The Don Beech Scandal

The Don Beech Scandal was a storyline in the long-running police procedural British television series, The Bill.

Background

The Don Beech Scandal was one of two major storylines centred around corrupt Detective Sergeant Don Beech. Since the character's debut in 1995, his corruption had steadily grown, taking backhanders from suspects, making deals with dodgy criminals, and getting himself immersed into the underworld of crime. The Scandal played out over three years in the show - beginning with the introduction of DS Claire Stanton in 1999 and Beech's imprisonment in his second major storyline in 2001. The storyline concluded with a "clean sweep" of CID, removing six well-standing officers, and introducing six new cast members to the show.

Synopsis

After it was suspected that he had been involved in corrupt criminal activity, unbeknown to Beech, a new Detective Sergeant, Claire Stanton, was placed at Sun Hill. An undercover officer from the Complaints Investigation Bureau, she infiltrated Sun Hill CID to gather evidence and expose Beech's corrupt activities. Beech revealed his activities to fellow officer, DS John Boulton, and offered him a bribe for his help in escaping his superiors. Bolton refused, and in the resulting fight, Beech headbutted Boulton, breaking his nose, and causing him to collapse. Boulton responded by trying to strangle Beech, but Beech slammed his head against the floor, killing him . Nobody suspected Beech of being the killer, and his eventual downfall took place when he entered into a corrupt business relationship with local crime-boss Howard Fallon, which resulted in Beech destroying evidence implicating Fallon, intimidating witnesses and supplying intelligence on the progress of police investigations into Fallon's empire. When his actions began to come to light, Beech fled, and was not seen again until his arrival in Australia.

Cast

• Chief Superintendent Charles Brownlow (Peter Ellis): As Station Commander, he was seen ultimately responsible. He later resigned after having pressure put on him from high to do so.
• DCI Jack Meadows (Simon Rouse): As head of CID and Beech's superior, Meadows was seen to have given Beech freedom to carry out his actions. However, when he was presented to a disciplinary board, he was cleared from wrongdoing, later revealing that he only survived due to his connections at New Scotland Yard.
• DI Chris Deakin (Shaun Scott): As Beech's immediate superior, Deakin was considered responsible for not noticing his activities, and was transferred for his lack of supervision.
• DS John Boulton (Russell Boulter): Boulton found out about Beech's corrupt activities, and would have been transferred himself, had he not died after fight with Beech, after he failed to help Beech escape justice.
• DS Geoff Daly (Ray Ashcroft): Daly had suspected Beech's corruption, but never managed to gather any evidence. Due to being the same rank as Beech, he was transfererred to Barton Street.
• DS Claire Stanton (Clara Salaman): Stanton received a transfer and promotion after exposing Beech's corruption. As she was already a member of CIB and was not suspected of any kind of corruption.
• DC Kerry Holmes (Joy Brook): Kerry applied for a transfer after being outraged that CIB wrongly suspected her as being involved with corruption.
• DC Duncan Lennox (George Rossi): As Beech's subordinate, he had no control over his activities, and after being investigated, was not found to be involved in corruption.
• DC Mickey Webb (Chris Simmons): As Beech's subordinate, he had no control over his activities, and after being investigated, was not found to be involved in corruption.
• DC Danny Glaze (Karl Collins): As Beech's subordinate, he had no control over his activities, and after being investigated, was not found to be involved in corruption.

• Superintendent Tom Chandler (Steven Hartley): Tom Chandler became Brownlow's replacement and became the smooth operator of Sun Hill.
• DI Alex Cullen (Ged Simmons): Cullen was possibly one of the most clean-cut DI's that the station had ever had but was a fair new boss in CID.
• DS Vik Singh (Raji James): Vik came to Sun Hill as part of the new CID team and was a cocky, know all but popular with the team.
• DS Debbie McAllister (Natalie Roles): Debbie was part of the new CID team and just newly promoted to the rank of DS. The rest of the team put up with her rather than like her!
• DC Paul Riley (Gary Grant): Paul was part of the new team and was a kind hearted detective, who appeared to be a little bit on the dim side at times but was well meaning and got on well with the team.
• DC Kate Spears (Tania Emery): Kate arrived as part of the new CID team and instantly turned the heads of the male population of CID and also the new Superintendent.

References

Preceded by Evacuation (1988)

Notable storylines 1999-2001

Succeeded by Beech is Back (2001)