Series 12 Plot
The twelfth series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of 156 episodes, broadcast between 2 January and 31 December 1996. On 6 February 2013, The Bill Series 12 Part 1 & 2 and The Bill Series 12 Part 3 & 4 DVD sets were released (in Australia). The show aired the death of PC Cathy Marshall early in the series, actress Lynne Miller departing after seven years in a mysterious plot that saw her drown whilst chasing a suspect, but it was never confirmed if she was pushed or slipped off a riverside barge during the pursuit. The death followed that of DS Jo Morgan in a four-part special towards the end of the previous series, with the first three of the four episodes rebroadcast in the summer as part of a single special episode; Target.
The Bill Series 12 aired on January 2nd, 1996.
Series 12 Episodes
1. Call Waiting
Skase and Croft investigate a series of hoax phone calls that are tearing a family apart.
2. Second Sense
Loxton and Slater deal with a woman drink-driver.
3. Runners Up
Meadows offers a bottle of scotch as a reward for catching an elusive burglar.
4. Keeping It In The Family
Lines and Skase try to avert an ice-cream war in Sun Hill after a vendor is assaulted.
5. Home Truths
Ackland and Jarvis follow up a vicious assault.
6. Outer
Boulton is determined to arrest a local drug dealer, at any cost.
7. Better Half
Beech and Croft investigate the murder of a hairdresser who had been fighting for a share of her dead fiancé's estate.
8. No Assistance Required
Datta is called to a burglary and is subjected to the unwanted affections of a civic-minded admirer. Monroe is suspicious when Loxton tries to settle an old score.
9. Judgement Call
Uniform and CID are on the lookout for escaped prisoner Jim Brodie, so both Brodie's wife and his drug dealer are under observation. PC Nick Slater and WPC Cathy Marshall pursue two burglers down to the riverfront, where one of them gives Slater a severe beating. Marshall sees a person on the barges and gives chase. By the time their backup arrives, delayed by PC Reg Hollis' dodgy belly, Marshall has disappeared. When her dead body is fished out of the river, the two crooks she and Slater had been pursuing are questioned over her possible murder. Searching the barge that Marshall was last seen, CID find evidence that someone has been sleeping rough on board - and it looks like it's their escaped prisoner, Brodie. The river police intercept Brodie fleeing to Amsterdam on his friend's boat, but there is not enough evidence to charge him for Cathy Marshall's murder.
10. Old Dogs New Tricks
As Sun Hill gets to grips with its new computer system, Boyden discovers that it pays to stay one step ahead of the opposition.
11. Worst Fears
While Deakin investigates the kidnapping of a five-year-old boy, Conway gets some unsettling news.
12. One Night With You
Five-year-old Tommy Laker is still missing, and Deakin discovers an evil and sinister ring which may hold the clue.
13. Someone Else's Problem
Datta and Quinnan look into the mysterious death of a jogger, while Ackland and Jarvis try to reconcile a couple of warring lovers.
14. Bounds Of Decency
Slater and Garfield struggle to keep the peace when two women fall out over the same man.
15. Happy Birthday
Meadows and Croft investigate the murder of an elderly woman, and question two young children living on the floor below who may have heard what happened.
16. Stop The Music
Croft and a badly-hungover Beech investigate when a body is found in a car with a large amount of crack cocaine.
17. Cold Light Of Day
A reconstruction brings forward an unexpected witness to an assault on a 15-year-old boy.
18. Back In Business
Acting Superintendent Conway is stirred into action by a face from the past.
19. Separate Rooms
Lines investigates an allegation of underage sex.
20. Going Guilty
Cryer and Slater follow up on a murder but a legal loophole may allow the perpetrator to get away with it.
21. Pieces Of Cake
Beech is caught in the crossfire when uniform and C.I.D. fall out over a directive from Brownlow.
22. Somebody's Home
Quinnan and Keane have to help someone with a conviction for assaulting a police officer.
23. Pointing The Finger
Carver and Skase investigate an assault on an Asian schoolboy.
24. Boy Meets Girl
Croft investigates a series of vicious sexual assaults.
25. Confession
A man comes in to Sun Hill and confesses to murdering a woman who disappeared five years ago. D.C.I. Meadows, who headed the original investigation, and D.C. Carver talk to him and, when they are convinced he is lying, throw him out. The man soon returns, and this time he tells Carver something that wasn't in the news stories making the police take his confession more seriously.
26. Home From Home
Stamp and Slater are called to supervise the eviction of a father from his home.
27. Open Wound
Skase and Deakin deal with a wounded crack dealer shot in the yard of a pub.
28. Perfect Match
Beech and Croft try to track down a violent attacker.
29. Someone Special
Lines and Skase investigate a possible arson attack on a nightclub.
30. Bits & Pieces
Boyden and Slater search for the owner of a severed hand found on a rubbish tip.
31. Home Help
Cryer and Slater handle a tricky case involving a disabled former police officer and his wayward son.
32. Kicked Out
Jarvis and Page are called in to help in the deportation of an illegal immigrant who escapes from custody.
33. On The Block
Boulton loses a suspect during an arrest and has to ask Monroe to help get him back.
34. Getting Off
Boulton investigates a convicted drug addict and clashes with a drugs worker.
35. Girls' Night
Loxton and Page deal with a bridegroom who disrupts a hen night.
36. Blood Brothers
Meadows tries to get the truth from a terminally-ill Asian man after one of his sons is fatally injured during a family dispute.
37. Broken Homes
Loxton and Keane chase a local tearaway, who gets injured. Conway has to deal with the resulting accusations of police harassment.
38. A Hornet's Nest
Greig is accused with police brutality following a raid on a burglar's home.
39. Dead Of Night
Quinnan's whereabouts are questioned when he fails to notice an injured woman on the station doorstep. June Ackland becomes acting Sergeant.
40. Party Pooper
Slater's ability is questioned when he appears to mishandle two violent thugs at a party and his wallet, containing his warrant card, is stolen.
41. More Haste
Keane has a bad day in court, while Monroe follows up on a domestic incident.
42. Beating The Odds
Boulton investigates a notorious local bookie and prompts suspicions about Beech's private life.
43. Animal
Boyden and Datta try to secure a conviction against a vicious pimp.
44. Dangerous Game
Boulton, Carver and Deakin take part in a Flying Squad operation against a vicious gang of armed robbers.
45. Dancers
Ch. Supt. Brownlow organises a tea dance for the Met Police Pensioners & Widows society. PCs Jarvis and Quinnan spend the afternoon dancing with admiring elderly ladies, WPC Polly Page is harrassed by a wheelchair-bound admirer, and PC Reg Hollis does a magic show. Brownlow is dreading the arrival of Geoffrey Allerton, an ex-copper who goes out of his way to complain about everything. When the minivan misses Allerton, Brownlow asks PC Tony Stamp to pick him up on the way to the bakery to pick up some cakes. When Stamp steps out of the bakery, he is horrified to find Brownlow's car has been stolen whilst Allerton was buying some tobacco. Packing Allerton and the cakes onto a bus, a desperate Stamp tries to retrieve Brownlow's car after it is impounded. When Allerton arrives at the dance at last, he causes a fuss when he recognises an armed blagger from a fifteen year old case at the wedding next door.
46. And Nothing But
Loxton arrests a black man he suspects is responsible for a mugging and is accused of racism.
47. Tale Of Two Cities
Greig is in pursuit of a local drug dealer. Two teenagers arrested for possession refuse to provide any information about their supplier.
48. Cheating
Quinnan and Hollis have to decide whether a pub quiz champion is breaking the rules. Skase deals with the unfaithful wife of a local villain.
49. Decent Proposals
Loxton and Quinnan investigate an employment agency that provides lucrative opportunities to women with financial troubles.
50. Going For A Song
Carver calls on a former colleague to help with an antique clock that is a target for theft.
51. Value Added
Hollis goes undercover in the seedy world of vice in pursuit of the unscrupulous owner of a clip joint.
52. Professional Ethics
Greig and Lines investigate graffiti attacks on motor vehicles and uncover a fraud.
53. Accidents Will Happen
Boyden and Page look into a protection racket.
54. Time Spent
Beech uncovers the relationship between a former boss and a local crime lord. Carver is caught between two troubled lovers.
55. Conspiracy Of Silence
Deakin and Boulton investigate a fatal stabbing and uncover jealousy and deceit.
56. Cold Feet & Hot Coffee
Loxton and Page go undercover at a wedding to prevent a jilted lover spoiling the bride's big day.
57. Rollover
Deakin comes down hard on a snout who tries to buck the system, and gets an unexpected result.
58. Tough Love
Hollis and Garfield deal with an attack on a school bully.
59. With This Ring
Keane comes across a suspect antiques dealer. Greig and Croft investigate a burglary and reopen a feud between two sisters.
60. Final Drive
P.C. Mike Jarvis is on the last few days of the Advanced Driving Course at Hendon. He gets on well with fellow team-member W.P.C. Sommer, but both of them cannot stand the third officer in their group, P.C. Penrose, the smug, over-bearing son of a ""Black-Rat"" (traffic officer) who sees himself as the best driver on the course, let alone in the Met. The trio attends a quiz night the night before their ""final drive"", the all-important test of their advanced driving skills, and Jarvis stops Penrose from drinking too much before the test. Battling station rumours that he is being re-assessed, P.C. Tony Stamp arrives at Hendon to check on Jarvis's progress - and is pleased when Jarvis passes his final drive easily - just a few points short however of becoming a Class 1 (Area Car) driver. A hung-over and ungrateful Penrose also misses out on his Class 1 rating, but W.P.C. Sommer makes it.
61. Voices
Datta and Greig suspect that a woman who claims she can hear voices may hold the key to a series of sexual assaults.
62. Party On
Deakin and Croft have to deal with a gang of delinquents when one of them is bottled at an ecstasy party.
63. Hard Enough
Boulton and Carver clash when a householder is arrested for murdering a burglar with a baseball bat. Boulton thinks it is justified to kill an intruder, but Carver does not; will it impede their investigation?
64. Cuckoo
Page and Monroe are dragged into a family squabble.
65. Helping Hands
Datta and Garfield arrest a G.P. for possession of cannabis, but he claims it is for use by one of his patients.
66. Jekyll & Hyde
Brownlow witnesses a violent outburst on the road.
67. Knocking On The Door
New DS Geoff Daly steps in to help Skase when a straightforward drugs bust goes wrong.
68. Lies & Statistics
Boyden tries to help a young offender.
69. Butting In
Jarvis steps in to help Page deal with a violent attack, but there are complications.
70. The Bagman
Deakin investigates a violent attack on a small-time crook whom he suspects to have fallen in with bad company.
71. Overstepping The Mark
Lines tries to get a juvenile offender to inform on a gang of dangerous thugs, while Daly is troubled by a determined probation officer.
72. Filth
Deakin and Boulton investigate when a pimp is discovered badly beaten in a pile of rubbish.
73. Camper
Slater and Boyden are involved in a drugs bust involving a camper van.
74. Spill
PCs Quinnan and Stamp are first on the scene of a major chemical spill when a tanker truck hits some scaffolding near the Sun Hill tube station. Insp. Monroe arrives to supervise the evacuation of the area, as the fire department try to work out what chemical has been spilt, although a lack of documentation on the truck makes this difficult. The driver dies in hospital, but when his wife in informed by Uniform, she doesn't seem very upset. Further investigation reveals she is behind a scheme to provide unlicenced or disqualified drivers to the trucking company.
75. Apron Strings
Cryer and Keane discover a woman dead in her bath and suspect her son of foul play.
76. One Step Ahead
Meadows and Skase pursue an ex-convict who has sworn revenge on an informant. Boyden is called to help a prostitute who believes she is being followed.
77. Starting Young
Jarvis and Keane deal with a boy in possession of a pensioner's prescription.
78. Tarts Cards
Boyden and Slater investigate a series of offensive telephone calls.
79. Born Again
Boulton investigates an assault on an old man.
80. Kick Me Hard
Daly mounts an operation to catch muggers. Page goes undercover as a pregnant woman to act as bait.
81. All Or Nothing
Quinnan and Keane discover the body of a young girl in a pub toilet. Meanwhile, Monroe and Stamp both have words with Slater about his extensive overtime.
82. Unlucky In Love
Boyden investigates a dating agency that is rumoured to be providing underage girls.
83. A Quick Return
Cryer and Keane investigate a series of street robberies and find four teenagers trying to buy their way into drug-dealing.
84. Sartorial Elegance
Carver and Jarvis misjudge the condition of a witness, threatening Operation Eagle Eye.
85. Don't Leave Me This Way
Loxton and Keane follow up a mugging but suspect that the victim knows more than she is letting on.
86. Big Bullies
Monroe investigates a schoolboy's claim that he was assaulted by his teacher.
87. Playing It By The Rules
Deakin is handed the chance to bust a drug dealer when his wife turns informant.
88. True Colours
Daly is determined to find out why a white teenager is trying to take the blame for his black friends.
89. Target
While speaking to Ackland and Loxton about the problem of local dog mess, a woman is shot dead by a sniper. Meadows and his CID team are tasked to investigate, and suspect that the woman was not the intended target, and it is strongly possible the sniper was after Loxton, who is set to testify in court against an attempted murderer that afternoon. However, when Ackland's house is set alight that night, CID come to the conclusion that she is the intended target. Writing up a list of possible suspects, Ackland gets sucked into a deadly cat-and-mouse game to try to draw the killer out - resulting in the death of one of Sun Hill's best officers. Feature length rebroadcast of the episodes "Fire", "All Tucked Up" and "Bait" from Series 11.
90. Dead Man's Hand
Beech investigates the claim of one compulsive gambler to have murdered another.
91. For Their Own Good
Boulton uses an informant as the bait to catch a dangerous villain.
92. Theory & Practice
Ackland and McCann take the sergeant's exam. Cryer deals with a woman who is miscarrying and claims that she was assaulted by Page.
93. Drinking Partners
Greig and Skase investigate when a drunk man is found unconscious and badly injured at the bottom of a flight of stairs.
94. Lean On Me
Hollis gets ideas above his station when Barbara, a local tom with whom he has become friendly, tries to become his informant. Although Barbara claims that known fraduster David Gough is back out on the patch, Hollis struggles to convince Deakin and Meadows.
95. Reminders
Hours after his release from prison, Dael Abbott is hauled back into custody by Daly and Carver following a stabbing. Daly pressures Emma Gilmore, the girlfriend of Abbott's associate, Michael Ceely, into giving evidence.
96. Minding
Loxton and Keane arrest a woman for shoplifting, and later bail her from custody when she openly admits to the charge. But when she is discovered to have given a false identity, Grieg and Croft link the incident to a nanny believed to have kidnapped two of her charges.
97. Follow The Van
Don Beech investigates a set of aggravated robberies, trying to prove the owner of a red van committed them.
98. Don't Kill The Messenger
Mike Jarvis receives death threats from a youth who cannot accept that his father is a sex offender.
99. Junior
When fifteen-year-old Mickey Hoyle is arresting for joyriding, Beech employs him as a snout to expose a crooked car ring run by the Hislop brothers, Wayne and Paul. DS Frank Thomas from Scotland Yard assists Beech and a less than impressed Lines with the investigation.
100. Pony Express
Deakin has to decide whether to trust a Nigerian drug smuggler who offers to help catch a local dealer.
101. Out Of Control
Jarvis deals with a young tearaway and tries to persuade the boy's father to take responsibility for his son's actions.
102. Day Tripper
Greig hopes that a tip-off will help him to nail an old enemy but things don't go to plan.
103. Waiting For Frank
DI Deakin poses as a nervous printer, waiting at the dog track to meet a mysterious man named ""Frank"" and a bent copper called ""Beech"". It all turns out to be an elaborate sting operation with Wimbledon police to catch a conman dealing in stolen credit cards.
104. A Day In The Life
Keane is held hostage by a desperate armed robber.
105. Second Chances
Deakin gets a vital lead on an unsolved murder, but his witness is an illegal immigrant who is about to be deported.
106. Repossession
A petrol can, a lighter and a desperate man threatening to burn down a house. Can Conway talk him round?
107. Liar
Rawton gets involved in a dispute between a drug addict and Croft, who is trying to find a witness who can testify that she was assaulted.
108. Detained
Garfield and McCann investigate a vicious mugging.
109. Karma
Deakin and Boulton are called into a women's prison to investigate claims by an officer that an inmate was pushed down a flight of stairs by the prison psychiatrist.
110. Stolen Moments
McCann and Slater arrest a woman for petty theft, and she claims to have killed a cyclist while driving two years before.
111. A Good Night Out
The results of the sergeants exams are in, and W.P.C. June Ackland has passed - but P.C. Gary McCann hasn't. As the relief organise a big night out in celebration of Ackland's promotion, McCann volunteers for night shift duty with P.C. Reg Hollis. Ch. Supt. Brownlow offers to pull some strings at Area to allow Ackland to stay as Sun Hill rather than transferring. Ackland politely invites Brownlow to the pub, and is horrified when he accepts. When Brownlow finally heads home, Dave Quinnan calls several minicabs to go out for a late night curry, but June and Polly are seperated when their cab driver makes off with their bags and warrant cards after being pulled over by a Stafford Row probationer, P.C. Oliver Oxley. Oxley is about to arrest them until the Stafford Row CAD officer vouches for June. June helps Oliver overcome bullying at his station, while they search for her missing bag. With the help of McCann, Hollis, and some Stafford Row officers, the cab driver is found and arrested.
112. Chatterbox
Quinnan and a teenage burglary suspect are trapped in a broken lift in a housing estate.
113. Too Close For Comfort
Page and Daly take opposing views in a case of alleged rape involving two cousins.
114. Blame
Garfield and Datta deal with a family that is torn apart when the mother commits suicide by overdose of sleeping tablets.
115. Once A Thief
Beech gets a result when a barrister on his blacklist is robbed.
116. Party Animals
Quinnan and Datta are called to a stag party where the strippergram accuses the guests of trying to gang-rape her.
117. Natural Causes
Slater and Ackland try to establish whether a pensioner who died on confronting a thief was murdered or died of natural causes.
118. Known To Someone
Daly and Croft obtain information from a conflicted young man who suspects his brother of a series of violent attacks on women.
119. Champing At The Bit
Jarvis and McCann attend the scene of an accident involving a woman driving a horsebox, who tests positive in a breath test. Deakin is after a violent attacker.
120. Taking Out The Rubbish
Carver and Greig investigate a burglary but the residents on the estate are too scared to give evidence. Monroe determines to clear out all the known trouble-makers.
121. Presumed Innocent
Cryer and Keane uncover the murky past of a teenage girl who has been killed in a road accident.
122. Change Of Heart
Meadows and Rawton try to persuade the girlfriend of a rape suspect to help in his arrest.
123. Hedging Your Bets
Tensions arise between Deakin and Beech after a bookie is robbed.
124. Out Of The Past
Meadows has to decide where his loyalties lie when an old friend is accused of murder.
125. Road To Recovery
Hollis is concerned about a patient who has recently been discharged from psychiatric care, and clashes with social services.
126. Three Fools
Greig and Skase investigate when three small-time villains are beaten up over their involvement in a counterfeit money-laundering operation.
127. Track Marks
Carver disapproves of Boulton's ruthless handling of an informant.
128. In For The Kill
Meadows and Croft interview a young waiter accused of trying to kill his boss.
129. Remote Control
Daly and Lines investigate a series of muggings at knifepoint.
130. Telling Tales
Quinnan tries to persuade an assault victim to testify against her former boyfriend. Boulton and Skase are led on a wild goose chase.
131. Old Codgers
A retired Police Sergeant arrives at Sun Hill claiming to know who murdered a girl more than 50 years previously. Against Quinnan and Greig's will, they both investigate.
132. Trap
Slater gets into trouble after following up on a tip-off about a till snatch.
133. All In The Mind
Monroe and Ackland suspect that a series of apparently unrelated incidents across Sun Hill may be linked to the release of a psychiatric patient trying to find her children.
134. Trust Me
Carver and Rawton follow up an irregularity on an insurance claim submitted by a decorator and uncover a double life.
135. Nice Boy
Croft and Boulton disagree on how to question a teenager who might be able to lead them to a violent gang.
136. A Woman's Place
Ackland introduces single-manning at Sun Hill, causing problems for Brownlow.
137. Finishing School
Slater and Keane reach the end of their probationary periods and face a final assessment.
138. Death Of A Nobody
The murder of a taxi driver has all the hallmarks of a gangland execution. But why would anyone want to kill a complete nobody? Meadows and Deakin investigate this special 1 hour episode.
139. Up The Wall
Hollis learns an important lesson in community policing when some friendly advice that he gives a resident on noise pollution backfires.
140. Boiling Point
Loxton is investigated by the Complaints Investigation Bureau over an accusation that he assaulted a suspected burglar, although he claims to have been acting in self-defence.
141. Mirror Image
Boulton arrests a woman for drug dealing, but Rawton suspects that she may be a victim of mistaken identity.
142. Public Relations
Skase and Hollis demonstrate two differing approaches to police work when a young journalist writing about policing spends a day at Sun Hill.
143. Lock 'Em In
Cryer and Page assist the distraught wife of a prisoner who reports her son missing and who fears that her husband is out to get her.
144. Opportunity Costs
Brownlow orders Meadows and Conway to review their budgets, but Meadows decides to investigate the unsolved murder of a prostitute instead.
145. Paying For It
Beech and Rawton investigate the apparent assault of a father by his son and uncover a family secret.
146. Many Happy Returns
Boulton and Skase take part in a joint exercise with Customs and Excise to crack a fencing operation. Meadows is concerned that Sun Hill might end up footing the bill but not getting a result.
147. Black Money
Croft and Rawton investigate some shady Romanian businessmen and a suitcase full of black paper.
148. Scorned
Croft and Rawton investigate a dentist accused of indecent assault by one of his patients.
149. Stolen Kisses
Monroe, Datta and Loxton talk down a nursery cleaner when she holds a 3-year-old girl hostage, then investigate the woman's claims she is the girl's biological mother.
150. Jumping To Conclusions
Carver's patience is tested by a compulsive liar. Ackland and Quinnan search for a girl allegedly abducted by a religious cult.
151. Toe The Line
Monroe and Conway uncover a bogus wheel-clamping operation.
152. A Gun To The Head
Beech and Daly are put in an impossible situation when a judge decides to reveal the name of their informant.
153. Merrily On High
The Assistant Commissioner has declared Sun Hill Police Station an alcohol-free zone - terrible news for Ch. Supt. Brownlow and Ch. Insp. Conway who hope to enjoy a ""liquid lunch"" when they take the A.C. to a posh French restaurant. It's even worse news for the detectives in C.I.D., who have decided they are not going to give up their Christmas party without a fight. D.C. Skase shows D.C. Croft how a police officer can get ""donations"" for the party from the local publicans, but as they return, Hicks, Brownlow and Conway arrive back from their lunch for a tour of the station. They are forced to pretend Skase is a prisoner, and an unhappy Rod is locked in the cells for several hours. An elderly man is arrested after a road rage incident in a supermarket carpark, but the police manage to reunite him with his estranged family for Christmas.
154. Hers
Stamp and Page look into the theft of a hearse containing the coffin of a thief who died in a traffic accident.
155. Hat Trick
Boulton and Skase investigate a car-ramming incident involving a member of a local pub team.
156. The Right Thing
New WPC Jamila Blake joins Sun Hill after three years away from the job. She pairs with Stamp, and they find an overdosed boy during a foot pursuit, and Cryer takes an interest when he discovers the victim is on the basketball same team as a former Sun Hill officer’s son.