Original subtitles

Hiya...

This programme contains strong language,

scenes that some viewers may find upsetting and discussion of injury.

Armed police!

When dangerous criminals go on the run...

We're a couple of steps behind.

..every second counts.

I'd say they've tried to decapitate him.

Yes... It's a red situation.

Using elite units and specialist tactics...

Surveillance, communication data.

It's cat and mouse.

..Greater Manchester Police must hunt down the city's most-wanted.

We're onto you, and you have no idea that,

at some point, your door's coming crashing in.

Out! Door!

We've got him.

It's going to be quite a hot briefing

for those who don't know about it,

it's the kidnap of a lad called Christopher Hughes,

which took place on Friday,

approximately 16.37, when he was bundled into the back of

an Audi A4 vehicle. He doesn't have a phone with him,

there's been no demands made by...to any of his family.

A 37-year-old man was seen

to be kidnapped on Almond Grove in Wigan.

He has been identified as

Christopher Hughes, and is currently missing.

It's a very tight, sort of, knit community,

that's led to people contacting Christopher's family

and friends to try and work out where he might be.

The Serious and Organised Crime Unit have obtained footage which shows

the moments just after the kidnap.

We're seeing the...the driver and the passenger,

who we believe would be the same two males that have

forcefully put Christopher into the boot of a blue Audi.

It's a saloon car.

And that's the car we need to find.

OK, right.

Speak soon.

We don't know where he is but the car's floating about.

Going to try and lock on to it, I'm trying to find it.

In a kidnap it's life and death.

The longer that they're in the hands of the kidnappers,

that's when they could be getting subjected

to some sort of violence, beatings, torture.

Could you please do a sequence of events?

All right?

Your objective is to recover that hostage,

preserve their life, and get them back as quick as you can.

Every second counts.

Due to the immediate threat to Christopher's life,

multiple units across the force are mobilised.

The kidnappers' identities are unknown and, for now,

tracking down the blue Audi is the strongest lead.

SIREN WAILS

I'm going to go to Worsley Mesnes, just given

the last intel that we had for the vehicle.

The Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit is searching for the car.

They believe it could be hidden near to where Christopher was taken.

Four units are scouring the neighbourhood.

If you want to hide a vehicle, these are,

these are the perfect kind of locations.

You certainly wouldn't just come across it on normal patrol.

They're like gold dust.

They're so resourceful they have access to garages

and things like that, so it makes our job very difficult.

Thank you, everyone, for dialling in and joining us,

we're here to discuss an ongoing, erm,

abductionkidnap in Wigan.

So, what do we know about this chap?

Unable to track down the blue Audi,

the team background check Christopher Hughes

to see if there may be a motive for the kidnap.

There's all varied reasons why someone may be kidnapped.

It could be something as...as little as a small amount of cash.

It could be a criminal gang's in dispute with another criminal gang.

Cheers, thank you.

It may be over drugs. It may be over relationships.

If there is something known to them,

like, a dispute of some sort,

or some sort of vendetta,

then that then helps you to work out who may have done it.

CCTV is different in every location you go.

Some places may only have a week's worth of footage.

The ideal scenario really, for me today,

will be that I will get some CCTV coverage of our two occupants.

In the most time-critical cases,

teams from across the force are mobilised.

The Visual Evidence Retrieval And Analysis Unit are drafted in

to locate and obtain CCTV footage from the area around the kidnap.

This is it. Almond Grove.

Last Friday a lad was kidnapped. So did you hear about this?

No. No? First I've ever heard.

I mean, your cameras cover quite a...a big area,

but I've not seen it at the time I would expect to see it.

Right, I saw...you saw... You saw it happen?

I heard all the kerfuffle... Yeah.

And then, a couple of hours later, the police turned up

and told me exactly what had happened. Right, right.

I've got an eight-year-old daughter here,

and I've got a 14-year-old son.

It actually happened right outside my house,

and it can happen in broad daylight at, like,

between...4.30 in the afternoon.

It is quite shocking.

So it's...it's scary knowing how things are going at the minute.

This girl you spoke to, Steph,

can you just go through with me exactly what she's told you?

DI Bryant's team have been speaking

to Christopher's friends and family

in an attempt to generate more leads.

Sometimes people take the law into their own hands

because they either don't trust

the police or they feel like

the outcome that will happen,

because the police are involved, won't be good enough

and they'll want their own justice.

Yeah.

Dean O'Neill Davey is now

the number-one target wanted in connection

with Christopher's disappearance.

SIRENS WAIL

Units are sent to his home address,

just 0.2 miles from the location of the kidnap.

Once you start getting, like,

your first piece of the puzzle, someone in custody,

that opens up loads of opportunities

because of the information they might tell you.

That's your anchor point.

Hello? Police.

Fella there, what's your name? Dean O'Neill Davey.

Dean? Right, at 19.12, sorry 19.13,

I'm placing you under arrest on the suspicion of conspiracy to kidnap.

Ohh!

So the kidnap relates to a male by the name of Christopher Hughes.

Yeah, I've heard he's gone missing.

OK, so...

Due to an immediate threat to life,

officers carry out an on-site interrogation.

You have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy

to kidnap Christopher Hughes. Yeah.

And he has not been found.

Where...where is he?

Don't have a clue. OK.

The only reason I know is

because obviously it's on Facebook and stuff like that.

Is there anyone else who will hold information

that could help us find him?

Not that I know of, no.

Is he injured?

I wouldn't know.

Update on the bank enquiries.

The team have accessed Christopher Hughes's bank records.

Money has been drawn out on the 19th of February.

So, after he is supposed to have been taken?

Yeah, at an ATM within a shop.

Hi, boss.

We're just going to follow it up.

Though, we're going to get a detective now to go.

So, just quick time,

The Family Store that's on Longwood Avenue,

that's where we believe the cash has been withdrawn.

So, find out who's took the money

and then we'll see if we can work out where they've gone after that.

An officer has been sent to the shop

where money was taken out after he was kidnapped

to see if they can confirm any sightings of him.

This person's adamant that they saw him five o'clock on Friday,

well that's 20 minutes after he was taken.

The shopkeeper thinks she saw Christopher

with a man who lives nearby,

leading the team to believe he could have withdrawn

the money from the cash machine under pressure from his kidnappers.

So we're hoping we could find the kidnap victim in there.

Police are searching for 37-year-old Christopher Hughes

who was bundled into a car and kidnapped in Wigan.

Sit down.

They have a lead he may be at a house near to where he was taken.

Every lead will have to get assessed.

You've got to take everything on face value,

and check everything

so you can be satisfied that it's right.

It's the police.

There's definitely two people in the address of interest to us,

so fingers crossed it's going to be Christopher.

All right, matey. Right. Bye. Bye.

The longer he's not found,

the worse the consequences could end up being.

So we're hitting a bit of a brick wall.

There's people giving rumours

and they're all supposition that he is involved in either an assault

of some kind, potentially a sexual assault.

Also potentially a theft of some kind,

so it's all very much word on the street.

People are regularly taking the law into their own hands.

It's a dangerous situation to be in.

There are three suspects linked to the kidnap of Christopher Hughes.

The driver and passenger of the vehicle that carried out the kidnap,

whose identities are unknown...

..and Dean O'Neill Davey,

seen looking for Christopher the day before the kidnap,

who is now in custody.

So far, he's provided no information.

Hello, Justin Bryant speaking.

Obviously, we've got to consider then what we do with

the Jaf family, haven't we then?

But do they know where he is right now?

It's going to be for me...

Yeah, definitely.

SIRENS WAIL

Units are dispatched to M6 Motors to search for

the hostage and the owners,

Alan Jaf and Khalil Awla.

Yeah, we'll have a good old search round now, mate.

This is him here.

Do you want to have a word with this chap?

You've been arrested on conspiracy to commit kidnap

and we're concerned about the safety...

..of a person who's been taken. Christopher Hughes.

What's your name? Alan.

Alan? Jaf.

Alan Jaf. Yeah.

OK. Come with me, please, sir.

Do you mind if I know where I...? Yes, of course, yeah.

So we're investigating the kidnap.

A kidnap?

A kidnap of a guy called Christopher Hughes.

I've never heard that name, sir.

OK. Cheers, mate.

Despite finding and arresting Alan Jaf and Khalil Awla,

Christopher Hughes was not at the address,

and the team are concerned he remains in grave danger.

Police do not believe Alan and Khalil are the two men

in the kidnap footage as they do not fit the descriptions.

They carry out a further interview with Alan

in an attempt to get more information.

Christopher Hughes - Alan, tell me what you know about him.

No comment.

Have you ever had any dealings with him?

No comment. Where does he live?

No comment.

Um, we believe that this vehicle

and the men on this CCTV still are involved in

the kidnap of Christopher Hughes.

What can you tell me about the two males... No comment.

..on that picture? No comment.

Who, are they?

No comment. OK.

Dean Davey. Alan, tell me what you know about Dean?

No comment.

Does Dean work with you? No comment.

The other male which is in custody is Khalil Awla. Who's that?

No comment.

How do you know him? No comment.

Does he work at M6 Motor Services?

No comment.

Hi, caller. Police emergency.

The body of a man has been found

by a dog walker six miles from where Christopher Hughes was taken.

Damo?

Footage of our lad - have you...have you got it?

With his full clothing on it and stuff?

Yeah. Footwear. Footwear and everything.

The team want to urgently establish

if the body is that of Christopher Hughes.

You all right? You got four tattoos.

Oh, right, OK.

A tattoo on his neck of "Kelly", on the right-hand side.

You know, if this is him...

..you know, have...have we let him down?

Details of Christopher's appearance

and clothing have been sent to officers at the scene.

Right, OK.

Christopher Hughes body has been found this morning in Skelmersdale.

He's been the victim of a severe attack

with bladed weapons, by the sounds of it.

What we're left at the moment is our two suspects

for his murder.

Devastating.

You feel like you've failed, you know, straight away.

That's the initial sort of surge that's going through you,

that you know, didn't find him in time.

All right.

I'm just going to send that email.

OK. And come back down, and then we can...

Now we've switched now from trying

to find him as quick as we can, safe and well,

to now let's find those responsible, as quick as we can.

There are three suspects in custody,

Dean O'Neill Davey, Alan Jaf and Khalil Awla.

Still at large are two unknown fugitives -

the driver and the passenger

who kidnapped Christopher in Almond Grove.

As it stands we've got three still in custody,

a lad called Dean Davey,

a male called Alan Jaf and a male called Khalil Awla.

Now the kidnap has turned into a murder,

the major investigation team,

led by DCI Carl Jones, are mobilised to track down the killers.

They've initially arrested on suspicion of kidnap

and also on suspicion of murder.

For me as a murder SIO,

this is the first one in my 17-year career

within a major incident team that I've dealt with

a kidnap incident which has led to

the victim being found brutally murdered.

The unit specialise in murder cases.

They will gather evidence to help identify

and track the remaining targets.

I've been sent some photographs from the scene. OK.

It looks like he has been slashed or stabbed multiple times.

Brutal.

So, he's deep...really deep laceration

to the right side of his neck.

And then an even deeper wound

to the left side of his neck.

Um...

I'd say they've tried to decapitate him.

Probably some of the worst injuries I've ever seen.

How the fuck could anyone do that to someone else?

Do you remember when he was, like, little,

and he used to play rugby? He was quite good at it, weren't he?

When he was like a little bean pole with, like, these massive ears.

Yeah, flapping everywhere.

The last time I spoke to him was,

obviously, the day that they took him.

He rang me, where we had like a little chat,

and before he put the phone down he said that he loved me.

He was a good lad, he had a really good heart.

Yeah, he was always, like, our Del Boy.

That's what I called him - Del Boy.

He went off the rails a little bit.

I didn't know he'd got addicted to heroin until, um,

I found a tub of methadone in me cupboard,

and that's how I found out.

I don't think we saw him at his worst, did we?

No. We knew he took drugs, but he was quite a functioning addict.

I feel like I could've dealt with it a bit better

if he'd have been in a pub, a fight had broke out,

someone had hit him, he fell and banged his head. Yeah.

And obviously... Do you know what I mean?

But they...they meant, every step of the way, to hurt him.

They...they...they meant everything they did to him. Yeah.

Rumours that Christopher sexually assaulted someone have appeared

on social media.

It's the comments. I don't read them any more,

but I knew me brother

and I know he wouldn't have done what they accused him of.

But it's the nasty vicious comments underneath about,

like, he deserved it because of what he did.

I think that kills me more than anything, like,

cause he's gone now,

we can't bring him back, but that is killing...

It's eating at me every time you pull it up.

Sorry.

Right, Dean, just to let you know

that the interview has started recording now.

Yep, that's cool. OK?

Dean O'Neill Davey,

who was reportedly looking

for Christopher just before he was kidnapped, is being interviewed.

You was driving round the estate, asking people if they've seen him?

Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Dean, what cars did the other people go in?

It was an Audi.

What colour was that one?

Blue, I think it was.

Who was driving that one?

Er, Mamid I think it was.

Mamid? Yeah.

What's Mamid's surname?

Er, Balbas, I think it is.

Balbas? Yeah.

JB? Yo.

Have you read the interview summary from Dean Davey? Is it Mamid Balbas?

Yeah. Balbas, yeah. And he's described as driving a blue Audi.

For me, after this briefing,

some telecoms work can identify whether Mamid is

the one captured on the CCTV.

Get warrants... Yeah. Start locking up. Yeah.

In a major breakthrough,

Dean has named Mamid Balbas as the driver of the kidnap vehicle.

Let's just see if we can find any clues here, shall we?

His phone went dead the day of the murder.

Phone analysts are brought in

to find a new number for the fugitive.

I don't know whether this person who had

this phone has anticipated arrest,

but a lot of the messages are coming up deleted.

Mm.

"Brother that tonight get things just relax done."

"Speak when it's done." "Yes brother."

Mamid?

That's it.

Mamid Balbas.

So, looking at the call log,

there's a number that's labelled Mamid.

If that phone number is being used by the suspect

and is still in use, it'll be game over, yeah.

It's literally minute by minute, this.

When you look at the data,

there are lots of things that have gone on.

Clearly, some sort of plan been afoot -

ie, moving the car.

The major investigation team have received a lead on

the whereabouts of the blue Audi used in the murder.

On the 19th,

around about 6.25 in the evening, yeah,

it's highly likely that that car has

gone up to the industrial estate.

The industrial estate is 11 miles from where the body was found.

Units are dispatched to search for the vehicle.

Over the top of the wall there's a gap. Yeah.

So I just wanted to squeeze a phone over the top.

You recognise that badge?

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Says S line.

Fucking hell! Well...well...

Let's...let's...let's get the doors done, and then we can, er...

Hopefully...hopefully, it's our car.

Oh, seriously,

I can't tell you how nervous I am at the moment.

Merc. Black merc. Oh!

Yeah, it's a Black Merc.

Oh, you're joking!

Fucking hell! I'd have put my house on that!

It's a shame. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

We're one step behind it again then.

We are, we are.

The officers are made aware of

a white van that was recently parked outside the compound.

Is it in there, Toby? Potentially.

There's a fucking motor,

there's a blue motor in there...

Now I'm excited.

Now...Now, now we're talking!

Thank...for that.

There's a blue car, there's Audi symbols on it.

Yeah...

Yes!

Get in! It's our car!

But, I think we've got it, but we've got it cut up.

The team will now carry out forensics on the car

to see if any prints or DNA might lead them

to the identity of the outstanding fugitive.

There's been a development in the hunt for the driver of

the murder vehicle, Mamid Balbas.

Those are the...the cell masts that the phone has hit.

So why...? Where do we think he is now?

He's...he's heading north.

I can see that he's taken

a route straight past Manchester and along the M60 up onto the M61.

Well on the run now.

We've worked out who they are,

where they are.

The clock's ticking, but we need get them fast.

Where is it now?

He's coming back, he's coming back. He's just picked that up now.

Information has led the team

to believe fugitive Balbas is heading towards

an address he's linked to in Manchester.

Uniformed units are being deployed.

Is it a main street, is it a cul-de-sac?

It's a side street. Right.

The end of it's a dead end... Good.

As in a vehicle dead end. Yeah.

So if there's anything going down there,

you'd have to turn round and come back.

What we don't want to do is go to the address

and him not be in there and then he'll never go back.

Stand by.

Happy? Happy? Happy. Yeah?

Yeah.

Yeah, we're in the back garden, yeah.

Police! Come and open up the door!

He's opening, he's opening, he's opening.

Stay where you are, stay where you are.

Get down, get down! Get down on the floor!

Give me your hands! Give me your hands, give me your hands.

All right, pal? Yeah. Right, bring your arm around.

I'll walk with you, I promise you. Bring your arm round!

What?

Ah, it's fucking hurting my hand that!

Listen to me, mate, the time is now ten minutes past seven,

you're under arrest for murder. You don't 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 can be given in evidence.

Let me sort these out for you.

I'm calm. I'm calm. Look, I'm calm.

Right.

This leaflet, and what the codes of practice will also say,

is that you can have a solicitor.

Mamid Balbas has been on the run for six days.

He's now under arrest for conspiracy to murder.

Have you got any information whatsoever about

the murder of Christopher?

No comment.

You say it's a serious sexual offence. What do you know about it?

No comment.

Was it a case that you wanted to catch him

and give him a good kicking?

No comment.

Or was it always the case that this was way beyond a kicking,

and the plan, from the outset, was to murder him?

No comment.

Have you received a payment to harm Christopher Hughes?

No comment.

If it's not you in that blue Audi, then who is it in that blue Audi?

No comment.

Balbas' bank card leads us to this cafe. Yeah.

And at 12.55 hours on the 16th...

Balbas has given police no clues as to the identity of

the remaining fugitive.

But examining his bank details has given them a lead.

A van turns up. Two lads on that.

The kidnap Audi turns up. Yeah.

They all go into the cafe,

and the kidnap Audi has got Balbas... Yeah. ..wearing

the same hat, as well.

Balbas pays for all the food.

You see, um, the male driving the van, there,

with the blue sweatshirt on... Yeah.

..with dark beard moustache combo.

There.

OK.

He looks like he's got the same trainers on.

Right, so when he gets out the van,

he kicks his foot back as he's walking up the kerb,

and look...

On the day of the kidnap, I think he's got the same trainers on.

Seriously? Yeah, seriously.

Phone analysis leads the team to a potential name for the fugitive.

When they've looked at messages in Davey's phone,

they find a number. It's saved as Landi, L-A-N-D-I. Yeah.

Um, is now top caller for Balbas as well.

So, we've now not just got a connection to Balbas as well.

So, he's an associate of his as well.

So, yeah, he could potentially be the man

to call upon when you need a bit of violence.

He could be the man that they've called upon

to assist in dishing out the punishment.

OK.

I'm now declaring Erland Spahiu a suspect

for conspiracy to murder Christopher Hughes.

Got a new number for Landi, and I think that's our man.

Might be at the estate where all

the other suspects have been arrested,

so where Curtis "Mamid" Balbas lives,

where Alan Jaf lives, where Khalil Awla lives.

There is now no way of knowing where

the fugitive may have travelled to.

Nothing. But it's bedtime.

You'll have to wait till the morning.

Given what he's wanted for...

..if he gets any inkling we're actually after him, then he's gone.

This is why I joined the job. I joined the job

to...to catch bad people, to put bad people away.

And this area that we're working now,

is your serious criminal. I mean, look at the impact that he's done,

what that lad went through, you know, it's just...it's horrific.

So to think you can sort of get some, peace for his family,

to think, well, all the people responsible for that,

we've caught them. That's what kind of thing keeps you going.

The Yankee 5-8 is registered to our address.

There's been a breakthrough.

DVLA checks have linked

the fugitive to an address in the area.

INDISTINCT RADIO CALL

It all fits in,

so we're fucking going for it.

Units head to Landi's address,

who police suspect carried out Christopher's killing.

Currently showing eight minutes away,

so we'll just roll up. So we're two minutes.

Do the tattoos, then we'll go straight to the address.

INDISTINCT RADIO CALL

Police! Come to the front door!

POUNDING ON DOOR

Hi, police. Is Erland here?

Where is he? Where is he?

Show me your hands. Show me your hands.

Erland?

Just give us a second, all right?

Go on.

Male detained.

Excellent, thank you.

Yes. Male detained.

Good, bloody good.

Good morning, yeah,

we've arrested a male for suspicion of murder.

It's the last one of the set.

..for conspiracy to commit murder.

Murder?

Yeah... Yeah. Taking someone's life, yeah? Me?

Yeah, along with four other men.

What's your involvement in

the kidnap and murder of Christopher Hughes?

Nothing. Nothing at all? No.

How do you think you've been dragged into this, then?

I dunno. Honestly, I dunno. I'm shocked, honestly.

I've got two kids home, yeah? Yeah.

If you paid me million pounds,

I'd not change to my kids

to do shit like this. That's why I'm shocked.

We believe you,

and a large number of other males, were looking for him.

Were you looking for him?

No. This is CCTV.

This is from Almond Grove, where Christopher was kidnapped.

Who's that?

I don't know.

I think that's you.

It's not. No? No.

All five suspects are now in custody.

Having gathered more information on the crime,

the police want to put it to Alan Jaf, to see if he will talk.

You and a couple of other people have got your heads together

about an offence which we're going to talk about

where you've conspired to murder somebody. OK?

One of the factors, which I think has started all this off,

is a sexual assault. We're here to find out what's happened.

Did you get into a number of vehicles

and drive around the local area to try and find Chris Hughes?

No comment.

Did you offer a £2,000 reward

if someone could tell you where Chris Hughes was? No comment.

Have you asked people to go and pick Chris up

and put him in the boot of a car?

No comment.

Was he murdered in the boot of the car? No comment.

You sent a text message, which is to Dean Davey,

and we've discussed him, and it says,

"Did you speak to Landi?" What can you tell me about that?

No comment.

Are you trying to hide something? No comment.

Cos it's not an accident what's happened at all, Alan.

He's had his buttocks slashed,

he's had his neck slashed,

his head was nearly hanging off.

They meant to kill him.

Did you tell them to kill him?

No comment.

Your danger with vigilantes is you get groups of people roaming

the streets thinking that they're keeping everyone in tow

and looking after the neighbourhoods,

when really they're creating havoc,

creating havoc, and there's someone is killed as a result.

All we'd be seeing, when you put his name in, is suspected of rape,

but I genuinely knew that he hadn't done that.

Cos I know my brother,

and it just really angers me and frustrates me.

And I think once this is over

and that statement comes out, then I'll properly grieve.