Fulcher himself spent hours questioning Halliwell at Barbury Castle, breaking down his defences and sharing his cigarettes and forming a connection. Asked about the difference between roles Fulcher and 'Tim' from The Office, he added:'I'm very, very pleased that I've been able to do other things that have resonated with people.'. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Natalie Corner For Mailonline, Trophy hunter mother, 41, who has travelled the world to kill more than ONE HUNDRED animals claims her hobby HELPS preserve wild species, Bodyguard creator Jed Mercurio teases that Julia Montague is ALIVE - as he reveals how he manages to keep the show's plot a secret, TIMELINE OF A DOUBLE KILLING: HOW CHRISTOPHER HALLIWELL MURDERED TWO WOMEN THEN THWARTED JUSTICE FOR VICTIM'S FAMILY. She was a drug addict and sex worker, and after she disappeared her mother Karen Edwards (played by Imelda Staunton) had spent years hoping she would return. June 9, 2015 - Halliwell appears at Bristol Crown Court and denies Miss Godden's murder. 'You're going to get rid of good ones as well? Was there ever a more woeful example of flawed justice? Fulcher made the decision. In it, he argues that his actions were to preserve the life of a hostage, as he was working on the assumption OCallaghan could still be alive and that Halliwell could lead him to her. Steve recalls how a kidnap inquiry was launched after Sian went missing in the early hours of Saturday, March 19, 2011. Its an almost insoluble problem. In the early hours of Saturday 19th March 2011, a 22-year-old named Sian O'Callaghan left Suju's nightclub in Swindon after a night out with her friends. She too had been strangled. Human remains were uncovered at a field in Gloucestershire, and they turned out to belong to Becky. When you have a body in a ditch you have a reactive investigation as the harm has been done. Rebecca Godden-Edwards, aged 18, also known as Becky, whose remains were found by police investigating the murder of missing nightclubber Sian O'Callaghan. Steve says: We had a policeman under suspicion of sexual impropriety, who drove the exact kind of vehicle we thought had picked up Sian, took his own life just as the net might be closing in. The next important clue came from a text message sent by Kevin at 3.24am, which was received on Sian's phone; analysis showed that her mobile phone had been in the Savernake Forest area at the time the message arrived. On 24 March, OCallaghans body was found in a shallow grave near Uffington, Oxfordshire, and Christopher Halliwell, a 47-year-old taxi driver from Swindon was arrested, charged and later sentenced to a life sentence for the murder. Effectively unemployable by British police, he now works as a consultant on policing in Somalia, taking him away from home for long periods. Moreover, as forensic officers set to work, Fulcher was unprepared for what came next. Thankfully, circumstantial and forensic evidence ensured Halliwell, 52, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012 for killing Miss OCallaghan. I was prepared for this his case wasnt defendable so it was the only thing they could do but I thought reason would prevail. Instead, everyone turned on me.. I can understand what happened to Fulcher happened to Fulcher. ', But criminal defence barrister Sebastian Gardiner says: 'It wasn't ignorance on his part, it was a conscious decision by him to drive a coach and horses through recognised police procedure.'. It has emerged Halliwell was obsessed with Linda after doing building work at the Razzells home four years before she died. Yet that wasnt all. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Sick cabbie Christopher Halliwell is serving life for murdering two women, Steve Fulcher, the detective who put him behind bars, says there could be dozens more victims, Police unearthed a 'stash of trophies' 15 miles from Sian O'Callaghan's body, The fiend also revealed where cops could find the body of Becky Godden, Potential victim Claudia Lawrence has been missing since March 19, 2009, The disappearance of Thi Hai Nguyen, 20, has been linked to the killer, Along with mother-of-three Tina Pryer, 39, who was last seen in 2001, Last September Halliwell was convicted of killing Becky and burying her body in a field at Eastleach, Gloucs, The killer, defending himself in court, gloated about how he had ruined the detective's career, A spade recovered from Halliwell's shed after he was found guilty of murdering Becky Godden, Twisted Christopher Halliwell could have raped and killed dozens more women as cops look into trophy store, Frogmore eviction shows King Charles has drawn a line with Harry - now he must do two more things with the spoilt brat, Harry's vicious attacks on Camilla could not be forgiven by King Charles - he had to hit back, Constance Marten: Baby's body found after massive police search, as cops question runaway aristocrat & Mark Gordon, Rishi Sunak to finally unveil delayed small boats law next week after Brexit win, Ministers vow to never use draconian spy law to jail journalists, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). The 2022 loss represents about 12% of the total portfolio. ", Why? The 22-year-old office worker had been out with friends, got separated from them and left the nightclub alone. For nine long minutes Halliwell said nothing. He took the team to a field in Gloucestershire where the remains of a second woman were later found. There is an obsession with procedure at the expense of the bigger picture. Steve explains what happened next: 'He said, "You and I should have a chat". Naturally, trying to ensure this places huge pressure on senior officers. In the aftermath of Halliwells arrest, Fulcher was nominated for a Queens Police Medal the highest honour in policing for his work in extracting the brutal killers confession. The senior echelons arent police officers at all. 'I'm not specifically looking at any one particular offence, but I do want to try to understand why there's an eight-year gap between his offending behaviour. "I deliberately and very carefully didn't get into specifics of other victims," writer Jeff Pope said. But without common sense it gives too much protection to the guilty and not the victim, he says. A suspect soon popped up in the shape of taxi driver Christopher Halliwell, whose green Toyota Avensis had been seen near the nightclub and close to Savernake Forest, where Sians mobile had last given off a signal. Martin Freeman plays DS Stephen Fulcher in new ITV drama A Confession. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. 12:23 GMT 20 Sep 2018. Five days after her kidnap, they spotted Halliwell buying enough pills to kill himself so they swooped on his car and carried out an urgent interview. If she had traveled 12 miles in just half an hour, that meant the journey from Swindon Old Town could only have been made in a vehicle. Steve had been found guilty of gross misconduct by the Independent Police Complaints Commission for not reading Halliwell his rights and taking him back to the police station. 23:33 GMT 23 Sep 2016 It is possible that there were other victims before or after Becky but he has never been charged or convicted of any other murders. Fulchers once distinguished career, meanwhile, lies in ruins. Freeman met Fulcher during the filming of A Confession, and Fulcher has now watched the dramatisation. In his book, Steve says: At the bottom of a pond that was 8ft deep they found Sian OCallaghans distinctive boot. Two and a half years on, Becky Goddens mother has, at least, seen justice served in no small part thanks to her own vigorous campaigning to ensure her daughters murder wasnt forgotten. It later transpired that Fulcher, when arresting Halliwell, acted on the instinct that Halliwell may have been responsible for the disappearance of Becky Godden-Edwards, who had been reported missing in 2007 and pressed him for details. Sian was caught on CCTV at 2.52am leaving the nightclub in Swindon, Wiltshire. When Halliwells confession about the location of Beckys body was ruled inadmissible in court, other officers continued the hunt for more evidence and unearthed the trophy stash in 2014. But CCTV showed him driving around the town for another 90 minutes. The disappearances of Tina Pryer, 39, Thi Hai Nguyen, 20, and Sandra Brewin, 21, have also been linked to the killer. Officers observed Halliwell. It need never have been so. With equity release you could access a lump-sum of tax-free cash which can be used to enhance your retirement income, make home improvements, or even enjoy a memorable holiday. The trace on her phone was tracked to the nearby Savernake Forest by Steve's team. His loyal family had also suffered. Sian O'Callaghan's boyfriend had reported her missing after she failed to return from a night out with friends in Swindon, Wiltshire, in March 2011. DS Steve Fulcher, played by Martin Freeman in A Confession, resigned from the police after being found guilty of gross misconduct in the Christopher Halliwell case, Get daily headlines and breaking news alerts for FREE by signing up to our newsletter. She had been brutally beaten and stabbed. For other inquiries, Contact Us. But then Halliwell had a second horrific confession. Having guided them to the remote spot where he had dumped her body, Halliwell had suddenly confessed: Im a sick f***er. However, DS Fulcher, played by Martin Freeman in the ITV drama series, was found guilty of gross misconduct and given a final disciplinary warning. Theres no question in my mind Halliwell murdered other girls, Fulcher says. In an explosive new book, Catching A Serial Killer, Steve tells the inside story of the case and how his quest for justice cost him his job. ", A Confession will air on ITV in September 2019, Try 12 issues for 1 today - never miss an issue. After joining the Wiltshire force in 2003, Fulcher was promoted to Detective Superintendent. The detective and suspect met at Barbury Castle, an Iron Age hill fort near Swindon, where Fulcher believed Halliwell may be keeping Sian alive. Some killings are linked by the date March 19 a day on which Halliwell was once dumped by a girlfriend in the 1980s and also the date Sian was killed. STEVE Fulcher was a detective who uncovered the crimes of a twisted double murderer before resigning from the force. Oscar-nominated scriptwriter Jeff Pope based the drama on Det Supt Fulchers memoirs and independent research. The CPS should have appealed. I was desperately trying to keep the lines of communication open, wondering how much else he might tell me.. In fact she was found in a very shallow grave. DS Fulcher was found guilty of gross misconduct The following January Det Supt Fulcher was found guilty of gross misconduct and given a final disciplinary warning. However in a new one-off ITV documentary, To Catch a Serial Killer, DS Fulcher insists he did the right thing, saying: 'My view is that I have brought two daughters back to their mothers and I've prevented other victims resulting from Halliwell's continued pursuit of his career as a serial killer. At this point, Fulcher still hoped to find Sian alive. A Confession viewers have been shocked by the twists and turns in the TV version of the horrific true story of serial killer Christopher Halliwell. In January 2014, Fulcher was found guilty of gross misconduct and given a final written warning by a disciplinary tribunal. The investigation into her murder was headed up by DS Fulcher who charged cab driver Chris Halliwell with the abduction of the office worker. "Generally, we echo Fulcher's belief that there are other victims," Pope said, explaining the drama's approach to the question. He still believes he made the right decisions on that day. DC Fulcher quit after being accused of gross misconduct over murder case. That girl, we now know, was poor Becky Godden, a much loved daughter who had fallen into drug addiction, prostitution and, ultimately, Halliwells evil hands. Christopher Halliwells lawyers argued successfully that the confession should not be put before a jury. Despite these hopes, Fulcher was wrong. He has written a memoir Catching A Serial Killer upon which A Confession is partly based. Catching a double killer led to Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher being hailed a hero by the families and twice nominated for a Queens Police Medal. A wealth of experience which was brought to bear when, on March 19th 2011, office administrator Sian OCallaghan was reported missing by her boyfriend after being last seen outside a nightclub in Swindon town centre in the small hours. Joe Absolom plays the Swindon taxi driver Christopher Halliwell who had taken the lives of two you women. With compelling circumstantial evidence, Fulcher authorised covert surveillance. While others insisted it was actually brilliant detective work, with the mothers of the victims praising DS Fulcher for finding their daughters. Why would this not be the biggest, most protracted, most vigorous investigation in the history of British policing?. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. I met Sians parents and promised them I wouldnt rest until I found her, he recalls. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. The car had been seen on CCTV pulling up next to Sian on her way home. The public needs to know what the police wont do if their own daughter went missing. You then tried to manipulate the police and court process to try to avoid getting what you deserved., They are words Fulcher has waited many years for. He also told The Guardian in 2017 that he believed Halliwell was responsible for more murders, as more than 60 items of womens clothing were found buried in woodland near Marlborough, including OCallaghans brown boots and Godden-Edwardss cardigan. He was investigated by the police watchdog, the IPCC and found guilty of Gross Misconduct. But forensic evidence that has been used to convict [Halliwell] was available back in 2011. Fearing he was planning to overdose, the police swooped in and arrested him in an Asda car park in north Swindon, charging him with the kidnap (not murder) of Sian. He [was] kind of crawling up the walls. In September 2013, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) found that Fulcher had a case to answer for "gross misconduct" for breaches of PACE and for ignoring force orders. Anticipating Halliwells suicide risk, Fulcher arranged an interview team to conduct a Safety Interview, under caution, at the scene of his arrest. They are someones daughter, sister.. It has been devastating for everyone, he says quietly. You might think that witness statement would be taken, but it never has been to my knowledge. As a result of this procedural failure, Halliwells confession regarding both murders was ruled inadmissible in court. While they could go ahead with Sians murder charge, thanks to Halliwells DNA being on her body, the refusal of Fulchers senior officers to further investigate Beckys death, and thus garner more evidence, led the CPS to withdraw that charge. But his decision to break police guidelines and drive Halliwell to where he thought Sian might be found alive, instead of taking him to the police station for a formal interview, was to cost him his job. Instead, seeing a window of opportunity, hed driven him to the field where Halliwell claimed another body would be found. He was crying in the car, saying he was a sick f*cker, recalls Fulcher. Halliwells father lived a few streets from the home of chef Claudia Lawrence, who has been missing since March 19, 2009. Lara Keay For Mailonline I need help. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. By May 31, 2012 - Halliwell appears at Preston Crown Court and denies murdering Miss O'Callaghan. What is right and what is wrong? This investigation damaged Fulcher's career as a senior police officer, and despite keeping his job with a final written warning in January 2014, he resigned from the force in May of that year. 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