Ackland stops a vehicle which has been reported lost or stolen, only to find the driver in possession of a briefcase containing more than £20,000. When the suspect, Harry Turner, reveals he has a past history with Gold, he offers to take part in an obbo to bring down a major Sun Hill villain. However, during the obbo, he escapes with £15,000 of the Met's money. Meanwhile, Kane is struggling to cope with the fact that Bradford has abducted his children. When Zoe manages to call her dad from Bradford's mobile, a search is directed towards the streets surrounding the station - but the entire station is unaware that Bradford has sneaked the kids into the station boiler room under their very noses.

A turf war threatens to blow up on the Cockroft estate between Kalisha Jarrett and her rival dealers, but when one of her henchmen runs down her nephew Wayne at her request, Wayne's brother Leo Price offers to help Smithy catch his evil aunt with the proceeds of a drug deal. However, when the raid yields a stash of fake drugs, Leo is furious to discover that his aunt may be off the hook. Meanwhile, Bradford, still in the boiler room with Kane's kids, turns off the station heating in an attempt to leave a clue to her whereabouts. An engineer arrives to fix the problem, but when he is knocked unconscious by Bradford, Ackland and Harman arrive to find out that Bradford is closer than anyone expected.

Bradford promises to release Kane's kids in exchange for Kane as a hostage, but when Gold refuses, Okaro overrides her decision. Bradford then insists Kane choose between his children. Forcing Kane to handcuff himself, Bradford relives the events of the past year, including the death of Kane's wife Tanya. The station is evacuated, and the TSG arrive to provide support. Bradford's stories become increasingly unbelievable, as she tells Kane that she was abducted by a serial killer as a child. Nixon and Sharpe trawl through Bradford's history and discover that she has been lying. When Bradford moves Kane out of range of the TSG probe, Okaro authorises TSG to force entry into the boiler room.

TSG storm the boiler room and Supt. Adam Okaro arrests a screaming Cathy Bradford for murder. Despite his colleagues' warnings, DC Brandon Kane insists on returning to work at CID, but when he finds himself conned by an elderly woman for an insurance scam, he realises his mind isn't on the job any more. Kane goes to see Supt. Okaro and hands in his resignation, saying he wants to spend time with his kids. PC Gary Best is seconded to CID, and is temporarily partnered with DC Terry Perkins who barely tolerates his new sidekick. The pair investigate the mugging of a city trader by two homeless ex-servicemen. Terry is disgusted by the world the traders inhabit and is frustrated when he learns that the mugging was a revenge attack. When Gary goes out on his own initiative and almost blows the case, Terry takes matters into his own hands and threatens to reveal the trader's cocaine use. PC Jim Carver's wife Marie turns up, begging him not to proceed with the trial against her. When he refuse

Stamp and Young arrest two teenagers, Curtis and Carla, on suspicion of mugging, but when Curtis admits stealing money from Carla's father, Reverend Andho, further investigation reveals that the minister has been skimming money off church funds, and that his theft has been authorised by Denise Okaro, the superintendent's wife. Meanwhile, Okaro has problems of his own, when the new Borough Commander, Louise Campbell, announces that she is on her way to see him - and he panics that he will be berated for his neglect in the Bradford incident. Carver's wife takes the stand in court, but despite testimony from Kent, Marie claims self-defence. When her son takes the stand, the true stories unravel.

Nixon is tasked with investigating a gang who are making and distributing fake DVDs. Her investigations lead her to a pawnshop, where a stack of the fake DVDs are being prepared for shipping to a third-world country. But her determination to bring down the gun-toting leader of the gang leads to unexpected tragedy. Meanwhile, Okaro faces a tough time as the fraud investigations into his wife Denise's finances continue, and she is arrested, following the allegations of conspiracy to theft. With scandal-hungry journalists gathering like vultures, it seems things can get no worse when she admits she does harbour feelings for the Rev Andho. Murphy believes she has sighted Taviner outside the station.

Hemmingway deals with a hysterical woman who is smashing up a shop. Discovering that she is a rape victim who is being traumatised and stalked by her attacker, Perkins and Sharpe step in to try to convince another of the rapist's victims to come forward and press charges after years of keeping quiet. Okaro is forced to put his recent domestic troubles behind him and begins to build bridges with both the relief and his wife. Murphy is shaken by her sighting of Taviner the night before. Confused about why Taviner would come back to Sun Hill, Murphy becomes frantic when it appears baby Niamh has gone missing. When the baby is discovered safe and well, Murphy asks Tait to baby-sit.

Murphy is rushed to hospital, where she comes to terms with the loss of her daughter - and her anguish is only compounded by the awful suspicion that Taviner may have had a hand in the tragedy. Tait blames himself for the baby's death, and guilt-ridden, gets dangerously drunk, seeing solace in the arms of none other than Young - but his night soon results in an unexpected visit to casualty. Stamp and Harman arrest a retired villain for assaulting his future daughter-in-law, however, it soon transpires that there is much more to the case than first meets the eye. Manson muscles in and pulls rank on an angry Sharpe after she tries to go above his head and authorise an operation through Meadows.

Sharpe is assigned to what looks like a straightforward case of bigamy when two men are arrested fighting in the local library. After witnessing a fight in custody, the suspect Leonard Noakes, admits to murdering a man many years previously, but Sharpe finds Noakes' supposed victim alive and not-so-well in St Hugh's Hospital. As the case gets more intriguing, Sharpe finds herself under scrutiny from Manson, who orders her to leave the case to MIT. When Ross requests her help, Sharpe can't help but close up the loose ends, but a furious Manson warns her that her card is marked. Meanwhile, McAllister has babysitting issues, and Tait acts coldly towards Young after their unbridled night of passion.

Following a tip-off from Perkins' snout, Manson goes undercover as a hitman for a woman who wants her husband killed. As De Costa investigates the domestic violence aspect of the case, the husband's involvement in an actual murder is revealed. Manson is delighted with the result, but De Costa is upset when Manson usurps her CSU authority. Stamp and Best trawl internet chat rooms looking for 'Hotpants', a suspected fraudster who has ripped off a number of "her" on-line admirers. Murphy reveals that Taviner has been to see her. Taviner finds Hollis alone guarding the chapel of rest and Hollis lets slip that Tait was babysitting when Niamh died. Hollis admits to Gold that Taviner started the Sun Hill fire.

Tait and Young go in pursuit of a gang of teenage girls who have been shoplifting. When they become separated, Tait is cornered by the gang, who subsequently strip him and spray a suspicious substance in his face. Tait arrives back at the yard half dressed, much to the happiness of his female colleagues. Meanwhile, Carver finds a copy of Kent's birth certificate, and struggles over whether or not to inform Ackland. Murphy is devastated to discover an operation has been mounted to catch Taviner at their daughter's funeral, and believing Taviner's right to see his daughter, tries to inform him of the operation before he is arrested. When Ackland offers her a shoulder to cry on, she rebuffs her.

Nixon and Manson investigate a cigarette smuggling operation, but the pair come to blows when Nixon tries to exert her authority over the situation, and a furious Manson is forced to pull rank on the former acting detective inspector. Carver, unable to hide the truth any longer, confronts Ackland and informs her that her lover Kent is actually none other than her long-lost son. But does she believe him enough to stop her relationship with him? Knowing that he has been set up, Taviner pays Murphy another visit - only to end up holding her and Tait hostage to keep them quiet over his escape, however Taviner realises it is just a matter of time before his colleagues come looking for them.

As the net closes in around an increasingly frustrated Taviner, he decides to let Murphy go free, on the grounds that she does not inform the Sun Hill top brass of his whereabouts. Despite Murphy's adamance that Tait was in no way responsible for his baby's death, Taviner continues to keep Tait hostage, but the pair come to blows when Tait manages to connect with Taviner's personal grievances. Meanwhile, Ackland tries to find a suitable way to confront Kent over the shocking revelation that he is actually none other than her son. But when Ackland backs him into a corner, he declines to reveal his true identity and vows to make life difficult for Ackland if she chooses to believe the malicious rumours.

Manson and Sharpe investigate the case of a missing girl and discover that it is the girl's abusive grandfather who has taken her away. Page returns to Sun Hill and is delighted to discover she can have a civilian position as CAD officer, but will the frustration of not being a copper get to her? Ackland assists with Manson and Sharpe's investigation, but the imminent exposure of Kent is playing on her mind, and when Carver and Kent come to blows, things boil over. Smithy and Carver agree to keep quiet for Ackland's sake. Young confides in Hemmingway about her night of passion with Tait, and despite the fact it could be the start of something special, Smithy is not happy and threatens to stand in their way.

Nixon grudgingly works with Manson to locate dangerous escaped convict Eric Taylor, who has already eluded police twice. When Taylor is spotted, Carver pursues him into a swimming pool complex, and the two end up in the water. Kent watches as the two struggle, and is going to let Carver drown - until the cavalry arrive. Posing as a housebuyer, "June Carver", an emotional Ackland visits her long-lost son and meets her granddaughter, but she is too afraid to tell him her real identity. When his former lover, Rachel Heath, arrives at the station on the eve of her trial for assault, Meadows discovers that Manson's father-in-law, a Deputy Assistant Commissioner with the Met, has been using rent boys.

McAllister investigates a vicious attack on two young teenage boys. Meadows' former lover Rachel Heath stands trial for assault, and threatens to go public and tell the court about their affair unless he agrees to help her. With his career on the line, Meadows makes a surprise proposal, which shocks Rachel to the core. Meanwhile, the pressure starts mounting for Manson when Sharpe implies she knows about his father-in-law's sordid sexual practices and fondness for rent boys. When Sharpe tries to blackmail him in order to secure her own stake in a case, Manson manages to find a hold over her when he discovers the details surrounding Meadows' and Rachel Heath's affair - and threatens to tell all. Gary uses his own experience to convince one of the victims to make a tough decision.

Andrea Dunbar arrives at Sun Hill for her first shift, and her keenness seems too good to be true - but little do the relief know that they have an undercover reporter in their midst. When Sharpe discovers that McAllister told Manson about Meadows' affair, she is furious - and the pair come to blows. Tensions run high between Manson and Meadows when Manson declares he wants Sharpe out of CID - no matter what. Just as he is announcing her departure to the rest of the department, Meadows comes in with an offer for Sharpe to join MIT. Page is snubbed by Manson during her shift back, and things turn from bad to worse when she returns home to find the word 'murderer' painted across her flat window.

Klein and Hemmingway attend a disturbance at a funeral home and discover an unusual case: the body and casket of the mother of the Coombes brothers have disappeared - including £350,000. Turning the case over to McAllister and Drummond, the investigation leans towards all the involved parties, including the brother, the funeral director and the security guard. Against her better judgement, and despite warnings from Stamp, Page befriends journalist Frank Fisher who helps her out when she cops abuse and vandalism from some local youths. Smithy and Hollis check out the local swimming pool when the manager reports a break-in. On the way back to the station, Hollis is confronted by Taviner.

Okaro is determined to nail big-time criminal Bob Coles, who is suspected to have taken part in people smuggling - but when Manson dangles the carrot of a free trip to Paris for the officer who arrests Coles, Hunter and Thatcher both promise their partners a weekend away. When Perkins eventually wins the trip, he auctions it off to Hunter and Thatcher in aid of charity. Meanwhile, MIT arrive to question Taviner about the Sun Hill firebombing, and find themselves investigating his murder instead. Murphy is first in the interview room, but is furious when Ackland refuses to confirm Murphy's innocence. Page begins to feel disillusioned about her return to the Met. Dunbar's editor tells her to go after Okaro.

Klein investigates when Brendan Bailey, a man who murdered a young girl fourteen years previously, is attacked and robbed on the way home from the pub, and is unable to remember anything prior to the incident. Klein suspects that the attacker may be the father of another young girl who disappeared without trace just months after the first murder. When the man is exonerated, he takes it upon himself to track down Bailey and hold him at gunpoint until he reveals the location of his missing daughter's body. Klein manages to defuse the situation, but when Bailey follows him to Jamaica Wharf, Bailey is shot twice at close range, with Klein being the only witness willing to identify the mysterious gunman.

Klein is distraught when Bailey subsequently dies of his injuries. Hunter and Drummond interview the young girl whom Bailey was grooming prior to the attack, and whilst searching her photo album, Hunter finds a picture of his daughter, Maddison. When the young girl identifies herself as Dennis Weaver's goddaughter, Hunter shows Klein a file of mugshots of Weaver's associates, and Klein identifies the gunman as John Finnegan. When Hunter lets slip to Weaver that Klein is willing to testify, Weaver's gang kidnap Klein and pump him full of heroin. Meanwhile, De Costa and Page investigate when a young illegal Russian boy is found amongst a group of yobs involved in an organised chain of football hooliganism.

Hunter and Drummond attempt to find an amateur surgeon who is selling organs on the black market. Their investigation begins with a young girl who has sold her kidney for £2,000, but before she can give evidence, she dies of renal failure. They then begin their search for the mysterious operating theatre where the operations are taking place. Meanwhile, as Klein recovers from his forced heroin overdose at the hands of Dennis Weaver's henchmen, Smithy and Young try to prove his innocence beyond doubt as his condition and his previous history with drugs make his testimony against gunman Finnegan unreliable. Klein later confronts Hunter and accuses him of telling Weaver of his past history with drugs.

Harman and Hemmingway arrest a young girl following an incident of criminal damage, but during the interview, she claims that she was raped the night before. Thatcher and Drummond are assigned to the case, and they investigate a man seen following the victim on CCTV footage. However, when the man is given a rock solid alibi, Thatcher starts to doubt if the woman was raped at all. Meanwhile, Hollis investigates an altercation between a schoolboy and his teacher, but the young boy refuses to speak out against his real attackers. When he and Chambers go train-spotting after their shift, they watch on as the young boy is set upon by a gang, only to discover that the victim may be the ringleader.

Manson organises an obbo on long-time villain Bryan Ferris, who is wanted following the stabbing of a dealer on the Parkmede Estate. Having received information that he is starting his own sideline in illegal substances, Manson raids a pub where he finds Ferris and his cronies in the middle of a deal. Ferris offers to give information on a bigger player in the chain, Ivan Grazdani, in return for leniency with his sentence. A search of Grazdani's hotel room yields a number of false passport applications signed off by a local district judge, Colin Wakeling. McAllister investigates a surprising link between Wakeling, Grazdani and none other than Manson himself. Tait witnesses a meeting between Hunter and Weaver.

McAllister and Drummond search for the missing girl in the passport photo, only to find her badly beaten in St. Hugh's. She subsequently reveals that she was smuggled into the country and later made to enter prostitution. As McAllister discovers that district judge Wakeling's lady friend is none other than Grazdani's sister in disguise, McAllister seizes her chance when uniform manage to track down the illusive Grazdani at a nearby industrial estate. Meanwhile, Klein puts his life in danger by leaving the safe house and fleeing back to Sun Hill, where Okaro agrees to let him go back out on the beat. And Page discovers that her so called lover, Frank Fisher, is behind the harassment campaign against her.

Hunter agrees to set up an operation to nail Dennis Weaver once and for all. With Klein back in the safe house, Weaver arranges the hit. Meeting with the hitman to retrieve the gun and a photo of Klein's body, Weaver realises Hunter has set him up when an arrest team swoop in on them. Escaping into North Canley Forest, a terrified Hunter barely escapes with his life as a maniacal Weaver swears revenge for his treachery. Meanwhile, Young and Hemmingway investigate a possible case of abuse at a local care home, where two of the residents are left badly shaken, Page is warned off by Ackland when she investigates a forged driver's licence, and Klein is placed into witness protection, with a new identity.

Smith and Young attend a call to a burglar seen attempting to gain access to a houseboat, but their arrival sparks the assailant into falling into the fast flowing river, forcing Smithy to jump in after him. A woman then arrives at the station to make a complaint of rape against the assailant. Meanwhile, Tait and Kent find a man badly injured after falling from the roof of a disused warehouse. Their investigations lead them to discover the organised crime of 'tramp bashing', where professionals pay tramps sums of money to beat the hell out of one another. However, they soon discover that the fights are a decoy for a money laundering operation, involving the proceeds of a rather impetuous drug smuggling operation.

A major road traffic accident in Sun Hill sees a seriously injured man, Adrian Collins, rushed to St Hugh's Hospital. When a handgun and balaclava are discovered in Collins' car, Collins admits he was on his way to a bank robbery. When an alarm is triggered at a nearby bank, Smithy realises the robbery has proceeded without Collins. With SO19 delayed in traffic, Smithy has trouble commanding the respect of his officers with rumours of Young's alleged rape. An angry Tait confronts him, and the two nearly come to blows until they agree to concentrate on the job at hand. The situation gets even worse when the bank's terrified manager is pushed out into the street with a bomb strapped to his waist.

Young is found injured but alive in the rubble after the explosion behind the bank, but the bank manager is killed in the blast. As Nixon investigates the aftermath, there is considerable question over where the blame will lie. Tait begs Young not to reveal that they were arguing when the bomb went off, but he later reveals this to Nixon, as well as telling her about Young's accusation of rape against Smithy. Smithy comes under scrutiny as he was in charge of the operation, and Dunbar admits that she told Louise Willets that the bomb was a fake. Under pressure from her editor, Dunbar attempts to keep him sweet with the date rape story, which is now the talk of the station. Kent steals some CCTV footage.

Dunbar tells Gold that Kent may be the press leak, and Kent finds himself banished to the Siberia of Sun Hill – the Coal Lane Estate. When he discovers a group of kids harassing a transvestite resident, he takes vigilante action when he arrests the ringleader, but the station's new CPS lawyer, Jonathan Fox, refuses to charge him. A series of professional robberies of vehicles from a transport company baffles CID, and it looks like an inside job. Rookie Lance Powell and Best blow the operation when they stumble upon the criminal's warehouse. Okaro is furious, and his reaction intrigues Dunbar, who is trying to prove he is racist. Meanwhile, Okaro asks Perkins to go undercover in prison.

Perkins goes undercover in prison, where he investigates convicted paedophile Charles Mawdsley, who is believed to be running a paedophile ring with the help of one of the prison guards. De Costa appears as a prison counsellor, acting as Perkins' contact with the outside world, but when Perkins opens up in a group therapy session, De Costa begins to suspect that he was abused as a child. By arresting a corrupt guard who was dealing drugs, Okaro hopes to force Mawdsley to play his hand, but in interview, the guard reveals that the prison's assistant governor is also corrupt. Meanwhile, Manson receives a call from a prisoner at the same nick who wants to pass on information about a planned robbery.

Nixon and McAllister investigate when the stolen digger turns up at a transport site. Manson's suspicions are proven to be correct, but nobody else knows that Manson's tip-offs are coming from Beech. The arrival of Peter Cavanaugh, an Australian inspector on attachment to the NCIS, sets hearts a-flutter, but Meadows is furious when Manson's liaisons with Beech are revealed. Powell arrests a black teenager on suspicion of shoplifting, but cops a warning from Okaro to tread more carefully with the black community in future. An angry Powell is fair game for Thatcher and Dunbar, who are both seeking to prove that Okaro has it in for his black officers. Best is stunned when Powell tells him that he is gay.

CID and SO19 lie in wait for Trevor Little's team to pull off the diamond robbery, but when the raid is aborted at the last minute, Beech's information to Manson isn't looking so kosher. Meadows warns Manson away from Beech, but Manson goes to see him again when he is beaten up in prison. Young is under pressure from Gina to make a decision about whether to make her rape allegation against Smithy official. Young then assists De Costa when a young Asian girl is raped but refuses to testify. Kent investigates a break-in on the Cole Lane Estate, but when he discovers that the victim was previously arrested on child sex offences, his vigilante instincts lead him to take the law into his own hands once again.

After failing to capture Trevor Little and his gang after their aborted diamond raid, Manson begins to have his doubts about Cavanaugh, and suspects he may be leaking information to the gang. The rivalry between the two inspectors escalates, but Cavanaugh has his eye set on Nixon, and the two share a passionate kiss. Kent continues his vendetta against Cole Lane resident Roy Stafford, who he suspects is a paedophile. When he suspects Stafford has staged a robbery to gain access to the victim's grandchildren, he crosses the line and attacks Stafford, beating him badly. Okaro sends the hate mail he has received for forensic examination. Gold and Fox's verbal sparring also turns into unexpected passion.

Manson's suspicions about Cavanaugh continue during an obbo on the diamond heist suspects. When the suspects get away from them, Cavanaugh doesn't seem particularly concerned. Concerned for the safety of Nixon and Tait, who are undercover as waiting staff on the target boat, Manson orders Hunter on to the boat as well, but when the suspects work out that police are on board, guns are drawn. Kent finds himself in trouble when Roy Stafford turns up at the station to report his assault. Gold is delighted that she may be able to get rid of the evil Gabriel at last, but a Cole Lane resident arrives and gives Kent an alibi. Fox asks Gold out on a date, and Okaro continues to receive hate mail.

Beech has the only evidence that could incriminate Cavanaugh, and Meadows is reluctant to have to rely on the slippery character, but Okaro insists he is their only choice. Cavanaugh contacts Nixon and declares his love for her, begging her to join him on the run. She agrees, but informs Meadows of his plans. Using her mobile as a tracking device, Meadows closes in, but when Cavanaugh realises he's been betrayed, he takes her hostage. Manson and Hunter take Beech to visit Maggie Black, who has the incriminating tape, and Beech asks Manson if he can have ten minutes alone to "say goodbye" to Maggie. When Hunter goes to interrupt their little liaison, he finds himself held at gunpoint.

Thatcher and Drummond are on an overnight obbo, watching the flat of a crucial witness in a fraud case, when Drummond's teenage son Alex shows up, claiming to have caused the death of a prostitute. His life begins to collapse around his ears when his distraught son volunteers a full confession, and then threatens to jump to his death from a warehouse roof. Elsewhere, Nixon is haunted by the memory of her recent relationship with corrupt copper Cavanaugh, who gloatingly suggests that Manson deliberately let Beech escape from custody. With little evidence to prove his own innocence, Manson is forced to sit back and take the allegations being thrown at him as the DPS start a full-blown investigation.

Kent and Young attend a call to what initially appears to be the case of a "bunny-boiler", Sharon Wallace, stalking her ex-boyfriend. Kent, however, sees the fear in the Sharon's eyes, and when she is later attacked, he probes further and discovers that the boyfriend is blackmailing her with some nude photos in his possession. Manson is cleared of any involvement in Beech's escape, but Meadows warns him he's still on thin ice. Drummond is also relieved when his son is cleared of manslaughter. CID's attention is diverted when a car containing a baby girl is stolen. They find the car and the thief, David McLinden, but David tells Hunter and McAllister that his girlfriend has claimed the baby as her own.

Hunter is desperate to find his daughter Madison, who has been abducted by Dennis Weaver. Meadows orders him not to get involved in the investigation, and assigns Nixon to keep an eye on him. They investigate when a kilo of cocaine is found following a car chase. Hemmingway arrests a 17-year-old girl, Shirley Moss, on shoplifting charges and forms a bond with the girl when Shirley tells her she's pregnant. Hemmingway convinces the shopkeeper to drop the charges, and when the father of Shirley's child turns out to be big-time drug dealer Rifkin, Nixon and Hunter organise an SO19 raid on Rifkin's flat, but with drug courier Sonny and Shirley both in police custody, Rifkin clearly has his bases covered.

Nixon drags a wounded Hunter out of the line of fire of an enraged Dennis Weaver, and the two escape into an abandoned Tube tunnel. Hemmingway is frustrated when red tape prevents her from helping pregnant teenager Shirley, who has been badly beaten. She angrily confronts Okaro, and his reaction attracts the interest of Thatcher. Best tracks down Shirley's mother and Hemmingway convinces her to testify against Rifkin. Realising Nixon and Hunter are missing, Manson and McAllister try to track them down with the help of his informant Stephen Fletcher. A delirious Hunter admits to Nixon that he blackmailed and betrayed Klein, but when Nixon tries to get help, Dennis Weaver attacks them.

Young is in turmoil after her rape at the hands of the evil Kent. Naturally, he denies the charge, and he insinuates that Young has "cried wolf" before, when she accused Smithy of rape. Confiding in her fiancé, Tait, Young is shocked when Tait doesn't believe her story. He insists she makes the allegation official if they are to stay together, but Young is reluctant to do so after the incident with Smithy. Nixon must decide whether to defend Hunter when questions arise over the death of Dennis Weaver. As the only witness, Nixon can clear Hunter's name if she confirms Weaver was killed in self-defence. Back in CID, Carver and McAllister investigate a young man who is going nuts on steroids.

Kent's vigilante actions on the Cole Lane Estate spiral out of control when he arranges for a skinhead gang to attack two black youths as revenge for mugging an elderly Asian lady. With his former allies on the estate turning against him, he must act quickly to ensure his involvement is not discovered. Murphy is in court on the case of a drink-driving Rastafarian she arrested for refusing a blood test, and is humiliated when the case is thrown out of court, and she is accused of racism. Jerome Taylor alerts the Borough Commander to the case, and Okaro is forced to offer Murphy a transfer or demotion. Tait and Harman are horrified when a car containing two children rolls into the river in front of them.

Kent's vigilante actions on the Cole Lane Estate could be his undoing when one of his supporters, Laura Bryant, decides he's crossed the line, and reports his actions to Thatcher. As Thatcher and Drummond follow up Laura's allegations, Kent's accomplice Kev is found beaten and locked in the boot of a car. Drummond sees Irene Radford, head of a ruthless crime family on the estate, and it looks as though the Radfords are running a protection racket. Tait dives into the Thames to rescue the two children from the sinking car. McAllister leads a raid to arrest an aggravated burglary suspect, and Nixon realises he fits the profile of their serial rapist. Hunter returns to work, but makes excuses due to his injury.

Thatcher is keeping a close eye on the Radfords, despite the warnings of his colleagues. He eagerly arrests David Radford for selling bootleg DVDs on the Cole Lane Estate, but when David's mother Irene turns up with a proof of purchase, Thatcher knows he's been set up. Hunter is running the CSU, and despite Carver's misgivings, his forceful manner gets results when he convinces a reluctant pregnant domestic violence victim to testify. When a casino punter is mugged after a large win, Carver organises an undercover operation with Tait and Harman. Young returns to the station to declare her love to Tait, but after being taunted by Kent, she discovers Tait and Harman sharing a kiss in the locker room.

Hemmingway accompanies probationer Steve Hunter on his first day at Sun Hill, and eager to impress, he lets slip some juicy gossip about his brother's impotency. The furious sergeant demands his brother be transferred to another station, but desperate to make amends, the rookie constable follows up an informant's info on a bootleg alcohol ring. Young boldly confronts Kent at his flat, and records him admitting to her rape. Murphy and Powell investigate when homophobic graffiti is scrawled over a restaurateur's car and business. The man insists he isn't gay, but when they check the CCTV, Murphy is shocked when it leads them to a friend of her son, Conor. A high-speed chase ends in disaster for Ackland.

Best is approached by DCI Bill Wicklow of the OCG regarding an operation into a major drugs ring which has links to his estranged brother, Joe. Best decides to go undercover to retrieve information on his criminal activities, and soon manages to infiltrate Joe's gang of friends in an attempt to get close to the ringleader, Lenny Boswell. However, Best soon finds himself becoming Boswell's golden boy - and it's not long before he asks him to take part in a major operation. Under the strain of the situation, Best begins to reconsider his career in the force in favour of a life on the run. Meanwhile, Stamp finds himself under investigation following the PolAcc involving Ackland, who begins to recover in hospital.

Best tries to hunt down his brother Joe when he escapes from the clutches of the gang, but is torn over whether or not to begin a relationship with his brother's girlfriend. Meanwhile, when he tries to find the mysterious Barry Jones, Best discovers that DI Henry may be pulling him a line. As Best continues with his own investigation, the net closes in on Lenny Boswell, but not before he manages to slash another victim. As Boswell comes after Joe, Best is forced to put his neck on the line. Word gets back to DCI Wicklow that Best may have gone native, but is Best really foolish enough to throw away everything he has worked for a criminal life? Stamp is cleared of reckless driving by internal investigations.

Nixon and Wallis concentrate on the Royal Navy link to the serial rapist, and interview a Scottish prostitute whose rape over ten years previously matches the profile - and may have started the rapist off. Dunbar hides a press clipping of an article she wrote about the incident, but fears for her cover when a journalist colleague arrives at the station to interview Powell as the 'new face of Sun Hill'. Powell investigates what looks like another homophobic hate crime when a man is attacked outside a gay club. Murphy is shocked when she recognises her son Conor on the CCTV, and Powell is forced to arrest Conor for GBH. Carver and Harman investigate when a fortuneteller has her crystal ball stolen.

Nixon manages to identify a prime suspect as the serial rapist, and in her desire for revenge, Young shows one of the victims a picture of Kent - and then confronts him and tells him that she is determined to prove that he is the rapist. He isn't remotely fazed by her threats, and manages to goad Tait enough into a starting a violent outburst in the canteen. Meanwhile, Thatcher continues pursuing his vendetta against the Radford clan when he seizes the chance to investigate when Wayne Radford is carjacked and then handcuffed to a clapped out banger. Murphy finally loses patience with Powell and is furious when he suggests that her son might be gay - which could reveal the reasons behind his behaviour.

Serial rape prime suspect Alan Kennedy finds the net is closing in around him, but CID are not impressed when several raids - on his flat, his allotment, and his deceased mother's house - fail to turn up any leads. Nixon discovers a link to falconry, and a raid on the local falconry society leads to Kennedy's arrest. Fox warns that more than just forensic evidence is needed to prosecute Kennedy, and reluctant witness Khadija Miah is brought into the station to identify him as her assailant. However, when Khadija runs into Kent, Young realises she could lose her job over the fact that she may have "tainted" the witness by showing her Kent's photograph. Tait's job is also on the line after his attack on Kent.

With insufficient forensic evidence to charge serial rape suspect Alan Kennedy, Manson and Nixon have just twenty-four hours to extract a confession from him. Fox, who previously defended Kennedy on an assault charge, watches the proceedings with great interest, but he jeopardises his relationship with Gold when he makes a comment about her not having children. With CID scouring Kennedy's mother's flat for forensic evidence, Manson and Nixon continue their interview strategy. When Wallis finds a knife in his flat, Nixon manages to piece together the evidence and Kennedy confesses. With Kennedy behind bars, the relief attend a party organised by Okaro, but tragedy strikes when a bomb explodes.

Manson orders Stamp and Powell to stay out of the wreckage of the pub, but when Stamp realises Okaro is still inside, he risks his life to rescue him. Unaware of the chaos nearby, Thatcher slips another racist hate letter into Okaro's internal mail. When it looks like Okaro was the bomb's intended target, Thatcher and Jerome Taylor realise their letter campaign could be their undoing when SO13 investigate. Thatcher discovers CCTV footage of one of the Radford boys near the pub at the time of the explosion, and he follows the Radfords into a trap. Meadows takes charge when his baby is kidnapped by a religious fanatic, but when the baby is recovered safe and well, Rachel rebuffs him and asks him to stay away.

Powell tries to work out who sent him the text message about the bomb, and realizes only three people had his new number: his family, his boyfriend, and Conor Murphy. He tells Murphy about his suspicions, and she is disgusted that he could think her son could be capable of the bombing. Meadows leads a search on Murphy's house, and the phone used to send the message is found in Conor's room. When the bomber is discovered to be one of Conor's friends, Okaro is forced to apologize to Jerome Taylor for accusing him, but Taylor says it's too late, and he is determined to destroy Okaro's career. Best goes undercover to catch a drug dealer for Drummond, but finds himself on the wrong side of a beating.

Murphy and Powell deal with a domestic violence case involving two gay men, but when they hand the case on to CSU, Hunter convinces the victim not to proceed. When Conor doesn't come home, Murphy accompanies Powell and Rollins on a night out at a gay club to find him. McAllister is determined to prove that Meadows is making a mistake by reconciling with Rachel Heath. To prove Rachel is still "on the game", she gets Best to call Rachel and make an appointment at a hotel. When Meadows confronts her, she denies that the meeting was for her purpose. Thatcher and Drummond investigate an arson attack on an ice-cream van, and are horrified when the main witness is killed in a hit-and-run.

Rachel Heath exacts a violent revenge on Martin Grainger, convinced he was responsible for telling Meadows about her continuing involvement in the vice trade, with Meadows unaware that none other than a scheming McAllister is behind the betrayal. De Costa returns to CSU and is appalled by the way Hunter has handled things in her absence.

Okaro is furious when he discovers that Thatcher has asked Young to go undercover with the Radfords, without permission from himself, Gold or Meadows. Ackland returns to work after being hit by the Area Car, despite the fact that in a week she is taking further leave to marry Carver, with preparations for their wedding coming along nicely. Nixon's daughter gets involved with a local criminal, much to her dismay. Has she really flown off the rails, or is someone persuading her to do something she doesn't want to do? Meadows decides to apply for custody of his son with Rachel Heath, but finds that the situation is much more complicated than first expected when it transpires she has more than one child. Young leaves work early, after being told she can't go under cover, she goes to a bar and chats up the elder Radford brother

Young wakes up in bed at Radfords house. As Ackland and Carver prepare to tie the knot, the past threatens to catch up with both of them and shatter their happiness. Evil Kent plays mind games with the pair, suggesting the marriage is merely a sham, and tries to dissuade Ackland from proceeding with the ceremony. The situation turns from bad to worse when a drunken Marie Carver turns up as an uninvited guest and causes a scene in front of the congregation. Meanwhile, Young begins to get caught up in the Radfords' criminal world, but Thatcher tries to persuade her to keep digging, until he find some concrete evidence to nail them. However, his day turns out better than expected when he spots an opportunity to set up Okaro.

Still working undercover, Young gets in way over her head after witnessing the death of a Radford escort girl and being ordered to beat one of the others by family matriarch Irene. Thatcher begins to fear the worst when she goes for days without reporting back, and when a girl's body is found in a burnt-out vehicle. Thatcher watches on with glee as his plan appears to have pulled itself off. As Manson's relationship with Dunbar blossoms, he lets slip some of his most closely guarded secrets about his colleagues - not least big cheese Okaro, whose cannabis possession story soon ends up on the front pages of the newspapers. Gold is distraught to discover Fox has requested a transfer to another station.

Smithy realises that Young has embarked on a foolhardy undercover mission to investigate the Radford clan and tracks her down, begging her to pull out before it's too late - but she turns a deaf ear to his pleas, putting both their lives in peril. Against her wishes, he organises a raid to rescue her, but Thatcher soon puts a spanner in the works and the pair come to blows - but Smithy manages to talk him round. Meanwhile, newlyweds Carver and Ackland return to Sun Hill, Okaro refuses to accept a caution for possession of cannabis, and arrives at work to be met by a mob of journalists baying for his blood, and Hollis and Chambers get to know one another better in the station's stationery cupboard.

Young and Smithy are minutes away from a bullet in the head from Wayne Radford's goons, when a raid on Hedley's Club takes place just in time to save them. Unable to say anything about their ordeal, the pair claim to have been innocently having a drink at the club when the raid occurred. Okaro and Gold are furious that the raid took place without their consent. When Wayne is nicked for possession, he blows Young's cover in interview. Nixon tries to file a misper report after her daughter Abi fails to return home. When Abi's clothes and travelcard are found by the side of the Thames, Nixon realises the nightmare is only just beginning. Perkins and De Costa rescue a young boy from a convicted paedophile.

Sam leads the enquiry into her daughter's disappearance. Debbie takes the credit for Gary's work. Ramani catches Terry browsing a paedophile website. Terry discusses his childhood sexual abuse with his brother, Ben. Yvonne struggles to deal with Shirley, who steals Dean's disabled badge for money, and then claims to be HIV-positive.

Terry tracks down the man who abused him and his brother as children. Yvonne tries to stop Shirley Moss from selling her baby. Debbie discovers her baby's nanny has been working as a prostitute from her flat. Sam is convinced that missing daughter Abi has been taken against her will, but struggles to find any proof.

Wayne Radford has been found dead in his prison cell. It appears to be suicide, but Radford also has a number of bruises and cigarette burns on his body. Gina hears from Radford's cellmate that a copper was spreading rumours that Wayne was a child killer. Malcolm Willard's garden centre has reported him missing, and Ramani is concerned as she suspects Terry has been to see his childhood abuser. Reg and Steve find Willard alive and well at his home, but are called back later to find Terry's brother Ben trying to drown Willard. Andrea is on a crusade to clear Okaro's name, and angers Manson when she illegally submits one of Jerome Taylor's cigarette butts for a DNA test, to prove that he planted the marijuana in Okaro's car.

Malcolm Willard has been shot dead from long range, and once again Terry and his brother Ben are in the frame. Terry is shocked when he turns up at CID to hear that Willard is dead, and that MIT want to interview him. He and Ramani head to Ben's lockup, where they find an empty rifle case. They then head to the old Perkins house where the abuse took place, and SO19 storm in and arrest Ben, but he is later cleared, as the bullet that killed Willard was a different calibre. Okaro is on trial for drug possession, and Manson's wife is his defence barrister. His chances are not looking good though, as the prosecution tears through witnesses Steve and Rob. Manson and Andrea discover that the DNA on the drugs matches that of Jerome Taylor, and they locate the man who sold Taylor the drugs. Needing an excuse to arrest him so they can get a legitimate DNA sample, Manson goads Taylor into attacking him. Okaro is cleared of all charges, but returns to the station to find they may have a serial sn

Lance and Steve attend to a carjacking, but is the victim telling the truth about how the incident played out? Okaro briefs the relief that there is a serial sniper on the loose in Canley. Sam continues the search for her missing daughter, before a vital clue begins to concrete her beliefs regarding an abduction. Okaro confronts Rob over planting cannabis in his car.

DC Suzie Sim arrives for her first day at Sun Hill, and it's Gary who ends up playing sidekick when the pair investigate a spate of incidents at a local Asylum Hostel. The investigation, however, leads to the arrest of Terry Perkins' nephew Bradley, who faces charges of criminal damage and sexual assault on an Asian immigrant.

Ramani suspects that Terry's brother Ben has been abusing Bradley and his brother, Christopher, however, Terry refuses to believe her. Meanwhile, Jack is called away on private business, Kerry becomes involved with a known criminal, and Rob continues his outrageous campaign to try and bring down the Radfords.

Jack, Bob Cryer and Alec Peters attend the funeral of old friend and colleague, ex-Sun Hill DS Ted Roach, and are soon drawn to investigate the suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. Back at Sun Hill, Terry is driven to break into his brother's home in desperation, to save his nephews from further abuse.

Sam becomes worried when she is sent a video message from her missing daughter, Abi, but Phil suspects an ulterior motive to the whole situation. Meanwhile, Suzie and Debbie investigate a stabbing outside the flat of a prostitute, and Rob believes he has the information required to bring the Radfords to justice once and for all.

Andrea and Gabriel investigate a vicious attack on a young blind girl, but the suspect they arrest declares his innocence. To make matters worse, when we walks free in court, he is shot by a sniper from long range. Meanwhile, Gina reprimands Kerry after finding out about her involvement with the Radfords.

Suzie and Andrea discover the real culprit in the attack case, and begin to suspect Gabriel's involvement in the sniper case, and Sam realises somebody is playing games with her when a girl, matching Abi's description, is found on mud flats on the river Thames just metres from where her clothes were found.

Kerry does the dirty on David Radford and sets him up to be caught during an armed robbery, and Gabriel harassed June whilst the pair are investigating a hit-and-run. Meanwhile, Okaro briefs the team on the possibility that Sun Hill has a serial sniper in its midst, and Rob attempts to do a deal with a suspect in order to secure David Radford's conviction.

Smithy declares his love for Kerry. Rob and Debbie investigate a music marketing company involved with flyposting, Gabriel and June are led on a wild-goose chase by a mugger, and Kerry's flat is broken into by Gabriel, before being searched by Andrea, looking to dispose of the evidence of her role as a journalist. Kerry's father goes into a coma, forcing her to re-evaluate her life and job, and when he recovers she finally chooses Smithy. However, after declaring her love for Smithy in front of the station, she is tragically shot by Gabriel.

After being shot by the evil Gabriel, Kerry dies in hospital. Gabriel tries to cover his tracks, but June suspects his involvement in Kerry's death. Morrell reveals that Kerry was three months pregnant with Gabriel's baby, much to his shock. Was covering his tracks necessary payment for the life of his unborn son? Smithy questions Okaro in his decision to delay the ambulance that took Kerry to hospital.

Sam works out that the body found on the riverbank may hold a clue as to where her missing daughter Abi is. Morrell continues to question Gabriel, Ken and Suzie suspect of Kerry being the press leak, and Ramini, Sheelagh and Yvonne investigate a spate of incidents relating to distraught teenager Shirley Moss.

Jim struggles to repay his debt, and whilst investigating the case of a young drugs mule with Ken, begins to realise there is no way out of his troubles. Jack and Debbie continue their private investigation into Wesley Patterson, and Yvonne causes trouble when she arrests her sister's husband for possession of drugs.

Jim strikes an £11,000 win on the dogs, but ends up losing all his money. New PC Roger Valentine arrives at Sun Hill, and immediately offends Lance when he finds out Lance is gay. Meanwhile, Shirley Moss finds herself in trouble once again, and Sam worries when CCTV of Abi being taken by a man is discovered.

Jim repays Fletch his £30,000 debt, plus an extra £10,000 for the dog papers. But to get the money, he offers June's house to a dangerous loan shark. Jack and Debbie give into their feelings for each other. June thinks about retiring, and Smithy and Gabriel end up in a punch up after Kerry's funeral, when Gabriel reveals she was pregnant with his child.

Debbie finalises her operation and manages to catch Wesley Patterson and Fletch in the act, and it soon becomes her best ever result. However, her success is short lived as her son Andrew is taken into hospital following a head injury the day before. Meanwhile, June and Gabriel deal with an underage pregnant girl who is about to have an abortion, but Gabriel's guilt over Kerry's death threatens his judgement. Andrea tells Smithy that Kerry told her Gabriel raped her.

Best and Sim are on the trail of a prolific local burglar, but when Stamp and Hollis attend the scene of the latest incident, they find more than they bargained for, in the form of a severed arm. Best investigates and immediately apprehends the suspect, but Meadows is less than pleased when the arm is discovered to be made of rubber. That is, until Best finds a real one in the suspect's shed. Meanwhile, Smithy is teamed up with Kent when local villain Jimmy Cross is targeted for selling dodgy consignments of vodka, unknowingly sparking a turf war with none other than the Radfords. On Smithy's advice, Dunbar informs Morrell during interview that Young had accused Kent of raping her shortly prior to her death.

Stamp and Hollis attend the scene when the grave of Wayne Radford is desecrated with paint. CCTV reveals that career criminal Jimmy Cross is responsible for the attack, and Gold is forced to break the news to Irene and David. Gold believes she has convinced Irene to let the police deal with Cross, but later receives a call to say that Cross has been shot in a drive-by shooting. Forensics reveals that the gun used in the shooting was the same gun used to kill Thatcher's father over twenty-years ago, and a review of the case uncovers some possible new evidence. Meanwhile, Morrell questions Kent after Dunbar's allegations that he raped Young, and a gleaming Hunter discovers Manson and Dunbar's affair.

Thatcher confronts Carl Radford when he discovers through a friend in MIT that new evidence suggests that a third party was involved in the shooting of his father, only for Carl to reveal that his mother, Irene, was the one who pull the trigger. After giving David Radford a severe beating, Thatcher goes on the rampage and attempts to finish the Radfords once and for all - confronting Irene face to face, before being shot himself by a venomous David. Thatcher manages to escape, but ends up going on the run to save his own skin. Meanwhile, Nixon is disturbed by three roses which arrive at the station, until she is sent a link to a website which shows Abi locked in a shipping container - with a clock in the corner.

With little over fours remaining, Nixon must rally the team to discover Abi's location before it is too late. Looking over her old cases, she realises that former nemesis Peter Baxter may have something to do with Abi's abduction, but in interview, he claims to be totally innocent. When Wallis trips up and mentions one of Abi's nicknames in passing, Nixon realises that Abi's abductor has been under her nose all along. A search of Baxter's industrial unit reveals a series of numbers, which have been graffited on the wall, which provide co-ordinates as to Abi's location. A search of a local container yard finds Abi alive and well, but Nixon is upset to find that her evidence against Wallis has disappeared from his car.

PC Amber Johannsen arrives late for her first day. Ramani deals with a woman who has accused her husband of beating her, but is puzzled when the husband completely denies all knowledge. Sam is startled when Abi reveals Hugh as her abductor, but she chooses to go home and live with him instead of her own mother.

At June's leaving party, Jim reveals the extent of his debts. Steve and Amber have a quick rendezvous, Ramani attempts to build bridges between Maggie and her husband, and Amber's second day on the job proves eventful when she and June uncover a family terrorising residents on a local estate.

Jim tries to salvage his marriage, but soon finds himself at the mercy of Zacadelli, who kidnaps him in an attempt to get his money back. Terry and Suzie investigate a case of a youth leader who has assaulted two of his club members, and June and Tony investigate a vengeance against a country and western singer.

Gabriel learns Smithy reported him over Kerry's rape allegation and the two come to blows - but retribution comes from an unexpected source when the corrupt copper is gunned down by the Sun Hill sniper. Elsewhere, suspicion falls on Shirley after Yvonne's niece accidentally swallows an Ecstasy tablet.

New recruit PC Leela Kapoor proves her mettle on her first day at Sun Hill, but the exposure of a dark secret from her past sours her working relationship with Sheelagh. Jim contemplates stepping outside the law to pay off his gambling debts, while another shooting by the serial sniper leads to an influx of armed officers - one of whom, Sergeant Mark Rollins, just happens to be Lance's boyfriend.

Jim sinks to a new low when he pawns valuable police evidence to raise the cash he needs to pay off his gambling debts – then promptly blows the lot on a horse. Andrea refuses to abandon her undercover assignment even though Adam is getting uncomfortably close to the truth when her editor is called in. Gabriel goes to find Hardy's rifle, but Smithy finds it before him, and it appears to be only a matter of time before the culprit is finally caught. However as the building is cleared, Gabriel rushes to Hardy's address, threatening that no one would care if he was shot. As Gabriel grabs a nearby pistol, a struggle ensues and the gun goes off. As SO19 rush to the apartment, Gabriel forces Hardy over the balcony railing but he holds on for dear life as PC Steve Hunter looks on from the ground level, but Gabriel 'drops' Hardy and he falls to his death.

DI Morrell arrives to investigate the death of the Sun Hill sniper. Kent tries to convince Steve to tell MIT that Gabriel tried to save him but let go, as opposed to Gabriel deliberately dropping him from the balcony. After a short pursuit, Yvonne's friend, Shirley Moss, is involved in a car crash. The driver is killed for not wearing a seatbelt, and Shirley breaks her legs. Yvonne attempts to patch things up but Shirley turns her away and seeks solace with her sister Beverly. Ken and Suzie investigate the driver when it appears that he was a drug dealer, but Yvonne walks into the OBBO in uniform chasing after sister Beverly, who is subsequently arrested. SO19 find out that Rollins is gay, but as opposed to be annoyed he was found out, he proposes to Lance. With romance in the air, the Christmas party gets into full swing, and new girl Amber certainly enjoys herself - and causes much gossip - by very publicly kissing one of the barmaids – but sadly it looks like love is off the cards f

It's a difficult day for Yvonne as she faces up to the fact that she was wrong to throw Shirley out of the house. However, the youngster eventually accepts her apology and it looks as if, once she has pulled through this latest mishap, the kindly PC will be able to get her life back on track - but Shirley tragically dies from the injuries sustained in the car crash. Meanwhile, with the tensions in his relationship with Andrea beginning to take their toll, Neil is devastated at the news that she has been critically injured. He turns up at the hospital, only to be faced by Smithy, having already filled his shoes. Lance finally accepts Mark's proposal of marriage after a long day of deliberation, while Gina is surprised to catch a glimpse of Irene Radford. She is convinced her eyes are deceiving her - until Jack confides in her that Sun Hill's crime matriarch is indeed back.

The Sun Hill squad learn Irene Radford is plotting one final raid before retiring from a life of crime for good, so Phil is tasked to monitor a prison meeting between Irene and her son David, where the top brass are hoping he'll glean valuable information about the job. Unfortunately, the philandering DS is easily distracted by an old flame working at the prison. This means that while the suspected raid goes belly up, while Irene attempts to bust David from a prison van.

Irene takes Gina hostage and drives her to an isolated cottage while planning her next move. Gina is in no doubt she's in very real danger, but as the two women talk, they begin to realise they have more in common than they could possibly have thought. Meanwhile, Honey accuses Steve of being as bad as his brother, while Phil gets short shrift from Sam.

Ramani is facing a staff shortage, so Jack lends her Terry to help investigate a suspected paedophile, but she isn't sure about her colleague's ability to deal with such a task given his own traumatic background. Meanwhile, the relief let their hair down at Lance's stag party - only for the guest of honour to be kidnapped.