A Confession - ITV

[southeastdweller]

Anyone else going to watch this tonight?

www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-08-29/a-confession-itv-martin-freeman-air-date-time-channel-cast/

I'm riveted by this story too. Becky's father has a Twitter account. Based on his feed,
I'd say he's every bit as bad IRL.
He really hates his ex with a passion and constantly blames her for not reporting Becky's death.

He's also gunning for Fulcher. He seems like a thoroughly unpleasant man.

@Encyclo oh wow, really? I'd read in the press that the two families did not get on at all, but didn't know he was that bad.

He constantly berates her for not reporting Becky missing, he's also blaming the Masons? Seems to think there's a massive cover up. He never once blames himself mind.

Did the mums ever get to know each other? I felt so surprised that there seemed to be no connection between the families.

It doesn't seem like they did. I'd love to know why "Pete the Pilot" is getting a bit of a negative portrayal also. He's coming across very controlling.

The mums didn’t know each other. It was coincidence that they lived near each other.

I don't know this but am assuming that the significance of David Ainsworth's suicide will become apparent later as Steve Fulcher's story develops.

"Why on earth should a murderer who pleads guilty get 5 years taken off just for admitting he did it?! I get that it's massively helpful for the victim's family to not have to go through a lengthy, painful court procedure, but I don't agree anything should be taken off the sentence"

Totally, agree.

What was the relevance of the disgraced policeman who killed himself?

He was an early suspect in the abduction/murder of Sian. I think that’s all there is to it.

Ah yes, because he'd hung himself a day or two after Sian went missing, and drove a similar car to that of the taxi on CCTV.

Still, if that story arc doesn't get any more developed, and I was a friend or family member of David Ainsworth, I'd still be annoyed they put it in there. It didn't really add anything to the tv drama I don't think.

I think maybe it showed that there were issues in the police force. The policeman who died had felt hung out to dry by the force.

I think it just showed it was a tumultuous time. Also Steve was 'warned off' speaking to him but I think he still did. Showing Steve's moral character.

I really hope this series leads to a fresh investigation into how Wiltshire Police handled the investigation into the murder and into Steve.

There must be other victims not yet identified. The long time between murders and the confusion over the size of the grave suggest he murdered more women.

I wonder if there is any campaign on behalf of Steve. I cannot see anything on line.

I think you are spot on @Italiangreyhound.
Steve Fulcher saw the effects of being suspended from duty pending an investigation into his conduct on David Ainsworth.
I'm not sure what sort of campaign there could be though as, whatever way you look at it, Steve Fulcher didn't follow correct procedure.
Is that not the whole point of the drama?
Does the end ever justify the means?

Yes that's what I was thinking wingedharpy.
The bottom line is he didn't do what he should have done, didn't follow the rules and that's why this has happened.

Just caught up with the last 2 episodes. I agree with others Imelda Staunton had been brilliant, so moving.
Becky's dad is a horror

Wingedharpy "Does the end ever justify the means?" Yes, 100% it does.

It doesn't always justify the means but sometimes it does.

If Sian had been kidnapped and was alive and the officer put finding her, and her safety, over following a procedure set out to protect possible suspects, then he would be a hero.

If when the killer said "Want to see another one?" He had meant another woman who I have kidnapped, and had lead the officer to a woman still alive, he would be a hero.

If PACE puts the 'protection' of a possible criminal over the safety of a kidnapped woman then it absolutely is a loop hole, IMHO.

purpleme12 "The bottom line is he didn't do what he should have done, didn't follow the rules and that's why this has happened."

I think he absolutely did what he should have done.

In didn't say I agreed with the rule in this case

purpleme12 do you think he did the right thing?

There was a protocol he was following for preservation of life. So I would say that legally he could be seen to be doing the right thing and also morally. I do think it was a travesty of justice what happened to him.

I think Steve Fulcher did what he believed to be the right thing and was motivated by the best intentions.

Wingedharpy "I think Steve Fulcher did what he believed to be the right thing and was motivated by the best intentions."

Yes, I agree.

But what is scary is someone else may have done something different and Becky Godden's mum would still not know what had happened to her.

I would think, after this case, that it is almost a certainty that no police officer would stick their neck out and not follow procedure.
Apart from the issue of inadmissible evidence in a subsequent court case, the personal cost for the officer (and their family) is too high.

They said that he was allowed to act the way he did when they thought Sian was still alive but that it was no longer an emergency interview after that and he should have been re arrested etc after they established she was dead.

Yes they might never have found the second body but there is a fair chance that he had murdered more women and they might have got the details of more out of him had procedure been followed.

All that said I do think he did the right thing and did what many other people would have done.

PancakeAndKeith I feel once cautioned he would not have revealed more. Brvsuse he's not revealed it since.

Finally seen last weeks

So yes it’s a loophole and unfair

He found her body and put the parents out of their misery of not knowing

Yet he gets away

Tho couldn’t he have cautioned in the field and then used his confession

And yes saying I’m guilty gets a lesser sentence is wrong but if there wasn’t something in it for the guilty they wouldn’t confess

Also not sure of the relevance of the suicide. Esp as played by well known actor

Wondering if we will go back in time and see him

And if the step dad hasn’t lied all those years ago it may have been a different ending

The thing about PACE is that it's supposed to protect everyone who comes into contact with the law, not just suspects but witnesses and victims as well. It's intended to protect people from being tricked into saying something they wouldn't otherwise have done or incriminating themselves without understanding the implications. It isn't an obscure legal loophole that nobody could possibly have known about, it's a fundamental of police work that is drummed into officers pretty much from day one.

It isn't perfect but before it was brought in, people who were arrested could be held indefinitely and subjected to repeated interviews where they were questioned aggressively and the interview record manipulated to say what the police wanted it to. There were shocking levels of corruption and abuse of power, and I'm sure people were fitted up for things they didn't do.

As a superintendent, Steve Fulcher would very much have known what the rules were, but I am guessing he hoped that there would be enough physical evidence to convict, even without an admissable confession. The gamble unfortunately didn't pay off. I think he probably did the "wrong" thing for absolutely the right reasons, and I imagine many police officers would say the same. But I do also see that the law can't be bent to suit individual circumstances. There can't be different rules for different people.