Original subtitles

Two ten-year-old girls went missing yesterday evening

in Soham, Cambridgeshire. It's Holly and Jessica from my class.

They came by our house. I... I spoke to them.

They bought sweets in the sports centre

then spoke to the school caretaker outside his house.

I can't go to prison!

No-one's going to prison.

I'll say I was here.

You were here. I was in the bath.

I think this guy needs another look.

H-U-N-T-L-E-Y. He's the caretaker.

CAMERA CLICKS

NEWS READER: Cambridgeshire Police Force are widening their search

for Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

The are expanding into the area beyond Soham to The Fens,

the wetland area that lies close to the village.

Police are now treating the disappearance

of the two girls not as a missing persons inquiry

but as a criminal investigation.

Detectives have almost entirely ruled out

that the girls' disappearance was an accident,

but they say that they are hopeful that Holly and Jessica...

LOUD DANCE MUSIC

What's your name?

Maxine.

What?

Maxine.

Maxine. I'm Ian.

You're gorgeous.

How old are you?

How old do you want me to be?

MUSIC FADES

You kept your toys?

They're not toys. They're scale models.

Oh. Sorry.

Yeah, I was gonna be a pilot. Join the RAF.

Then I thought, "Mm, no.

"I'd rather be free." Yeah.

Be who you wanna be,

without anyone judging you, or accusing you, or...

Yeah. Exactly.

It's...

It's getting accused of something that you didn't do, is...

What?

You can tell me.

Happened to me last year.

Met a girl at the club.

Have sex.

She tells the police I raped her.

Oh.

I got charged.

Went to prison on remand for a week.

That was...

Nearly had a mental breakdown.

God, that's terrible.

Never went to court.

No evidence, so I got off. But, yeah, nightmare.

God. You poor thing.

Lying bitch.

Probably cos you didn't wanna go out with her.

Exactly.

"Do not bear false witness."

You know, it's one of the Ten Commandments.

Course it is.

Cos it's the worst crime in the world.

So...

..why didn't you wanna go out with her?

Cos it didn't feel...

..like it feels now.

I didn't do anything. You're always eyeing up girls.

I just said I liked his tattoo.

Yeah. Bloody shorthand for, "Take me the round the back and flippin..."

You're paranoid. Yeah? Am I? Yeah.

Or are you just a little tart?!

Nice. Aww, must be awful -

charmer like you stuck with a tart like me. Oh, poor little Ian.

Don't. What? You couldn't do any better?

Oi, what you doing?

What? Do you want to hit someone, yeah?

Yeah. Leave him alone.

Come on, then.

Suit yourself, love.

We're going home.

Are you coming?

Max!

Wow.

Well, you don't hang about, do you?

Well, when you know, you know.

Yeah. Right.

Congratulations.

Cheers. Well, someone had to make an honest woman out of her.

KNOCK ON DOOR

Police. Can I speak to Ian Kevin Huntley, please?

She says someone's raped her. Well, it's got nowt to do with him,

and I can promise you that. I don't know why you're accusing him for.

He's been implicated in similar offences.

I know he has. He's told me, yeah, because he's honest.

And was he found guilty? No. So...

Last Saturday? He was with me. Yeah.

All night. And you can write that down.

And he's not my boyfriend - he's my fiance.

Last Saturday, I was with Maxine.

See? Newsflash - some girls lie.

NEWS READER: The search continues.

Specialist underwater teams are searching the ponds, rivers,

ditches and dykes that make up the waterways of The Fens,

close to the village.

However, the focus of the investigation remains on Soham.

Police are trying to...

CAMERA CLICKS

Ian?

What?

I was just thinking,

when they came by, why weren't you outside with Sadie?

I was. I told you, I was.

No, I mean just now, for the reconstruction.

No-one asked me.

Right. Yeah.

Why not?

Why would I know? I don't know what they're thinking.

That police officer you spoke to

said that there's been sightings after you.

So, yeah, they're probably thinking that you're not that important.

Which is good.

Hey, do you know who could have done it?

The previous caretaker.

Cos he was sacked, wasn't he?

And there were rumours about him.

Yeah.

If he hasn't got an alibi, yeah.

Could be him.

Easily.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

HE SIGHS

You filed your copy?

Yeah, just phoned it in.

That reconstruction, it didn't do the encounter with the caretaker.

Why do it Saturday morning when it happened Sunday evening?

Mmm. Police'll have their reasons.

Yeah? You confident?

You think they got a grip on this?

Seven days in, not a single suspect?

Well, we're not helping, are we?

Flooding the place with reporters,

promoting rewards, bringing in strange people.

Body tourists. Look, treasure seekers.

Day out in Soham - hunt the missing kids.

Cynical.

Yeah, I know. Look, people wanna help, I get it.

But they can't, can they? Not really.

But we can. We are.

By keeping the story alive.

Yeah, to sell newspapers.

To help find them.

Yeah, OK, that's your story. You stick with that.

Those poor girls.

Yeah. There you are.

You talked to the caretaker?

Yeah. Creepy? Loner?

It was weird that he got so upset,

but I guess he felt involved, you know?

No, he lives with his fiancee. She's there all the time, so...

Not our man.

Mm.

DEVICE BEEPS

BEEPING CONTINUES

DOORBELL RINGS

HE SIGHS

We've had enough of reporters.

Police. Sorry to disturb you.

You're not disturbing us. Sorry, I thought you were the press.

What's the difference? You both ask questions.

But you know what? They're a lot pushier.

Mm. Can we come in?

Course you can. Ian, it's not the press, it's the police.

Ian?

Oh, lovely.

You know, I was thinking,

you should look at the caretaker that was here before me,

cos I know they had to sack him and he could still have keys

and alarm codes for the school. So... he could have come back.

Right. Thanks. Noted.

So, Mr Huntley, erm, following up on your witness statement

taken when this property was searched on Monday.

Er, when you weren't here...?

Er, Monday.

Yeah, no, she was out.

Doing the shopping, probably.

But I was here indoors on Sunday when he spoke to the girls.

Did you see them?

I was in the bath.

Right, OK. Can I get a statement?

Sure.

Yeah, then I come downstairs and Ian tells me,

"Oh, you've just missed them. They're asking after you."

And I'm like, "Oh, no, shame."

Mmm. OK.

Yeah.

Mm, not sure I want to sign this.

What is it?

It's a consent for a DNA sample.

Does he have to?

No, we can say you refused.

Not refusing.

It's just that if this goes on a national database that's...

I've got human rights.

Yeah.

But you've got nothing to hide, have you? So...

No. Might as well.

Just sign at the bottom, thanks.

Appreciate your help.

You're welcome.

MAXINE'S MUM, ON PHONE: It's so awful. Yeah.

And we spoke to the reporters and the police,

because Ian was the last person to see...

..well, one of the last persons to see them, so... Mmm.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah. They came past the house when he was outside with the dog.

With the dog?

Why are you saying it like that?

What? Well, I just didn't realise.

Like, suspicious - "with the dog"?

Sorry! Well, I'm not...

I'm not trying to... I mean...

What? Accuse him?

No, you'd never do that, would you?

You'd never think the worst of him. No, not in a million years.

Sweetheart, I'm not accusing anyone.

Good. Because he told the police he spoke to them,

and why would he do that if he's got something to hide?

Yeah. Yeah. Of course.

Yeah. And he's helping the police use his school

for the press conferences.

And he's got all this pressure

because of the floods they've had, working all hours.

Well, good for him.

Yeah. No wonder he's stressed.

Yeah. Of course.

Thanks for calling.

What? Are you OK?

Bye. Maxine...

Ian?

You OK?

I just want everything to go back to the way it was.

Yeah.

They're going to accuse me.

Sh. It's all right.

Here, put your head in my lap.

Now what happened was that they walked away from here

and then they vanished.

Someone in a van. Yeah.

Some... evil...

..evil... Yeah, not you.

Not you.

Police are searching for a dark green, four-door

saloon car seen driving erratically on the A142

near Newmarket on the evening the girls went missing.

A taxi driver reports seeing two girls in the vehicle,

struggling with a man of Mediterranean appearance.

Arrgh!

I'm... I'm sorry, I couldn't resist that.

Yeah, yeah, great defence.

So, this new suspect, what do you think?

Nah, doesn't feel right to me.

Yeah. Clutching at straws.

But it is better than nothing.

Mmm. A suspect, at last, plus a game for all ages...

Oh, yeah - Spot A Green Car.

You can play it with Millie.

With who? Your daughter.

I overheard you talking with your wife. What age is she?

Sorry. I'm nosy.

I write for a rag.

Hey, I've made a new contact.

Oh, yeah? What, in the police?

Not with the families.

Just take care, OK?

Aww, thank you.

You too.

Hey, this paper says that the girls were last seen at 7.20 in town,

way after you said you spoke to them.

And you're not even mentioned.

Neither am I.

That's good. Yeah.

DOORBELL RINGS Fuck! Sh... Oh, leave us alone!

Ian...

Sorry, can you play a tape for me, please?

Hang on.

Reporter. Erm, got a deadline, needs to watch a tape from the police.

That's fine. Are you sure? Yeah.

Thanks. You're a life-saver.

No problem.

So, this'll be on later?

Yeah.

Tonight With Trevor McDonald.

Oh.

I'm appealing to you directly to leave the girls in a safe place...

..and end this now.

I have left you a personal message on Jessica's phone.

Please listen to it.

I appeal to you again to work with me

to stop this from getting any worse than it is.

Beggars belief.

OK, I think that's it.

OK.

Thanks very much.

I've seen Jessica's phone.

What? Where?

At school. She showed me. She was dead proud of it.

Oh, right.

They think they're being smart.

Turn it on. Locate yourself.

They'll be lucky.

They're just clutching at straws.

Yeah, well, they're desperate to find them.

Yeah, I know.

Everyone is.

REPORTER: Over one week since the girls have gone missing

and the search hasn't let up.

Even the rubbish is bagged and tagged.

Not for disposal, but to be taken

to investigation centres for closer examination.

REPORTER: The Detective Superintendent has said

the police remain optimistic

that the girls will be found alive and well.

The widespread search... REPORTER: rubbish bags are being

taken to investigation centres. Hoping for what clues that

the police may find. They have also issued a direct appeal

to the person or persons who may know the whereabouts

of Holly and Jessica... DEVICE BEEPS

PHONE VIBRATES

Hi.

Where near Newmarket?

Warren Hill.

Right.

Right.

Admit it, you wanna know,

even if you don't approve of my sources.

Admit it, you want to tell me.

They found two graves.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

Early birds.

I wonder who tipped them off.

The end of the road.

REPORTER: There's a grim sense of foreboding here in Newmarket

as the forensic team work throughout the night.

Senior Investigating Officer David Beck has said

the police are proceeding slowly

as they are wary of disrupting evidence.

Slowly. You can say that again.

Oh, look.

They found the bodies?

No.

What is it? It's a badger sett. Now get back behind the cordons.

It's a badger sett.

For fuck's sake!

They can't tell a badger sett from a shallow grave?

Incompetence.

New start. The chief constable has promoted me to lead the operation,

because, frankly, it's not getting anywhere.

We have to do better.

My plan? Back to square one.

Matt's taking over media communications.

Matt, what do you need?

OK, first, not that as a headline.

Picture it - "Back To Square One" and a copper scratching his head.

No surprise the press have turned on us.

We need them back onside. We want the same thing -

help find Holly and Jessica.

It looks better if we both do it. He kept asking me.

Oh, yeah. "I'll do an interview. Ian'll do one too!"

He's on telly. Oh, so you just roll over? Like you're bloody Sadie?

I didn't roll over! You're loving this!

It's like you're getting drunk! It's not!

It is. You're glowing. You tell me, "Oh, don't look so guilty."

Don't look so bloody cheery!

There's two girls out there gone missing, and you're all smiles.

I'm happy, am I?

I'm happy what's happened?

No. No.

I'm just trying to help, like any normal person.

OK, Maxine. Rolling in three, two...

You knew the girls - what were they like?

Tell us a bit about them.

Lovely, really bubbly girls.

Erm, they're ever so funny, they're brilliant.

They were kind to everybody.

Er, they wouldn't say a bad word about anybody,

and they loved their families and everything,

which is why nobody believes that they would ever run away.

Tell us something about this card you're holding.

Er, this is something I'll probably keep for the rest of my life,

I think. Er, this is what Holly gave to me on the last day of term...

Sunday before last she was in here, all over me.

And inside there was a poem,

"To a special teaching assistant.

"Will miss her a lot and will see her in the future."

And that's the kind of girl she was.

She was just lovely. Really lovely. A little angel.

If they could see you now, what would Maxine Carr say

to Holly and Jessica?

Just pick up the phone and just come home, just come home.

Or if somebody's got 'em...

..let them go.

It doesn't matter where you let them go,

as long as you let them go...

She used the past tense - "That's the kind of girl she was."

Because she thinks they're dead?

Well... or because she used to teach them last term

and now that job is over.

He also asked what WERE the girls like.

Hello?

Right.

Yeah.

Good to know.

That was one of our 30 newly appointed press officers.

Matt Tapp has taken over press for the police.

Investigation now being led by Chris Stevenson.

Mm. "Refocusing". "Back to basics".

Well, they need to.

The answer has to be here, in Soham.

Ian Huntley, here, is a familiar figure. Evening, Ian.

Evening. You're the school caretaker.

The girls, Jessica and Holly, would know you,

and they saw you on the front doorstep.

What went on?

The girls... Well, erm, I don't know the girls.

Er, they stood on my front doorstep, grooming me dog down.

She'd run off and come back a bit of a mess.

Erm, they just came across and asked how Miss Carr was,

as she used to teach them at St Andrews.

I just said she weren't very good as she hadn't got the job

and they said please tell her that we're very sorry.

And, erm, off they walked in the direction of the library,

over there.

How did they seem to you?

Yeah, they seemed fine. Happy, chatty.

I didn't see anything untoward.

And you may, as it turned out, have been the last person

to actually chat to them before they vanished...

Yeah, that's what it seems like.

And it's a mystery that's still not solved.

Yeah, absolutely.

But while there's no news, there's still that glimmer of hope,

and basically that's what we're all hanging onto.

And there was nothing that Sunday evening

that gave you a glimmer of suspicion of that anything was wrong?

No, not at all. Ian Huntley, thanks very much for talking to us.

Well, as you can see, the mystery continues

through that Sunday evening.

They talked to Ian, he see's nothing wrong,

then they proceed on their way safe and well

down past the school library here

and away out across the school grounds.

PHONE RINGS OUT

Hello? Hi, Mum.

Did you see me on the telly?

Cambridge Constabulary, how can I help you?

I just wanted to call up today.

I am seeing all things about Ian Huntley on the news,

and he shouldn't be anywhere near children.

I can absolutely guarantee that she was not down south at all.

Maxine Carr? She was in Grimsby at the weekend. I saw her.

That man should not be allowed near children.

Principle Gilbert? Oh, hello. Thank you for meeting with us.

Absolutely, absolutely. Please, would you like a seat?

No, feel free.

OK, OK.

We need to talk to you about your caretaker.

Right, I thought you might.

Has he come back to Soham?

The previous caretaker, who left last year. He's a suspect.

Er, not the previous caretaker,

the current one. Ian Huntley.

No.

We've had some calls come in from Grimsby, Humberside.

That's where he came here from.

Yes. Eight months ago.

When we employed him, he was using his mother's name, Nixon...

SHE DIALS MOBILE PHONE

Need to run checks on Huntley alias - Ian Nixon.

I've got his file. His references.

The police checks should have been done.

We gave both names to the personnel company.

I'm sure we did.

Carr signed a statement saying she was with him all that afternoon

and evening, effectively eliminating him,

when in fact she was 100 miles away, in Grimsby.

What?

REPORTER: An emergency press conference has been called today

by Cambridgeshire Constabulary

at Soham Village College, where over 500 reporters

and journalists have gathered awaiting news.

All right, everyone, we'll be making an announcement in a few minutes.

Er, that's all right, Mr Huntley. We can manage without you today.

What?

Head home for now. And don't worry, all will become clear.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

REPORTER: Are you starting, Andy?

DOORBELL RINGS

VACUUM SWITCHES OFF

DOORBELL RINGS

Hi, Maxine. Sorry to bother you again.

We've got a few more questions we need to go through.

Right, yeah. Come in.

So, we're treating you and Ian as significant witnesses.

Oh, this heat. Need to hydrate.

Thanks.

There you go. Thank you. Good man.

So we're not, like, under arrest?

No, no, but it would be great to talk to you down at the station

and hopefully help you recall some facts you may have forgotten.

We'll give you a ride. Erm, and no need to lock up.

We'll be here. And don't worry about Sadie -

someone'll look after her. Our guy prefers dogs to people.

Yeah? Mm. Good man.

So, shall we get going?

Can't we go together?

It's just procedure.

See you later.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

In the last few minutes, a 28-year-old man

and a 25-year-old woman have been taken

to separate locations to help the police with our enquiries.

REPORTERS SHOUT QUESTIONS

A search of their house is currently under way.

We are not at this stage naming them.

Oh, come on, Andy, at least tell us where the house is.

I'll leave you to work it out.

They're outside! They're outside!

REPORTERS CLAMOUR

Do you think it's them? Could be.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

We're searching the buildings and grounds again.

Every classroom, storeroom, broom cupboard, outbuildings.

This is still a rescue mission.

We start with the caretaker's office.

I remember looking at the football tops and thinking,

"Yeah, my team. Good taste."

That was it.

I can't remember thinking anything else.

Erm...

They slowed their walking right down

and were sort of mumbling to each other, looking over at me.

Ah.

Thinking back, I think they might have been thinking,

should they or shouldn't they talk to me?

Should they or shouldn't they?

Obviously, they decided to.

Yeah, nice place to live.

Nice job, comes with the house. Yeah, nice lifestyle, mm.

So, you were both home on the 4th, and you cooked Sunday dinner?

Yeah, roast beef with all the trimmings.

Er, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings,

carrots, cauliflower. Your normal Sunday dinner.

Then I do the dishes. Ian walks the dog.

Then I'm like, "You know what? I'll have a nice long bath."

You're a good liar, Maxine. Give you that. Bloody natural.

How would you describe what Holly looked like?

Erm...

Blonde hair.

Very slim.

In fact, I'd say thin.

HE SIGHS

Shit. Has the screen frozen?

No, he has.

I can't remember anything else.

Yes, you can.

Arrest him?

Then he clams up. And if he's got the girls alive somewhere

they could starve to death. Mm.

So, we let him go. Her too. And keep a close eye.

They can't go home, so put them in a hotel.

What about his car?

We're examining it.

Then we lend him one and follow him.

And hope he leads us to Holly and Jessica.

I know you're upset that the house is being searched.

What we're going to do now is going to take you to a hotel, OK?

Will he be there?

DOOR OPENS

You OK?

This is weird.

Still, posh hotel room.

Sit down.

What did they say?

It's OK, they said...

Might be bugged.

What did they ask you?

WHISPERS: I stuck to our story and they believed me,

so don't worry. PHONE VIBRATES

Hello, Maxine. Oh, hello. Hi, how are you holding up?

Yeah, no, we're... We're in a hotel.

Who is it?

The interviewer from the telly.

Hello? Yeah, it's Ian.

Hi, Ian. Yeah, yeah, we're... we're fine.

Yeah, we've got nothing more to say.

You gave him your fucking number!

Don't start. What you like?

The fucking press!

The more you feed them the hungrier they get.

Yeah, they're telling our story though.

They're not going, "Oh, no, no, you're lying." But the police are.

I can see it in their eyes. They want me.

They're not getting you, OK?

I won't let them.

They know I was there.

WHISPERS: You weren't, though...

WHISPERS: But they think I was, OK?

Don't let them get in your head, yeah?

Believe in yourself.

You've done nothing wrong.

Say it.

I've done nothing wrong.

Good.

One possibility is that Carr was grooming the girls

and arranged for them to come by while she was away.

KNOCK ON DOOR

Sorry, a quick word?

Yeah.

Oh, David Bristowe, forensic engineer.

Marion Bastin, leading CPS on this.

David's got something.

The goodbye signal from Jessica's mobile

was picked up at 6.46pm that Sunday

not by the Soham mast, but by another one a few miles south.

He's been walking the girls' route trying to locate hot spots

where that other mast would pick up the signal.

He's found one.

At 5 College Close.

The caretaker's house.

PHONE RINGS OUT

Dad...

..something terrible's happened.

MAXINE SOBS

I wish they could just come back. Like it never happened.

Yeah.

I, er, should go, if I'm going.

No, stay. Dad says there's this reporter that might be able

to help me if I talk to them, so, ,

A reporter?

I don't know.

I... I need to see my mum.

No, no, no...

It won't work any more, Max,

you saying that you were with me.

They'll find out you were in Grimsby.

So, if we get arrested...

..you should tell them the truth.

What do you mean, the truth?

You weren't with me.

And I didn't want them looking into you and them finding out

about that rape charge and you losing your job.

Yeah. That's it.

In a bit, then.

DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES

SHE SOBS

Your dad's spoken to this reporter, she's outside.

Do you want to talk to her?

Kevin, go and ask her in.

Have you got something that you want to tell me?

SIRENS APPROACH

BANGS ON DOOR

No, no! We're here to arrest Ian Kevin Huntley. No, leave him!

Ian Huntley, I'm arresting you under suspicion of abduction and murder.

You do not have to say anything when questioned,

but anything you do say may be taken into evidence. Do you understand?

Maxine Carr, I am arresting you on suspicion of abduction and murder.

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.

Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do you understand?

They're not dead, though. How do you know if they're dead?

Subtitles by Red Bee Media