Silent Witness (1996) s07e02 Episode Script

ID.
John Sumardi, Brent University.
Same as Ayesha Khan.
So the guvnor was right.
Do terrorists go on suicide missions carrying their student cards? Mr Bowman, why d'you think the terrorists tried to get YOU? I should've thought that was obvious.
Minister, when will you be back at work? I am NOW.
Next week I'll be in the office.
Will you get Health? I'm going to get HEALTHY.
That'll be enough.
What were you doing at the hotel, sir? Celebrating a friend's anniversary.
With a man who's got defence contracts with bribes? Go away! ALL SHOUT .
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I lost my sister.
My sister DIED in this.
We were talking about your beliefs.
I'll tell you what I believe.
Let poor countries sell their goods without being screwed by global capitalism.
I imagine your friends in the mosque approve of all that? We have a dialogue.
We're brothers.
And how far does this having a dialogue extend? Co-operation? Joint action? Can I have something to drink? Was Bowman getting backhanders, d'you think? The walls are scorched.
Why were there no burns on Ayesha Khan? Could she have come from the lift? Maybe.
.
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Can I have a photograph here, please? This was the minister's room.
What's all this about? Looks like someone's tried to kick it in.
Probably the firemen when they were trying to save him.
They had a stab at it with a knife, as well.
Have we finished here? Not yet.
How much do you know about your mate Mary Carter? Only what she told me? Which probably wasn't very much.
Security Service background I guessed that.
The job description on her ID has been rather hastily invented.
She's a Cabinet Office fixer safeguarding the minister's privacy.
'We recovered a second body' from the scene of the blast yesterday.
John Sumardi.
Ayesha and Sumardi were at Brent University together.
Is there any evidence that he was involved in terrorism? Or my daughter? What was she studying? Economics.
She was a good student.
She got a first in her prelims.
Mr Khan, according to her tutor, she only turned up for one lecture the whole of this term.
I would like to see my son now.
I hope that's going to be possible.
No.
It isn't.
Sorry I'm late.
HE KNOCKS What's that? Results of the vaginal swabs I took from Ayesha Khan.
She had chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and there's evidence of fresh semen deposits.
When are you doing the autopsy on Sumardi? What's wrong? It's been done.
Is that some kind of a joke, Leo? If it is, it's a Tom Leith joke.
We've been stood down.
He's got Stewart Clovelly sent from Bristol.
Right.
I tell you, there's one helluva scandal brewing, Sam.
This says they're covering up the minister taking a bribe.
How can they get away with that?! Don't believe everything you read.
Sanctimonious or what?! Has Sam spoken to you about what happened to her? Thebruise on her face? No.
What? I think she's having problems with some bloke.
He's been hanging round her.
Not nice.
Well, if he comes round here, I'll take his head off.
You've seen my daughter's body.
Does she look like a terrorist to you? I'm sorry, Mr Khan, I'm busy today.
They said they found these extremist leaflets on her but she used to LAUGH at all that.
Now they've arrested my son Mohamed under the Terrorism Act.
I can't help your son.
Well, I'm going to clear their names with your help or without it.
I'm a solicitor.
I do mostly conveyancing.
Hi.
Harrytold me.
Is there anything I can do? The best thing is not to talk about it.
Who is he? I appreciate you two are concerned for my welfare, but I'd rather you didn't talk about my private life.
She was a prostitute, wasn't she? Ayesha Khan's clothing.
What about it? I need a sample.
But I don't want them to know it's from me.
Hang on.
I have to double-sign it out and give a reason.
I need to match it with another sample.
Why? Oh, come on, Doug! You know there are things not right about this.
I'm seriously putting myself on the line if I do this.
So am I.
INTRO TO "Goldfinger" Goldfinger He's the man The man with the Midas touch Touched in the crutch LAUGHTER A spider's touch I've had a look at our computers.
There's nothing on Colin Burwood.
Why not make a complaint to the police? It'd put pressure on him.
I should've reported it right away.
Technically, he is stalking you.
One more teddy bear and I might just change my mind.
He's the journalist who's been flying the kite about bribery.
He wrote that story about cash in the minister's room.
You didn't give him any information, did you? D'you think I'd do that? No, no, of course not.
To him, of all people(!) And not Leo or Harry? They wouldn't be so stupid as to talk to the papers.
You seem so interested in the minister's room.
I'm interested in a lot of things at the moment.
Your job isn't quite what you told me, is it? PHONE RINGS Hello? I'm really glad I found you again.
And I don't want this to go wrong.
Mind my own business? Oh! It's in the thing we sign.
We have to choose our friends carefully.
Go to the police about what's happened to you.
Just report it.
You'll feel better.
Get off me! No! Oh-h! No.
NO! I haven't said anything! I haven't If it WASN'T a bomb, why can't you help me? There are real human beings involved here.
We've lost our children.
Our whole family I know.
My wife is beginning to doubt herself now.
Sheshe thinks they were BOTH involved.
And I want to restore her faith, I want her to remember Ayesha as she really was.
We moved to London to be near my son.
This is where we're staying.
You know whose.
Thank you.
I usually do this on DEAD bodies.
Oh, Mother! Keep still.
I am keeping still, I'm petrified.
So d'you want to see what came out of your leg? I couldn't feel anything! I froze it.
OK.
Stitched and sterile.
There you are.
Stay there a moment.
Can I show you something? Know him? What about now? No, I'm sorry.
I wish I could help you.
Really.
I think Prof Ryan wanted you to wait.
Yeah, well, bye, now.
Thanks.
Glad to see you back at your desk, sir.
Glad to be back.
I've been seconded from the Home Office to the Cabinet Office.
The PM wants to put a tourniquet on the flow of speculation until we know a bit more.
That's good of him.
I haven't managed to speak to him since It was a TERRORIST attack? There's a possibility that you were seen at the hotel and something spontaneous was put together.
I thought you'd come to talk to me about these bribery allegations.
Oh.
It's pathetic.
I don't know whether to react to them or not.
Well, WE understand Peter Croft's company's order books are full, no contracts pending or contemplated with the British Government, so there'd be no point in bribing you, would there? Do they care? And Peter is dead, which makes it even more despicable.
I'm interested in two phone calls made to your mobile within a minute, about half an hour before the explosion.
D'you remember? Ye-es.
The phone did ringand when I answered, there was silence.
One of the calls lasted a minute.
It's all hazy.
Why are you interested? They may have picked up your location from the mobile? If they can do that, it's pretty scary, isn't it? So nothing, sir? You don't know who it was? Look, I know I've been stupid about security.
I expect I shall be fighting for my job.
It's hardly a hanging offence, is it, sir? Wanting to be normal.
Giving your minders the slip for a few hours.
Oh, I almost forgot We recovered your money.
Seven hundred.
I see you weren't able to launder it.
No, it IS a bit the worse for wear, isn't it? YOUNG WOMAN: Hello? Who is this? .
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Lee, shut up, I'm on the phone! .
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Yeah, who is it? Sorry, wrong number.
What? '.
.
What are the chances of DNA testing all the hotel guests?' That's big.
You'd have to tell me why.
Ayesha Khan was a prostitute, not a terrorist.
I'd like to know who she slept with.
What's going on? Stewart Clovelly is performing a second autopsy.
Tom Leith wants it.
Not here, he isn't! (I can assure you, it's in the national interest!) Everybody suspects you're under some sort of strain.
I happen to know what it's about.
Tom Leith thinks it's best if your autopsy on Ayesha Khan isput aside.
Can't do that! I've been completely professional.
Sam, if it comes out that somebody tried to rape you just before an important autopsy, the lawyers will have field day.
I also suspect, though I can't prove it, Leo talked to the press.
You might tell him a thousand is a bit puny for a bribe.
Hardly worth risking a minister's career for.
If Leo did that, he's wrong, but this is about what happened to Ayesha.
We found a match between the DNA under her fingernails and the semen found in her body.
Don't risk a splendid career, darling.
What does that mean? Take three months' paid leave.
It's not your fault, but you've got Ayesha Khan badly wrong.
I'm certain now I didn't.
Where's Leo? In the pub.
Sam, what is going on? Is Clovelly joining us? Sam.
Someone is scared about what we're gonna say at the inquest.
What Burwood is saying - this is serious, really serious.
What's the matter? Colin Burwood tried to rape me.
Sam? Sam, I had no idea.
You told him about the money.
What else? I was angry.
And he kept following me It's ME he's following.
You just compromised our whole department! How can the police work with us if we talk to the press? The police don't even want us at the inquest! That's not the way to deal with it, is it?! We've a contract, we've rights.
Don't be so naive.
I know I've got a problem Yeah, you have.
You're aggressive, you're violent towards women and you're a potential rapist.
Why don't you accept my apologies? You need locking up.
The help will come later.
Sam, listen! Get away! I need to talk about the hotel.
Don't you know what's going on? Yes.
You're stalking me.
That's why you got involved in this story! Bit arrogant, aren't you? Is it safe to sue over the bribery thing? I mean, couldn't it all blow up in your face? No-o! So what about the money? A game that Peter Croft and I used to play.
Remember? RINGING TONE 'Hello?' Who am I speaking to? The Queen of Sheba(!) You won't tell the police? Listen, I shouldn't be here either.
I'm talking about a tall, Afro-Caribbean guy, about 50, possibly a transvestite.
I think he has family.
I didn't want them to know about me.
I just hoped that I just hoped somebody else would identify him.
Who was he?Charlie Heckleton.
He'd come to London every month or two.
He'd catch the show, stay in the hotel.
He never talked about his home or what he did for a living.
He was Welsh.
And he had a bit of a tremor.
He taught me how to play chess, silly, black queen.
Tell me about Ayesha Khan.
I don't know her.
Your number was written on her hand.
This isn't part of the deal.
Why was it there? I'm not saying anything.
This is important.
If I say anything, they'll do me.
Are they terrorists? Only to me.
Enough, already! There's going to be an inquest I'm sorry, I'm out of it.
Was she a prostitute? Well, she wasn't selling ice creams, was she(?) Dr Leo Dalton.
I was at the hotel fire.
I gather you have some good news? Yes, I-I've got some feeling back, and I'm told there'll be more.
Another floor up and I wouldn't have been so lucky.
Darling, would you wait outside for me? DOOR SHUTS Can we talk about your husband, Mrs Croft? We're holding someone extremely dangerous, and if we have to let him go, people might die.
Is Mohamed really a terrorist? His sister wasn't.
Any sane person would want us to do what we're doing - including you, if you think about it for five minutes! Look.
I know the Clovelly business was humiliating.
I'll do you a deal.
We'll call Clovelly off, and you'll not make a noise and wave your contract at us, and I'll forget about the autopsy you did when you were having a breakdown.
Your job's on the line, too.
I have support for this.
At the highest level.
If we get him in court, we don't want some smart barrister calling your autopsy deranged nonsense.
If YOU don't call me, others are going to.
Who do you think you are? This is terrorism, and all you think about is professional pride! Stay away from the Khans.
He was afraid of heights, he he always was.
He tried to conquer it.
But the fire was coming at us so fast! I begged him and he wouldn't budge! And And I wanted to live.
I'm sorry.
The bloody newspapers won't even leave him alone when he's dead.
Yeah, I'm not completely up to speed with that.
Something to do with moneyand a minister? Oh, tosh! Peter and Bob Bowen liked to bet each other.
It started when they were at university.
Daft things like what X's alimony might amount to or whether Y would get kicked out of the Cabinet.
I can't even remember what it was.
The margin of victory at Twickenham or something like that.
Anyway, Peter got slaughtered.
Well.
He always paid in cash.
He could never belong to Al Qaeda and suchlike, even if he wanted to.
He doesn't take orders.
Can you at least tell us what's in your report? We did a swab test on Ayesha as a matter of routine.
We found fresh semen.
We also found that she had two sexually-transmitted diseases.
I think she was working at the hotel as a prostitute.
How good are your lab people? We did a second swab.
I don't think her death was terrorism or an accident.
Please.
Are they friends of yours?! Sam, don't do this.
If you're thinking about appearing at the inquest with the Khan family, you might as well clear your desk.
What IS your job, exactly? Are you so above the law you can intimidate witnesses? It's only advice.
A lot of dead, Mary, a lot of families and lawyers wanting answers.
That's still what I am - a witness.
Have you reported that assault yet? Please go to the police.
THEY WHISPER: You knew she was a whore?! And you never told me?! How could I tell you, Dad? What, does every student prostitute themselves? Was it to buy drugs? I told you.
No-one can live in London on nothing.
But I paid her fee! Do you have any idea how much that was? I wanted her to stand on her own two feet.
That's all she were doing.
When she left home, she went wild.
Every time I saw her, it were, "At last I feel alive, Mohamed.
"You're so serious, Mohamed.
" Why didn't you stop her?! Why didn't youkill her? She was me sister.
She wasn't very bright, Dad, but she didn't deserve to die.
Why didn't you tell the police this? I didn't want you to know.
I thought by now they'd see I'd nothing to do with this.
What have they got on you? Just some friends of mine.
I didn't know everything they were into.
But they can say it was a conspiracy even if you went to the house! The leaflet in her bag.
"To hell with Britain, to hell with America," what was that stuff? I've seen them at the uni.
They force 'em on you.
She took 'em just so she didn't have to talk to 'em! I tried telling her, but she'd just say, "Lighten up, man!" Help me, Dad.
I'm really sorry to trouble you at home, butyou were right.
You MUST be right.
I'd like to call you as an expert witness at the inquest into my daughter's death.
I don't know if I can do this.
But You s You I know, butI don't think we can do this, it's too difficult.
What happened to her? You said it wasn't an accident.
What did you mean? '.
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We're here to investigate the deaths of John Sumardi, Ayesha Jasmine Khan 'Peter Michael Croft' '.
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Ali Nader, 'William Eric Mottram '.
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Riccardo Jangao '.
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and Charles Ethan Jones.
' Mr Clovelly, how were the injuries to Ms Khan's hands and feet caused? I believe some roofing material had fallen on her.
They were consistent with trying to get out.
And did you see a mark across the trunk? There was a contusion.
How was this caused? In my opinion, it was a post-mortem artefact.
Meaning? Caused by the body being moved after death.
Thank you.
Sam.
Politicians have sex with prostitutes - big deal(!) It's not worth risking a distinguished career for.
You're worth 50 Bob Bowmans.
A fifth-rate politician who's going to destroy himself on his OWN, one day.
If it was just that, I'd take your advice, but it isn't.
You know it.
You are not going to enjoy what'll happen in there.
I don't expect I will.
Your career is over as soon as you give evidence.
The Home Office will simply be told you're unfit to practise.
Do what you will.
I'm going in.
I've had this mad request from you to DNA test everybody in the hotel! I've tested the dead.
Now I want to test the survivors, all of them.
Know what you are? A holy cow! Neath! That sounds like my Charlie.
Oh-h! Contacting a witness - you walk on the wild side, you boys.
Desperate times.
You can say that again.
We'll speak to the police about protection.
How does that sound? Come on! Who are these people? Why are they so keen to keep you quiet? Because they're responsible for all those people dying, aren't they? You get me some police protection, I'll tell you what happened.
Mr Khan is representing his family.
.
.
Go ahead, Mr Khan.
Did you stage a reconstruction of what might have happened to the deceased? Yes, I did.
And I concluded that, immediately after the explosion, Ayesha Khan could not have been in the corridor where she was found.
There were no burns on her body.
What if she'd entered the corridor afterward? She would've died within minutesfrom the toxic smoke.
Please continue, Mr Khan.
Um Apart fromcause of death by smoke inhalation, were there any other injuries on Ayesha Khan? Yes, there were.
Three knuckles were broken.
Cuts and bruises to both hands.
Her right foot had two broken toes.
We've heard that this might have been caused by the deceased trying to escape when a roof fell on her.
She was probably already dead when the roof fell.
The material was so flimsy, she could easily have freed herself.
It is my opinion that her injuries were caused by kicking and banging a hard object.
Such as a door? Yes.
Were there any other injuries? Yes, there was one more, very curious, injury.
It was a horizontal contusion about an inch wide running across her stomach.
And what could have caused such an injury? A blunt metal object of some sort, used with some force.
Ayesha Khan had splinters of wood embedded in her knuckles.
The door near where she was found was also damaged.
Tests were done.
The DNA and blood found on the door matched that of Ayesha Khan.
And the door belonged to which room? Room 206.
The room occupied by the Minister for Defence Procurement.
Were there knife marks on the door, too? A knife in the deceased's hand? Yes.
What was she doing with one? Peeling an orange, chopping(?) Mr Simcox! She was a prostitute and she had it for self-defence! Mr Khan, we're here to investigate cause of death, and cause of death only.
Mr Simcox, you will get your turn to ask questions of the witness, just as Mr Khan will get his chance to question yours.
We will keep to the agreed order.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Yes.
That was brilliant! Well, it's not over.
I've got to face Simcox again tomorrow.
Fancy a night out? I saw your daughter at the bar.
She was new to the hotel, but I knew she was on the game.
'Did she say anything to you? That a man in the bar had offered her a lot of money for unprotected sex.
'I said, "You're mad!" I told her she was too young, too beautiful to be doing that.
'I told her it was dangerous.
All the psychos want that.
'Butshe said she had a knife.
How much did she say he offered? 'ã300.
' Did she point him out? He was drinking with two others, a man and a woman.
Did you recognise him? Did you recognise him? Yes.
But I couldn't put a name to him.
'I can now.
' I'm not the Sally Army, but I thought she needed a friend.
So I got her to write my number down.
She walked out.
I hoped she'd left, but she must have gone up to his room.
She never did ring me.
Then I went to see the bloke on the desk to see if he'd go and find out if my friend Charlie was OK.
He asked me to leave.
He thought I was on the game.
As I went in the back, through the car park There was a lot of trade going on there.
The boys in the car park smuggled girls in the back way - foreign students, and girls who just wanted to meet rich people and have a good time.
Pimps took advantage of that.
There was a store-room there they'd turned into an office.
They had a portable gas fire which they used to keep warm in winter when they weren't moving cars, and the girls went in there to wait for the clients to call.
Next thing I knew .
.
Thank you.
You're very kind.
In fact, you're every kind.
I can't stay long tonight, cos I'm in court tomorrow.
SYMPATHETIC GROANS No, it's true, they've finally COURT up with me.
But MORE GROANS I do have some medical friends here tonight.
They're plastic surgeons.
I'm gonna need it.
So just for you, doctors INTRO STARTS I would have given you all of my heart But there's someone who's torn it apart And he's taken just all that I have But if you want I'll try to love again Yes, babies I'll try to love again but I know The first cut is the deepest Baby, I know POLICE! You're under arrest! # .
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The first cut is the deepest Cos when it YELLS AND GRUNTS Watch me curtains! SONG CONTINUES You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention, when questioned, something which you later rely on in court.
Do you understand that? Tell me about the injury to the body? The door catch is a metal oblong which would make a mark across the body at the same height.
We found a small piece of fibre caught on the catch.
Tests showed it came from Ayesha Khan's jacket.
So how, in your opinion, would the injury have been caused? The door would have to be dragged across the body with considerable force.
That sounds a bit strange.
How? If you were trying to push me out of the room, and I was gradually being forced out as the door closed Or you were trying to get in and I was trying to keep you out! - We've heard that if she was in the corridor, she would already be dead.
- I must protest! - It's an accusation of manslaughter! - YOUR interpretation, Mr Simcox.
No firm connection has been made with the occupant of room 206, he is not here to defend himself! .
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And the deceased was hammering desperately on that door because the corridor was filled with toxic smoke, while the person in the room apparently was safe? Mr Khan, please.
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Members of the jury will disregard that remark.
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All I can say is that those were the injuries Ayesha Khan had when she died within feet of that door from smoke inhalation.
And the person BEHIND the door must have known that was happening? Yes.
What else did you discover? I took a sample from underneath Ayesha Khan's fingernails.
What did the tests reveal? There was blood - hers and someone else's.
And how would that get there? Typically, by clawing and scratching at someone.
And you tested for DNA? Yes.
And, um what did that reveal? A vaginal swab taken after death revealed fresh semen.
The DNA of that semen matched the DNA of the blood.
VOICE INAUDIBLE Oh, Mother(!) What've I done NOW? You described yourself as a forensic pathologist? Yes.
Do you accept that the job requires skill, experience and great concentration? Yes, it does.
Can you tell us what happened to you on the night of the hotel explosion? Before you went to the scene of the crime.
That Were you having a dinner-party? That was private.
Did anything happen at that dinner-party that you reported to the police? Yes.
What DID you report to the police? A sexual assault.
You went to the scene of the hotel explosion after an alleged sexual assault(?) Yes.
And there, had to perform a series of appalling tasks only a tiny handful of people in this country would be capable of doing - immediately after somebody had allegedly tried to rape you? Yes.
Surely you couldn't have done your job?! Not surprising that what you saw as wounds were in fact post-mortem artefacts! I was very angry.
But my mind was focused and very clear.
In fact, it helped concentrate it.
This bruise on her trunk was made when she was still alive.
Any pathologist would have been able to tell that just by looking at these photographs.
If you have them exhibited, I'll let you know why.
I think Prof Ryan has answered you very well.
Thank you.
I have had an application to introduce Barry Elkins as a witness.
Is he here? Is Mr Elkins here? So where are you taking me? Somewhere nice? You wanted police protection.
He's going to get away with it.
Why did you send the driver home from the hotel? Can't remember.
I just don't understand why you took a room.
Jack always drives you home, however late it is.
I just thought I'd have a few drinks, crash out, give Jack an early night.
It's quite exciting, people not knowing where you are for a few hours.
Come on.
YOU are a lucky sod.
Well.
This is the big one! Yes.
And I'm the one who blew it.
No, you didn't.
KNOCK ON DOOR You look pleased to see me go, Harry.
No, I'm just really sorry, Sam.
What can I say? Well, there's no point in me being here if I can't do my job properly.
The vice-chancellor was hoping you might change your mind.
You'll be pleased to know you're back on the Home Office list.
Congratulations.
That's not funny.
We sent Danny La Rue to Barbados for a month, but you still won.
Bowman's going to resign.
A tabloid challenged him to get his DNA tested and the PM got cold feet.
Actually, I lost.
Bowman left that girl to die in that corridor.
And Mohamed Khan? Excuse me.
I thought you'd like to know Colin Burwood was wanted for an assault on a woman in Dublin.
So I told the Gardai where to find him.
Let me take you out for dinner and apologise for being such a bully.
Good friends are hard to come by.
Testator Sile-ens Costestes e Spiritu-um Si-ilentiu-um.