time you visit,
make an effort, will you?
You look like an old woman.
Adrian's back.
What?
I saw Shirley from Birchmede.
Her daughter's a receptionist
in the hospital.
Apparently,
he was walking with a stick.
A stick?
- Well, that's gotta be a scam.
- Well, that's what she said.
Anyway, Adrian wasn't like that.
He was a worker.
What, you're defending him now,
are you, hm?
He's dead to us.
Sorry, Andrew. Did I hurt you?
It wasn't you.
It's all right, just relax,
I've got you.
28 Rose Meadow Lane.
Cooper's last home
before he went inside.
Walk in any direction
from this point
and you'll hit a home he targeted
between '83 and '96.
It's the hub of the wheel.
In this tiny area,
34 burglaries and robberies,
one rape of a minor,
one indecent assault of a minor
and two murders.
If walls could talk.
Been back since?
A few times to see how the kids
were doing.
So, I was thinking a start-up team
of six, including us,
cherry-picked from division.
That way, we can keep things covert
and it should be easier
on our budget.
Mm, sounds like a plan.
I really appreciate you bringing me
in on this, Steve.
Your reputation brought you in.
WDC to DI in ten years.
Says Mr DS to Superintendent.
London.
The worst years of my life.
Yeah, I was sorry to hear about
you and your missus.
It is what it is.
They were so close to home
when he attacked them.
It looks so bloody ordinary.
To Operation Ottawa.
To Operation Ottawa.
It's all right.
This is home.
The first rule of Operation Ottawa
is you do not talk about
Operation Ottawa.
The second rule of Operation Ottawa
is?
You do not talk about
Operation Ottawa.
It's from Fight Club.
It's a film.
Thank you, Barry Norman.
We don't say a word to friends,
colleagues or family.
Yeah, they'll get narky with us,
but it's the way it has to be.
We don't want Cooper, or the media,
seeing us coming.
Boss
Cold cases are 99% forensics.
So, we need to do everything we can
to help the scientists
find that DNA golden nugget,
the DNA hit that unites culprit and
victim in the same time and place.
Now, our forensics
mustn't be tainted by any of
the work that's gone before.
Previous investigations
had all their testing done in-house
by the Forensic Science Service.
But the science has moved on.
We need a fresh pair of eyes
on this.
Angela Gallop.
She has been involved in
some of the highest profile cases
of the last ten years.
Lynette White, Stephen Lawrence,
Damilola Taylor.
Dr Gallop and her team
are the best in the business.
But they can only find
what they're looking for
if they look in the right place.
And that's where we come in.
We need to identify which items
of evidence
are most likely to carry Cooper
and/or victim DNA in whatever form.
Skin, hair, saliva, semen, blood.
Now, in an ideal world,
there'd be no limit
to the amount of exhibits
we could send for analysis.
But
forensic work is not cheap.
And our budget is finite.
In short, whatever we send
needs to be chosen
very fucking carefully.
Our first case tonight
is an extraordinary double murder
in South Wales.
On the evening of 22nd December,
1985,
Richard Thomas
and his sister, Helen Thomas,
were attacked in their home
at Scoveston Park,
three miles outside Milford.
She was shot,
probably in her bedroom.
And it was in that room
at about ten o'clock
that the fire was started.
Richard Thomas died of shotgun
wounds to the stomach and the head.
Emergency services were called
at 1:15am on 23rd of December.
Scene of Crime Officers entered
the property the following morning
and found Helen Thomas' body
on a bed.
It's believed
she was sexually assaulted.
On the morning of June 29th, 1989,
Peter and Gwenda Dixon were murdered
on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path
near Little Haven.
The couple from Oxford
decided to take a short walk
while they waited for their tent
to dry.
Their bodies were found six days
later on the cliffs at Little Haven.
Now, one of Wales
most spectacular beauty spots
Between 7:45pm and 8:45pm
on Wednesday 6th March, 1996,
five children, aged between 15
and 16, were attacked in a field
next to the Norton Hill Estate.
On the evening of November 22nd,
1996,
a bungalow in Sardis,
six miles from Milford, was burgled.
The victim was confronted
by a man in a balaclava.
They were approached
by a masked man.
The children were threatened,
told to lie on the ground.
One of the girls was raped,
another indecently assaulted.
The victim managed to press a panic
alarm, causing the offender to flee,
depositing personal items as he ran.
These included stolen jewellery,
items of clothing, a balaclava,
some black gloves
and his double-barrel shotgun.
One of the boys was struck
in the head
with a sawn-off
double-barrel shotgun.
Then husband and wife
were shot at point-blank range.
Forensic evidence suggests
Gwenda Dixon was sexually assaulted
at this location here.
Most of the evidence
was destroyed in the fire.
They did manage to retrieve
a sock belonging to Mr Thomas
and a few other items,
but that's it.
- No DNA would have survived a fire like that.
- No.
Just save our money for items
more likely to yield a hit.
Coastal Path, Nolton Hill.
Agreed.
But we still need to recover
any Scoveston Park exhibits
that would support
our take on his MO.
Exactly.
Tied-up victims.
The rope used to bind
Helen Thomas' hands.
Helen Thomas' bra was torn.
That's sexual assault.
MTJ/29.
- Er, clothing.
- Yeah.
CJE/2.
Nolton Hill rainbow T-shirt.
Give me ten patch tests
on that, corresponding with
the victim's bruising.
Yeah.
- CJE/16.
- Coastal Path rope.
Despite a massive search
for a suspect seen using
the Dixons' cash card
Peter Dixon's bank card
was used to withdraw cash
from NatWest cashpoint machines
at Pembroke, Haverfordwest
and Carmarthen.
A man wearing shorts
was seen by a member of the public
making one of these withdrawals.
From this siting, police made
this artist's impression.
Exhibit reference number MTJ/14,
black balaclava.
Exhibit reference PH/2,
double-barrel shotgun.
- The Sardis gun, yeah?
- Yeah.
12 patches tested.
Six on the barrel, six on the stock.
In total, officers recovered 66
items in a fairly straight line
from the bungalow in Sardis
to 28 Rose Meadow Lane.
The home of John William Cooper.
Dad?
Hiya, Jack!
- Have I come at a bad time?
- No, no, of course not.
Well
let the male bonding commence.
Does your mother know you're here?
Yeah. You don't need to check, Dad,
she knows.
You two haven't had a fight,
by any chance?
Nothing major.
All right.
OK.
Well, you know where it is.
Go and unpack.
- Morning.
- Yeah, Steve.
You need to re-route to HQ.
We've got a fly in the ointment.
Morning.
Jonathan Hill for Steve Wilkins.
- Just a moment.
- Thank you.
Mr Hill.
Detective Superintendent
Steve Wilkins, Deputy Head of CID.
Comms referred your query to me.
I understand
you want to make a programme
about the Coastal Path murders.
Erm, actually,
it's a bit more specific than that.
Erm, I would like
to make a documentary
exploring the possibility that
the double murders at Coastal Path
might be linked to the ones
at Scoveston Park in 1985.
That would be a problem for us.
How do you mean?
Mr Hill, what I'm about to tell you
cannot leave this room.
I'm not in the habit of agreeing to
things before I know what they are.
We are re-investigating
the two offences.
Right, and how would
a documentary about the murders
interfere with that?
The killer, or killers,
think they've got away with murder.
A news piece would rattle them,
make them vigilant.
And that would be weeks of
covert police work down the toilet.
So
I'll tell you what.
If you agree to shelve
your proposed documentary,
maintain a news blackout,
when we're ready to go public,
I will see to it that
you get the exclusive.
OK.
OK, it's a deal.
I want Dyfed Powys Police
and the media to stop fighting
and start collaborating.
But
if you fuck me on this,
I will see to it that every officer
from CID to peach-fuzz PC
knows that Jonathan Hill
is not a man to be trusted.
Boss
What the fuck are those?
Professional portrait photos.
They had them done in 1978
after he won all that money
on the Spot The Ball.
Those teeth don't look real.
They're the only two photographs
Huntsman found in the whole house.
I've done a lot of evidence recovery
in my time.
Two photos in a family home?
- It's not right.
- Mm.
- Together, but apart.
- And their son nowhere to be seen.
You've been the model prisoner,
Mr Cooper.
How confident are you
that you can maintain
this change for the better
in the outside world?
100%, your honour.
One of the offences
involved violence towards a woman.
What can you say to reassure us
that you no longer pose a threat to
the female members of the community?
I'm not the same man that I was.
The love and the loyalty
of my wife
has helped me with that.
Your wife has been
a regular visitor.
But your son, Adrian,
hasn't visited you once.
I haven't been the best father,
I'll admit that.
Although, I do plan to
make it up to him, if he'll let me.
I'm 62,
Adrian is nearly 40,
so
Craig says that a man
is never too old to want his dad.
AGJ/28.
"AGJ/28"
- That's rejected.
- Negative for DNA.
AGJ/39.
"AGJ/39"
- That's rejected, too.
- Negative for DNA.
Is it just me, or is this beginning
to look a bit bloody hopeless?
DC Rowe
if we can't keep the faith,
we have no right representing
the victims or their families.
Sorry, boss.
- Momentary lapse.
- All right.
Yeah, thanks.
- Boss
- Yeah?
Cooper's been granted parole.
That was Dyffryn Prison.
They've no idea who they're dealing
with. He's played them.
John Cooper is the prime suspect
in a major crime review.
I am requesting his release
on parole be revoked.
Well, what's the crime?
I can't share that information.
Well, clearly, you don't have
a case, or you'd be charging him.
Cooper is a dangerous man.
That is a matter of public record.
People change.
That's a matter of rehabilitation.
I'm sure your client can be
very agreeable when it suits him.
Your timing is not convenient,
Superintendent Wilkins.
Can you at least give us a date
when you expect to charge him?
Not at present.
But in the meantime,
John's rights can just go hang?
The safety of the public
comes first.
I think we all agree on that.
Although we've got
a stay of execution,
he's guaranteed another
parole hearing within 3-6 months.
If, by then, Dr Gallop and her team
still haven't found
our golden nugget,
he'll be released.
But we're not gonna let that happen.
It's time to send Cooper a message.
Good evening.
Organisers say we're on the eve
of the biggest industrial dispute
since the national strike of 1926.
So, what's it all about,
and how will it affect you
and your family?
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
We think one man
did all four murders
and we need your help to catch him.
I want to make a personal televised
appeal for information
on the evening news.
Do you think you'll get
anything useful?
It's a smokescreen.
We're going to interview
the suspect.
I want to use the appeal
to send a message to him in advance.
Plant something in his brain,
make him good and paranoid.
We're reinvestigating the cases
and we
are confident we'll catch
the culprit using DNA.
Have you found something?
No.
But he doesn't know that.
And who better than the killer
to help us refine our search?
Handled right, liars have a way of
telling you more
than is good for them.
OK, I'm on board,
but just one thing,
how can you be sure he'll be
watching when you need him to?
He's a creature of habit.
I have it on good authority
that he never misses Wales Tonight.
Ta.
About the news thing, boss.
Are you gonna mention the kids?
Nolton Hill?
Definitely not.
Why upset them
when we don't even know if the CPS
will include the offence
on the indictment?
There is someone who we should
give a heads-up to, though.
- Who is it?
- Andrew Cooper?
- Who wants to know?
- The police.
ID.
Thank you.
You're not an easy man
to track down.
We were looking for
an Adrian, not Andrew Cooper.
I get that a lot.
Why did you change your name?
Why are you here?
We thought we should let you know
that we are
investigating the possibility
that your father
may have been involved in other,
more serious crimes.
We're going to make a public appeal
for information.
I don't like people referring to him
as my father.
OK, I'm sorry.
What would you prefer?
His name.
What other crimes?
Four murders.
Scoveston Park and Coastal Path.
I'm not getting dragged back
into all that shit again.
I told Huntsman everything I know.
He's got his father's eyes.
Yeah, I clocked that.
Why do you think
he only changed his first name?
If you wanna lie low,
you change your surname.
Maybe it wasn't about lying low.
He changed his name in 1998,
the same year Cooper was put away.
Maybe it was about starting again.
A new name, a new life.
Doesn't look like
that's working out too well for him.
- The poor guy's a wreck.
- And then we come along.
- Are you OK?
- Yeah.
Mm-hm.
It's just you and me
having a conversation.
Yeah.
In front of a few hundred thousand
people, live.
You know, in my first year at uni,
me and some of my mates
went camping near here.
It was July 1989.
It was just after the murders.
We saw all the police activity.
The wanted posters.
It was scary.
Fascinating as well.
It's what made me want to become
a crime reporter.
Good to go?
- Let's do it.
- Yeah.
Good evening.
We are live in Pembrokeshire,
where there have been
dramatic developments
in two of Wales's
most baffling crimes -
the murders of Richard
and Helen Thomas,
and Peter and Gwenda Dixon.
And now, decades on,
these two double murders
are being reinvestigated.
Detective Superintendent
Steve Wilkins
is the man leading
this reinvestigation.
Developments in DNA analysis have
revolutionised cold case reviews.
As a team, we have brought
these processes to bear
on these two investigations
and they have had
a significant impact.
We believe that somebody watching
this programme tonight
may know who is responsible
for these terrible crimes.
And I'm appealing to them,
for the sake of the victims
and their families,
to please come forward.
And do you think
it's the same local man
responsible for all four murders?
I do believe that, Jonathan.
Thanks to the advances
in DNA forensic science,
we are now
in a much stronger position
to catch the person responsible.