Powerless

MAGGOTS! This episode has to boast one of the most gruesome opening scenes ever...

THE BILL
Powerless: Episode 015
Thursday 3 September 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 4 September at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 7 September at 23:00

D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) and D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) work together when the gruesome discovery of seventeen year old Ashley Simmon’s (Sophie Benjamin) body is made.

The pair head to the children’s home where she had been reported missing by her foster mother, Francis Baines (Claire Hackett), who is distraught by the news that Ashley was killed by a gun shot to the heart. Francis tells the officers that Ashley left the home several months before to live alone, but kept in regular contact. She explains that Ashley was never in trouble and wouldn’t have been involved in anything dangerous.

The news is broken to the rest of the teenagers in the home, including Ashley’s close friends Kai Miller (Ralph Laurila), Paige Farrelly (Georgia Groome) and Ashley’s younger brother, Tyler (Reece Noi). All three are questioned by the officers and support Francis’ claim that Ashley was a good person who never got into trouble, but Neil is concerned that Tyler seems to know a lot more then he’s letting on...

Back at the station, D.C. Grace Dasari (Amita Dhiri) informs Neil that a car belonging to Elliot Johns (Nick Nevern) was seen circling the warehouse where Ashley’s body was dumped. Elliot is brought in for questioning and smugly tells Neil that he was at home with his girlfriend, Maxine Clements (Clare Calbraith) on the night in question.

Maxine, clearly high on drugs is brought in to make a statement and frustratingly confirms Elliot’s alibi. However, later that day Max and Neil are shocked when they realise Maxine is also Tyler and Ashley’s mother and that the last phone call Ashley made was in Maxine’s flat.

Neil and Grace go to Maxine’s to arrest her for perverting the course of justice and discover her high on drugs and screaming, as she has just been told about Ashley’s murder. Inside, forensics reveal bloody handprints and blood spray on the wall which prove Ashley was murdered there - but why and by whom?

In C.I.D., as Neil and Max prepare to interview Maxine and Tyler, Max makes derogatory comments about the children from the home and reveals his narrow minded opinions. A seething Neil sends the other officers out of the room and tells Max in no uncertain terms that if he makes any similar comments, he’ll be off the case.

During Neil’s interview with Tyler, the teenager breaks down and eventually reveals that it was him who shot Ashley by accident, after they fought over a gun they found at Maxine’s.

Max believes the case is closed, but Neil is convinced Tyler is covering for someone else. Can Neil and Max continue to work together to crack the case..?

THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Steve Bailie, directed by Richard Signy and produced by James Hall.