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forensicated · 4 months

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02x09 - Loan Shark

TW: Unauthorised money lending, stereotypical talk about travelers and suicide discussion/depiction circa mid 1980's time of writing/filming.

A large amount of rubble has been dumped in the street by a fly-tipper. The lady demands that Taffy deal with it - now! - Taffy snarkily suggests she hand him a dustpan and brush. One of the council road sweepers has spotted the fly sweeper but he's now in the hospital after being hit by the truck involved.

A woman, Mrs Taylor, reports that her neighbour has been moving heavy furniture at all hours, playing loud music and 'has been sick on my windows'. She reports that the lady "is not 'riff-raff', her husband was a hospital administrator after all", but she's now taken to drink.

A shoplifter, Sharon, played by Michelle 'Cindy Beale' Collins. was stopped by a security guard after slipping a few bits of shopping in her bag without paying before leaving. Jim tries to encourage the security guard to let it slide because the loss is less than £2 and food for her children but she won't hear of it. Sharon protests she hasn't got any money and Jim tells her to say that to the Sergeant when she's being processed.

An adorable little dog has been brought into the front office after the teens who found him couldn't read his name tag. It appears that it's in either Russian or Polish as far as Pete can work out.

Ted asks Bob to to get his relief to keep an eye out for some car thieves and reports CID is so quiet, Roy is looking through holiday brochures. "I'm afraid he's going to ask me to go with him!"

Jim tries to help Sharon calm her toddler who has been screaming for the entire journey. "It's just like home." She sighs, looking around the room. "No sodding furniture."

Charles reports to Bob that there has been a report of an epidemic of commercial flytipping south of the river which has started to spread to Sun Hill. He's had a report from the resident that Taffy dealt with that she didn't see the funny side of his dustpan comment. He isn't taking it further but wants him to remind the troops to remain courteous. He then asks if Bob has any ideas about bringing some colour to the station. Bob is utterly lost so Charles hands him a copy of his 'Swedish report' memo. Flummoxed, Bob suggests that June is a dab hand at flower arranging. Unfortunately when asked it turns out that June knows nothing about flowers.

Bob processes Sharon and asks if she's getting the relevant benefits and if her ex is involved. She says all he did was send a Boots voucher at Christmas. Bob asks where her child allowance book is and she confesses - eventually - that she borrowed £100 and that 'a man' has taken her child allowance book away incase she tried to cheat him. Bob thinks it through and realises, given where Sharon lives, it must be Peg 'Aunty Peg' Miller and her son Bob, the not-so-friendly local loan shark. Sharon insists she's not a waster and that she'll support her kids no matter what, clamming up. Bob asks if a caution can be authorised for Sharon as it's all down to reduced circumstances and a loan shark having taken her benefits. Thankfully it's allowed.

Mrs Taylor, who reported her neighbour earlier has returned with a mirror she says she found hanging in the hallway of their flats with a message written on it in lipstick saying. 'I can't John, I can't." the named man is her husband who, Taylor tells Bob, has passed away.

In the pub, Bob and Roy discuss Peg Miller and her son. Roy is surprised to hear of the son because he sent him down for a long stretch but he's out again and is causing trouble on the estates. He tells him about Sharon and Roy says to nick him but Sharon won't press charges. He says he's passed it on to the DHSS (DWP now) but Roy says they're more interested in the easy win of OAP's earning beer money than loan sharks and won't do anything. Bob thinks about it, especially knowing that Auntie Peg will have been playing on all the vulnerable residents on the estate. He agrees to work with Roy to stop her and her son. He says he'll put Jim on it and they laugh that he'll probably lecture them on philosophy and the meaning of life whilst Miller is kicking his head in.

In the briefing, Bob tells Uniform that the fly typing has escalated and that they've not only had one man run over but another who confronted them had a spade wrapped round his head. Then, to eyerolls, he reminds them about deportment when dealing with members of the public. "That is manners in Welsh, Edwards."

Jim speaks to Bob about the loan shark business. Bob recommends that he doesn't actually mention the words 'loan shark' and to speak to the caretaker on the estate to see if he's heard anything about what's been going on.

Roy has sent down a gift for Bob. "Apparently they're very popular in Sweden."

The relief are very confused by it...

Jim approaches the Hardie Estate, the first I've heard mentioned in the first couple of series that remains in the later ones!

The caretaker isn't available but the Community Center's manager turns up with her toddler daughter moments later. "I just wanted to know if everything's OK..." Jim starts. "On here? You've got to be joking." she drawls, seeing right through him. "What's up?" Jim admits he needs some information and immediately brings up illegal money lending despite Bob telling him not to. It works out however as the manager tells him that most of the people on the estate are in poverty and they can't get credit elsewhere so they have to use illegal money lenders. The local one is Peg Miller who pretends to be on their side and tells them she knows how hard it is at the start of their 'relationship'. They borrow £100 and pay it back £10 a week over 13 weeks. It doesn't seem hard or problematic at the start - even with £30 interest being paid. However, the trick is that Peg doesn't the loan paid off so suggests that she keeps topping it up and loaning more and more for various reasons until it's completely unaffordable. For every thousand pound she lays out, she has £100 coming back in every single week just in interest. She takes their benefit books as insurance and uses intimidation by her son and humiliation if people don't pay. The manager has heard all sorts from the simple being shouted at in shops by Peggy through to being branded, pushed down concrete stairs, their windows broken and furniture stolen. The manager doesn't know of anyone who would speak out against them though.

Mrs Taylor is back to report that her neighbour had a man over who was "not her class at all, when her husband was alive anyway" and that they'd been banging around upstairs and shouting all night. At the same time, a caller reports another illegal fly tipping blocking their culdesac with a dog run over and residents threatened.

Taffy has left his radio in the car whilst he visits a demolition site. The foreman insists his boys would not drop illegally and that they use a legal site that is 5 miles away to unload their wagons.

Jim goes to speak to Sharon at her part-time job in the laundrette. He asks if she's had any trouble or if there have been any signs of breaks in. Sharon is defensive and upset at the interference and tells him that she doesn't know what he's talking about. Jim tells her the agreement Peggy made is unenforceable and she doesn't have to pay it back. If she attended the station he promises that he would help her know her rights. Sharon points out that she has to still live on the estate with her children and that people are already talking about her after seeing the police around her. She's never been in trouble before and she has to protect her children and wants him to get off her back and - if he really wants to help - to go see her husband who is refusing to pay maintenance for their children.

Jim and Bob speak to Roy about the money lending on the estate. Jim thinks it's horrific that the sick, disabled, elderly and poor are forced to go to money lenders to get cash because no one else will help. Some estates have started credit unions in Scotland to fight back. "Socially minded.." Bob smiles at Roy after dismissing Jim. "He's right this time though...." Roy sighs. "For a change..." Roy thinks it's about time he has a word with Auntie Peg.

Bob radios June to request her to visit Mrs Taylor who has rung in sounding hysterical. When June gets there, Taylor's neighbours are comforting her and promising her her husband will arrive soon. Another neighbour takes June inside and shows her that blood is dripping from Mrs Taylor's ceiling from the flat above. June hurries upstairs with the woman as a witness to her breaking in to find that the woman has seemingly committed suicide on the living room floor.

Roy and Ted enter a posh wine bar with Roy looking very uncomfortable. After ordering their drinks - scotch of course - they make their way over to the owner... Peggy 'Auntie Peg' Miller. Peg claims she's just an old fashioned tally girl who lives to look after people and, if she'd moved away when things took an upturn for her club, "who would have got the kiddies their clothes for going back to school, ey?" She doesn't want to let people down. Roy tells her that he's heard she's holding on to benefit books as security. She looks to Ted. "I thought this was friendly?". "As long as it's friendly there's some young tarts on the estate spreading rumours." She says, claiming that she only does good and can't stop people mouthing off but she holds no rumours. She says her son Bob doesn't want any more trouble after being in prison and that it really is a deterrent. Roy tells her he's going to ask the DHSS to run some inquiries about some of the people receiving benefits on the Hardie estate to make sure that it really is going to them "Don't make me laugh, Mr Galloway!" She smirks before, unmoved, Roy walks out. She shouts after him that it's her who has to look after "the poor devils that the DHSS can't be bothered with!"

Pete and Taffy sit in a panda opposite the demolition site. Pete says he reckons that it will be gypsies that are fly-tipping after being paid to get rid of it by the foremen of building/demolition sites.

Mike and June have a look around the flat to see if there's any cvlue why Mrs Taylor's neighbour would have committed suicide, other than the obvious. Dashers holds up a coronation cup and asks where June was. June calls him a cheeky bugger and says she was barely a gleam in her mother's eye. (Trudie would have been almost exactly 18m if it helps you work out June's canon age.) They've found an exercise book of 'Dear John' type stuff and that it's creepy. He says that getting married is a waste of time. June says that it works for some people. "... Didn't work for [the victim]." Dashers says crassly.

Viv reports that Peg's son, 'Freezer Bob' (Played by Duncan Preston) is removing furniture forcibly from the home of an elderly man. Freezer Bob insists everything is under control and it's a personal matter. The man insists that it's his property and he has no right to take it. Freezer Bob says it's an ongoing longstanding agreement between "me and Pop Curtis." A woman on the estate - the manager of the community center - tells Curtis to tell the police what is really going on. Freezer Bob ignores her at first before threatening her and telling her to keep her nose out of it. He insists the property belongs to him. "You got an order?" Pete asks. "A possession order." Without it he has no proof of what he's saying. Curtis snaps at him to put his property back in his kitchen. Pete's not taking any messing so Freezer Bob tells his mate to put it all back and that he'll 'Get his money, Pop!' "When I've got it, cock!" Curtis growls back. Freezer Bob stalks off to go place bets at the races.

Another uncredited extra appearance by Graham Cole as Tony Stamp

The community center manager comes into the station to speak to CID. She, Mrs Hall, tells Roy that she's not scared of the Millers as she has a husband, a father and 2 big brothers on standby to have her back. God love her, she's 5ft nothing with a mouth bigger than she is tall. Everyone needs someone like her! She asks Roy to check up with Sharon because she's really not managing. Roy gets Mike to take her statement and arranges to go with Ted to deal with not-so-sweet-Aunt Peg. Roy is adorable when he says goodbye to Mrs Hall's daughter after thanking her for her help.

Mrs Taylor asks June if she really does have to attend the inquest for her neighbour's suicide. June tells her that she does and then she asks about how she gets her ceiling and carpet cleaned.

Bob's report into the fly-tipping does not make good reading for Charles. There have been 5 more drops, the road sweeper in hospital, the dog that died and a garden wall has been demolished by the truck. It seems to come down to 2 Welsh men who had a dodgy registration. Charles wonders if they're disillusioned miners up to 'get their own back' and suggests Bob check the Merthyr computer with their descriptions. The foremen of the sites won't help because they're still getting rid of their rubbish for cheaper than the official places without the effort of transporting it.

A driver is stopped with a broken tail light and poor tread. He offers to give the police information about the Welsh fly-tippers if they let them go. Given that it's Pete... they do! The driver tells them the pubs that they frequent.

Harriet Thorpe guest starts as 'Tarty Woman' who complains about Roy and Ted seeming to jump the queue when going to see Peggy.

The officers ignore her and ring the doorbell. 'Tarty Woman' tells them there's no one home and they'll tell her that the police called. A neighbour has Sharon in her flat with her when Mike arrives. He identifies himself to the neighbour as police and says they've heard about threats made against Sharon. The neighbour says he's too late and Sharon shouts, from inside, for her to shut up and not tell him. Sharon appears holding her toddler and tells him she's got her child allowance book returned, but her arm is scalded red and she has a tea towel wrapped round it. Freezer Bob has made a visit... Mike apologises and takes her down to casualty to have it checked out. He reports it to Roy and Ted and tells them that he's already asked - she won't inform on them.

The boys watch Peggy make her house to house calls. "All that cash and no one touches her..." "They wouldn't dare. Would you?" Peggy stands outside 'Irene's' house and shouts and makes a scene in front of the neighbours before threatening to send her son around. Ted and Roy have seen enough and they march over to the house, asking Peggy where her son is and what he's done to Sharon. "He's gone too far this time." "Don't believe her, she's a lying little whore." They're adding conspiracy to her charges but Ted promises he'll pretend not to have heard it if she tells them where Freezer Bob is. Threatened with a spell in prison, Peggy tells them that he's at the races and where to find him. "I'll see you later." Ted growls.

The barman of a local pub calls the station, he has a lorry in his car park threatening to drop 20 tonnes of rubble. Pete and Taffy are sent over in the car and Yorkie attends on foot. The truck starts to drop the load as the landlord offers the two men £20 not to. Taffy and Pete make it in time. Taffy goes for the driver who tries to kick him in the face and then rip his head off whilst Pete tackles the oppo who tries to twat him with a spade repeatedly. Taffy clings on as both fall out of the cab but Yorkie makes it in time to grab the man and drag him off Taffy. The landlord then snaps that the boys have made a right mess of it (!!!!) That's thanks for you! "I've got a complaint winging its way in son, your feet won't touch the ground!" he threatens Bob who arrived to see what happened.

Roy and Ted enter the pub and spot Freezer Bob indulging in some illegal gambling. They approach him and arrest him for what he's done to Sharon. None of the men he's shouting to for alibi's step up for him. Not very popular is he!

Pop Curtis tells Jim that Freezer Bob is not very bright and keeps messing up hence getting arrested. He claims that Peggy is twice the man that her son is. She once pulled his false teeth straight out of his mouth once he missed a payment. He won't give a statement because if he does it won't solve anything. There's "Pal Joey" and "Lily Friend." who are nearby who are also illegal money lenders. "Debt doesn't go away, son." he tells Jim.

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