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*The Bill*
The Bill
Series 12
No. of episodes	156
Release
Original network	ITV
Original release	2 January –; 31 December 1996
Series chronology
	← Previous; Series 11 Next →; Series 13
	List of episodes

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.

There was also an exit for PC Donna Harris, as the role of collator was replaced by a computerised system. Two other characters departed, with Robert Perkins leaving his role as Sergeant Ray Steele after almost three years, with WPC June Ackland taking the role of Sergeant after six months as an Acting Sergeant. Tom Cotcher also left the role of DC Alan Woods, being replaced by WDC Liz Rawton, with actress Libby Davison joining the show permanently just four months after making a guest appearance as Briony Richards. Rawton's arrival to CID was preceded by that of DS Geoff Daly, portrayed by Ray Ashcroft, in June. WPC Jamila Blake arrived at the end of the year to replace WPC Marshall, Lolita Chakrabarti taking on the role after two guest appearances earlier in the series as Dr. Sally Vole.

Cast changes

Arrivals

DS Geoff Daly (Episode 67–)
WDC Liz Rawton (Episode 107–)
WPC Jamila Blake (Episode 156–)

Departures

WPC Cathy Marshall – Drowned whilst chasing a suspect
WPC Donna Harris – Unexplained; exit preceded by elimination of collator role
Sgt. Ray Steele – Unexplained
DC Alan Woods – Transferred

Episodes

#	Title	Episode notes	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
1	"Call Waiting"	Susannah Wise guest stars	John Bruce	Simon Moss	2 January 1996 (1996-01-02)
Skase and Croft investigate a series of hoax phone calls that are tearing a family apart.
2	"Second Sense"	Cheryl Hall guest stars	Diana Patrick	Peter Gibbs	4 January 1996 (1996-01-04)
Loxton and Slater deal with a woman drink-driver.
3	"Runners Up"	Tracey Childs guest stars	Nick Laughland	Robert Jones	5 January 1996 (1996-01-05)
Meadows offers a bottle of scotch as a reward for catching an elusive burglar.
4	"Keeping It in the Family"	Nicholas Pinnock and Lloyd McGuire guest star	Frank W. Smith	Tony Lindsay	9 January 1996 (1996-01-09)
Lines and Skase try to avert an ice-cream war in Sun Hill after a vendor is assaulted.
5	"Home Truths"	Danny Dyer guest stars	June Howson	Katharine Way	11 January 1996 (1996-01-11)
Ackland and Jarvis follow up a vicious assault.
6	"Outer"	Rhona Mitra guest stars	Nick Laughland	J. C. Wilsher	12 January 1996 (1996-01-12)
Boulton is determined to arrest a local drug dealer, at any cost.
7	"Better Half"	Nigel Humphreys guest stars	Catherine Morshead	Jonathan David	16 January 1996 (1996-01-16)
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"	Neil Stuke guest stars	Robin Sheppard	Richard Stoneman	18 January 1996 (1996-01-18)
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"	Hour-long special, final appearance of WPC Cathy Marshall; Tina Hobley, Nicholas Ball and Clive Carter guest star	Martin Hutchings	Julian Spilsbury	19 January 1996 (1996-01-19)
What begins as a routine night for the officers at Sun Hill ends in personal tragedy.
10	"Old Dogs, New Tricks"	TBA	Frank W. Smith	Jonathan Myerson	23 January 1996 (1996-01-23)
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: Part 1"	Clare Holman guest stars	Robin Shepperd	Richard Stoneman	25 January 1996 (1996-01-25)
While Deakin investigates the kidnapping of a five-year-old boy, Conway gets some unsettling news.
12	"One Night With You: Part 2"	TBA	Derek Lister	Chris Ould	26 January 1996 (1996-01-26)
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"	Richard Beale guest stars	John Bruce	Renny Krupinski	30 January 1996 (1996-01-30)
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"	TBA	Corin Campbell Hill	Avril E. Russell	1 February 1996 (1996-02-01)
Slater and Garfield struggle to keep the peace when two women fall out over the same man.
15	"Happy Birthday"	TBA	Sarah Harding	Tom Needham	2 February 1996 (1996-02-02)
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"	Sharon Duncan-Brewster and Ayesha Antoine guest star	Sarah Harding	Margaret Ousby	6 February 1996 (1996-02-06)
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"	TBA	Corin Campbell Hill	David G. McDonagh	8 February 1996 (1996-02-08)
A reconstruction brings forward an unexpected witness to an assault on a 15-year-old boy.
18	"Back in Business"	Ch. Supt. Charles Brownlow returns from Area, A/Supt. Derek Conway returns to Ch. Insp.	Laurence Moody	Peter Gibbs	9 February 1996 (1996-02-09)
Acting Superintendent Conway is stirred into action by a face from the past.
19	"Separate Rooms"	Camilla Power and Ewen Bremner guest star	Jan Sargent	Nick Crittenden	13 February 1996 (1996-02-13)
Lines investigates an allegation of underage sex.
20	"Going Guilty"	TBA	James Hawes	Mark Holloway	15 February 1996 (1996-02-15)
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"	TBA	Derek Lister	Maxwell Young	16 February 1996 (1996-02-16)
Beech is caught in the crossfire when uniform and C.I.D. fall out over a directive from Brownlow.
22	"Somebody's Home"	TBA	Jan Sargent	Simon Tyrrell	20 February 1996 (1996-02-20)
Quinnan and Keane have to help someone with a conviction for assaulting a police officer.
23	"Pointing the Finger"	Ron Donachie guest stars	Simon Meyers	Edwin Pearce	22 February 1996 (1996-02-22)
Carver and Skase investigate an assault on an Asian schoolboy.
24	"Boy Meets Girl"	Lloyd Owen guest stars	James Hawes	Simon Moss	23 February 1996 (1996-02-23)
Croft investigates a series of vicious sexual assaults.
25	"Confession"	Hour-long episode, final appearance of PC Donna Harris, guest appearance of DS Danny Pearce; David Westhead guest stars	David Richards	Terry Hodgkinson	27 February 1996 (1996-02-27)
Meadows and Carver have to look again at a man cleared of murder.
26	"Home From Home"	TBA	June Howson	Stephen McAteer	29 February 1996 (1996-02-29)
Stamp and Slater are called to supervise the eviction of a father from his home.
27	"Open Wound"	TBA	John Bruce	Tom Needham	1 March 1996 (1996-03-01)
Skase and Deakin deal with a wounded crack dealer shot in the yard of a pub.
28	"Perfect Match"	TBA	Laurence Moody	Carolyn Sally Jones	5 March 1996 (1996-03-05)
Beech and Croft try to track down a violent attacker.
29	"Someone Special"	Bruce Alexander guest stars	Gwennan Sage	Carolyn Sally Jones	7 March 1996 (1996-03-07)
Lines and Skase investigate a possible arson attack on a nightclub.
30	"Bits and Pieces"	Lucy Benjamin and Peter Benson guest star	Simon Meyers	Terry Hodgkinson	8 March 1996 (1996-03-08)
Boyden and Slater search for the owner of a severed hand found on a rubbish tip.
31	"Home Help"	Angela Bruce guest stars	Michael Simpson	Peter Mills	12 March 1996 (1996-03-12)
Cryer and Slater handle a tricky case involving a disabled former police officer and his wayward son.
32	"Kicked Out"	TBA	Michael Ferguson	Stephen C. Handley	14 March 1996 (1996-03-14)
Jarvis and Page are called in to help in the deportation of an illegal immigrant who escapes from custody.
33	"On the Block"	Kenneth Watson guest stars	Michael Ferguson	J. C. Wilsher	15 March 1996 (1996-03-15)
Boulton loses a suspect during an arrest and has to ask Monroe to help get him back.
34	"Getting Off"	TBA	Michael Cocker	Graham Mitchell	19 March 1996 (1996-03-19)
Boulton investigates a convicted drug addict and clashes with a drugs worker.
35	"Girls' Night"	TBA	Gill Wilkinson	Gwyneth Hughes	21 March 1996 (1996-03-21)
Loxton and Page deal with a bridegroom who disrupts a hen night.
36	"Blood Brothers"	Roshan Seth guest stars	Jeremy Silberston	Manjit Singh	22 March 1996 (1996-03-22)
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"	WPC June Ackland is promoted to Acting Sergeant (off screen)	Robert Del Maestro	Gregory Evans	23 March 1996 (1996-03-23)
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"	Melanie Kilburn guest stars	Robert Del Maestro	Candy Denman	28 March 1996 (1996-03-28)
Greig is accused with police brutality following a raid on a burglar's home.
39	"Dead of Night"	First appearance of June Ackland as A/Sgt; Rosie Cavaliero guest stars	Ian White	Julian Jones	29 March 1996 (1996-03-29)
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"	Daniel Casey guest stars	James Hawes	Isabelle Grey	2 April 1996 (1996-04-02)
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"	TBA	Jeremy Silberston	David Hoskins	4 April 1996 (1996-04-04)
Keane has a bad day in court, while Monroe follows up on a domestic incident.
42	"Beating the Odds"	Jamie Glover and Amelia Curtis guest star	Ian White	Edwin Pearce	5 April 1996 (1996-04-05)
Boulton investigates a notorious local bookie and prompts suspicions about Beech's private life.
43	"Animal"	Ian Reddington and Sheree Murphy guest star	Kate Cheeseman	Tom Needham	9 April 1996 (1996-04-09)
Boyden and Datta try to secure a conviction against a vicious pimp.
44	"Dangerous Game"	Hour-long episode, final appearance of Sgt. Ray Steele; Tracey Wilkinson guest stars	Brian Parker	Elizabeth-Anne Wheal	10 April 1996 (1996-04-10)
Boulton, Carver and Deakin take part in a Flying Squad operation against a vicious gang of armed robbers.
45	"Dancers"	Tenniel Evans guest stars	Nick Laughland	Mark Holloway	12 April 1996 (1996-04-12)
Brownlow organises a tea dance for the Metropolitan Police Pensioners' and Widows' Society.
46	"And Nothing But"	TBA	Michael Simpson	Richard Stoneman	16 April 1996 (1996-04-16)
Loxton arrests a black man he suspects is responsible for a mugging and is accused of racism.
47	"Tale of Two Cities"	Petra Markham guest stars	Tom Cotter	Spenser Frearson	18 April 1996 (1996-04-18)
Greig is in pursuit of a local drug dealer. Two teenagers arrested for possession refuse to provide any information about their supplier.
48	"Cheating"	Leslie Phillips and Carol Royle guest star	Kate Cheeseman	Spenser Frearson	19 April 1996 (1996-04-19)
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"	Clare Cathcart and Trevor Cooper guest star	Gill Wilkinson	Jonathan Myerson	23 April 1996 (1996-04-23)
Loxton and Quinnan investigate an employment agency that provides lucrative opportunities to women with financial troubles.
50	"Going For a Song"	Guest appearance of now-DS Mike Dashwood	Martin Hutchings	Julian Spilsbury	25 April 1996 (1996-04-25)
Carver calls on a former colleague to help with an antique clock that is a target for theft.
51	"Value Added"	Malcolm Terris and Geff Francis guest stars	Simon Meyers	Barry Simner	26 April 1996 (1996-04-26)
Hollis goes undercover in the seedy world of vice in pursuit of the unscrupulous owner of a clip joint.
52	"Professional Ethics"	John Bowler guest stars	Chris Lovett	David Hoskins	30 April 1996 (1996-04-30)
Greig and Lines investigate graffiti attacks on motor vehicles and uncover a fraud.
53	"Accidents Will Happen"	Paul Ritter guest stars	Tom Cotter	David G. McDonagh	2 May 1996 (1996-05-02)
Boyden and Page look into a protection racket.
54	"Time Spent"	TBA	Chris Lovett	Chris Ould	3 May 1996 (1996-05-03)
Beech uncovers the relationship between a former boss and a local crime lord. Carver is caught between two troubled lovers.
55	"Conspiracy of Silence"	Ann Davies guest stars	Peter Barber-Fleming	Margaret Phelan	7 May 1996 (1996-05-07)
Deakin and Boulton investigate a fatal stabbing and uncover jealousy and deceit.
56	"Cold Feet and Hot Coffee"	Jason Done and Stephen Churchett guest star	Gwennan Sage	Julian Perkins	9 May 1996 (1996-05-09)
Loxton and Page go undercover at a wedding to prevent a jilted lover spoiling the bride's big day.
57	"Rollover"	Libby Davison and Philip Wright guest star	Michael Simpson	Nick Crittenden	10 May 1996 (1996-05-10)
Deakin comes down hard on a snout who tries to buck the system, and gets an unexpected result.
58	"Tough Love"	John Michie guest stars	Martin Hutchings	Katharine Way	14 May 1996 (1996-05-14)
Hollis and Garfield deal with an attack on a school bully.
59	"With This Ring"	Roger Avon and Rowena Cooper guest star	Nick Laughland	John Brennan	16 May 1996 (1996-05-16)
Keane comes across a suspect antiques dealer. Greig and Croft investigate a burglary and reopen a feud between two sisters.
60	"Final Drive"	Thomas Craig and Sukie Smith guest star	Michael Ferguson	Mark Holloway	17 May 1996 (1996-05-17)
Jarvis is on the Advanced Driving Course at Hendon.
61	"Voices"	Sian Thomas and David Quilter guest star	Moira Armstrong	Peter J. Hammond	21 May 1996 (1996-05-21)
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"	TBA	Danny Hiller	Mark Illis	23 May 1996 (1996-05-23)
Deakin and Croft have to deal with a gang of delinquents when one of them is bottled at an ecstasy party.
63	"Hard Enough"	Elizabeth Berrington and Adrian Rawlins guest star	Dominic Lees	Lyndon Mallett	24 May 1996 (1996-05-24)
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"	Honeysuckle Weeks, Olivia Hallinan and Campbell Morrison guest star	Danny Hiller	Nicholas McInerny	28 May 1996 (1996-05-28)
Page and Monroe are dragged into a family squabble.
65	"Helping Hands"	Aidan J. David guest stars	Peter Duffell	Clive Dawson	30 May 1996 (1996-05-30)
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 and Hyde"	Matthew Crompton guest stars	Danny Hiller	Edwin Pearce	31 May 1996 (1996-05-31)
Brownlow witnesses a violent outburst on the road.
67	"Knocking on the Door"	First appearance of DS Geoff Daly	John Bruce	Steve Handley	4 June 1996 (1996-06-04)
New DS Geoff Daly steps in to help Skase when a straightforward drugs bust goes wrong.
68	"Lies and Statistics"	Sean Gilder and David Quilter guest star	James Hawes	Elizabeth-Anne Wheal	6 June 1996 (1996-06-06)
Boyden tries to help a young offender.
69	"Butting In"	Barry Jackson, David Quilter and Lolita Chakrabarti guest star	Michael Simpson	Sebastian Secker Walker	7 June 1996 (1996-06-07)
Jarvis steps in to help Page deal with a violent attack, but there are complications.
70	"The Bagman"	TBA	Michael Cocker	Richard McBrien	11 June 1996 (1996-06-11)
Deakin investigates a violent attack on a small-time crook whom he suspects to have fallen in with bad company.
71	"Overstepping the Mark"	Kris Marshall and David Quilter guest star	John Bruce	Michael Jenner	13 June 1996 (1996-06-13)
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"	TBA	Jo Shoop	Graham Mitchell	20 June 1996 (1996-06-20)
Deakin and Boulton investigate when a pimp is discovered badly beaten in a pile of rubbish.
73	"Camper"	Timothy Bateson and Avril Elgar guest star	Moira Armstrong	Terry Hodgkinson	21 June 1996 (1996-06-21)
Slater and Boyden are involved in a drugs bust involving a camper van.
74	"Spill"	Hour-long episode; Lolita Chakrabarti and Bob Mason guest star	John Strickland	Michael Jenner	25 June 1996 (1996-06-25)
A tanker crashes, spilling a potentially lethal load near a housing estate. Monroe supervises the evacuation of the area.
75	"Apron Strings"	Denyse Alexander guest stars	Adrian J. Fearnley	Len Collin	27 June 1996 (1996-06-27)
Cryer and Keane discover a woman dead in her bath and suspect her son of foul play.
76	"One Step Ahead"	Ken Hutchison and Roy Skelton guest star	Simon Massey	Candy Denman	28 June 1996 (1996-06-28)
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"	TBA	Michael Ferguson	Andrew Rattenbury	2 July 1996 (1996-07-02)
Jarvis and Keane deal with a boy in possession of a pensioner's prescription.
78	"Tart's Cards"	Annie Hulley guest stars	Simon Meyers	Margaret Ousby	4 July 1996 (1996-07-04)
Boyden and Slater investigate a series of offensive telephone calls.
79	"Born Again"	Alexandra Gilbreath and Chris Tranchell guest stars	Robin Sheppard	Simon Frith	5 July 1996 (1996-07-05)
Boulton investigates an assault on an old man.
80	"Kick Me Hard"	TBA	Audrey Cooke	Gregory Evans	9 July 1996 (1996-07-09)
Daly mounts an operation to catch muggers. Page goes undercover as a pregnant woman to act as bait.
81	"All or Nothing"	TBA	Adrian J. Fearnley	Philip Kingston	11 July 1996 (1996-07-11)
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"	Anna Keaveney and Joanne Froggatt guest star	Jo Shoop	Jonathan Rich	12 July 1996 (1996-07-12)
Boyden investigates a dating agency that is rumoured to be providing underage girls.
83	"A Quick Return"	TBA	Brian Parker	Stephen McAteer	16 July 1996 (1996-07-16)
Cryer and Keane investigate a series of street robberies and find four teenagers trying to buy their way into drug-dealing.
84	"Sartorial Elegance"	Joseph Kpobie guest stars	Simon Massey	Nigel Baldwin	18 July 1996 (1996-07-18)
Carver and Jarvis misjudge the condition of a witness, threatening Operation Eagle Eye.
85	"Don't Leave Me This Way"	Albert Welling and Margo Gunn guest star	Ian White	Graham White	19 July 1996 (1996-07-19)
Loxton and Keane follow up a mugging but suspect that the victim knows more than she is letting on.
86	"Big Bullies"	Jim McManus guest stars	Michael Simpson	Ron Rose	23 July 1996 (1996-07-23)
Monroe investigates a schoolboy's claim that he was assaulted by his teacher.
87	"Playing It by the Rules"	TBA	Chris Lovett	Sheila Duncan	25 July 1996 (1996-07-25)
Deakin is handed the chance to bust a drug dealer when his wife turns informant.
88	"True Colours"	TBA	Brian Parker	Elizabeth-Anne Wheal	26 July 1996 (1996-07-26)
Daly is determined to find out why a white teenager is trying to take the blame for his black friends.
89	"Target"	Feature length rebroadcast of the episodes "Fire", "All Tucked Up" and "Bait" from Series 11	John Strickland	Edward Canford-Dumas	29 July 1996 (1996-07-29)
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.
90	"Dead Man's Hand"	Jamie Foreman guest stars	Dominic Lees	Simon Tyrrell	30 July 1996 (1996-07-30)
Beech investigates the claim of one compulsive gambler to have murdered another.
91	"For Their Own Good"	Final appearance of DC Alan Woods; Lynn Farleigh and Billy McColl guest star	Peter Duffell	Nigel Baldwin	1 August 1996 (1996-08-01)
Boulton uses an informant as the bait to catch a dangerous villain.
92	"Theory and Practice"	Kacey Ainsworth guest stars	Peter Barber-Fleming	Maxwell Young	6 August 1996 (1996-08-06)
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"	Tony Marshall guest stars	Peter Lydon	Matthew Wingett	8 August 1996 (1996-08-08)
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"	Madeleine Howard guest stars	Simon Meyers	Barry Simner	9 August 1996 (1996-08-09)
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 fraudster David Gough is back out on the patch, Hollis struggles to convince Deakin and Meadows.
95	"Reminders"	Vas Blackwood, Laurie Brett and Ricci Harnett guest star	Chris Lovett	Michael Jenner	13 August 1996 (1996-08-13)
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"	Charlotte Barker guest stars	Nick Laughland	Mark Holloway	15 August 1996 (1996-08-15)
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, Greig and Croft link the incident to a nanny believed to have kidnapped two of her charges.
97	"Follow the Van"	Donald Douglas guest stars	Robin Sheppard	Stephen Plaice	16 August 1996 (1996-08-16)
A robbery on a garage forecourt leads Beech and Lines to the door of convicted robber Ricky Baines, but Baines' innocence is seemingly confirmed when a second robbery takes place whilst he is being interviewed - but Beech remains determined not to let him off the hook.
98	"Don't Kill the Messenger"	TBA	Jim Shields	Isabelle Grey	20 August 1996 (1996-08-20)
Jarvis and Cryer attend the coroner's hearing following a death in custody, but when both are exonerated and cleared of any wrongdoing, the victim's son sends Jarvis a death threat and slashes his tyres after refusing to believe that his father was a sex offender.
99	"Junior"	Trevor Byfield and Elizabeth McKechnie guest star	Jim Shields	Julian Perkins	22 August 1996 (1996-08-22)
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"	Andy Linden and Ade Sapara guest star	Simon Meyers	David G. McDonagh	23 August 1996 (1996-08-23)
Deakin has to decide whether to trust a Nigerian drug smuggler who offers to help catch a local dealer.
101	"Out of Control"	David Hargreaves and Lucy Speed guest star	Ian White	Edwin Pearce	27 August 1996 (1996-08-27)
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"	TBA	Gill Wilkinson	Chris Smyth	29 August 1996 (1996-08-29)
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"	Jonathan Phillips guest stars	Robert Del Maestro	Chris Ould	30 August 1996 (1996-08-30)
Deakin poses as a nervous punter waiting at the dog track to meet a mysterious man named Frank.
104	"A Day in the Life"	Kulvinder Ghir, Jack Deam and Maxine Evans guest star	Audrey Cooke	Robert Jones	3 September 1996 (1996-09-03)
Keane is held hostage by a desperate armed robber.
105	"Second Chances"	Paul Bhattacharjee guest stars	Nick Laughland	Manjit Singh	5 September 1996 (1996-09-05)
Deakin gets a vital lead on an unsolved murder, but his witness is an illegal immigrant who is about to be deported.
106	"Repossession"	Gerry Cowper, Jan Pearson and Lorcan Cranitch guest star	Peter Lydon	Lyndon Mallet	6 September 1996 (1996-09-06)
A petrol can, a lighter and a desperate man threatening to burn down a house. Can Conway talk him round?
107	"Liar"	First appearance of DC Liz Rawton; Elizabeth Bennett guest stars	Michael Simpson	Spenser Frearson	10 September 1996 (1996-09-10)
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"	Scott Neal and Sara Stockbridge guest star	Ken Horn	Jimmy Gardner	12 September 1996 (1996-09-12)
Garfield and McCann investigate a vicious mugging.
109	"Karma"	Jim Norton guest stars	Brian Parker	Edward Canford-Dumas	13 September 1996 (1996-09-13)
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"	Judy Flynn guest stars	Audrey Cooke	Julian Perkins	17 September 1996 (1996-09-17)
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"	Hour-long episode, A/Sgt June Ackland becomes full-time Sgt.; Martin Glyn Murray and Oliver Smith guest star	Tom Cotter	Richard Stoneman	18 September 1996 (1996-09-18)
The relief organise a pub-and-curry night to celebrate Acting Sgt. Ackland's success in the sergeant's exam, but McCann is not so eager to join in the celebrations.
112	"Chatterbox"	Adrian Bower and Desmond Askew guest star	Ian White	Simon Moss	19 September 1996 (1996-09-19)
Quinnan and a teenage burglary suspect are trapped in a broken lift in a housing estate.
113	"Too Close For Comfort"	Steve John Shepherd and Lorraine Ashbourne guest star	Robin Sheppard	Maxwell Young	20 September 1996 (1996-09-20)
Page and Daly take opposing views in a case of alleged rape involving two cousins.
114	"Blame"	Gerry Cowper guest stars	Chris Lovett	Gwyneth Hughes	24 September 1996 (1996-09-24)
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"	TBA	Robert Del Maestro	Tony Mulholland	26 September 1996 (1996-09-26)
Beech gets a result when a barrister on his blacklist is robbed.
116	"Party Animals"	Jake Wood guest stars	Moira Armstrong	Katharine Way	27 September 1996 (1996-09-27)
Quinnan and Datta are called to a stag party where the strippergram accuses the guests of trying to gang-rape her.
117	"Natural Causes"	Colin Buchanan guest stars	Morag Fullarton	Simon Tyrrell	1 October 1996 (1996-10-01)
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"	JoAnne Good, Luisa Bradshaw-White and Gerry Cowper guest star	Derek Lister	Joanne Maguire	3 October 1996 (1996-10-03)
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"	Hermione Gulliford guest stars	Diana Patrick	Robert Jones	4 October 1996 (1996-10-04)
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"	Joel Beckett guest stars	Ken Horn	A. Valentine	8 October 1996 (1996-10-08)
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 troublemakers.
121	"Presumed Innocent"	Michael McKell and Roger Blake guest star	Harry Bradbeer	Elizabeth-Anne Wheal	10 October 1996 (1996-10-10)
Cryer and Keane uncover the murky past of a teenage girl who has been killed in a road accident.
122	"Change of Heart"	TBA	Gill Wilkinson	Graham Mitchell	11 October 1996 (1996-10-11)
Meadows and Rawton try to persuade the girlfriend of a rape suspect to help in his arrest.
123	"Hedging Your Bets"	Peter Jeffrey, Hilary Mason and Barbara Young guest star	Roger Gartland	Candy Denman	15 October 1996 (1996-10-15)
Tensions arise between Deakin and Beech after a bookie is robbed.
124	"Out of the Past"	Sam Callis guest stars	Robin Sheppard	Tony Lindsay	17 October 1996 (1996-10-17)
Meadows has to decide where his loyalties lie when an old friend is accused of murder.
125	"Road to Recovery"	TBA	Jo Shoop	Len Collin	18 October 1996 (1996-10-18)
Hollis is concerned about a patient who has recently been discharged from psychiatric care, and clashes with social services.
126	"Three Fools"	Johanna Hargreaves guest stars	Moira Armstrong	Mark Illis	22 October 1996 (1996-10-22)
Greig and Skase investigate when three small-time villains are beaten up over their involvement in a counterfeit money-laundering operation.
127	"Track Marks"	TBA	Harry Bradbeer	James Stevenson	24 October 1996 (1996-10-24)
Carver disapproves of Boulton's ruthless handling of an informant.
128	"In for the Kill"	TBA	Derek Lister	Tom Needham	25 October 1996 (1996-10-25)
Meadows and Croft interview a young waiter accused of trying to kill his boss.
129	"Remote Control"	TBA	Steve Shill	Julian Spilsbury	29 October 1996 (1996-10-29)
Daly and Lines investigate a series of muggings at knifepoint.
130	"Telling Tales"	Derek Newark and Malcolm Tierney guest star	Jo Shoop	Renny Krupinski	31 October 1996 (1996-10-31)
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"	Freddie Jones and Patrick Godfrey guest star	Martin Hutchings	Chris Ould	1 November 1996 (1996-11-01)
Quinnan and Greig reluctantly agree to follow up on information received from a former Sun Hill sergeant who claims to know the whereabouts of the man who murdered a girl during World War II.
132	"Trap"	TBA	Christopher Hodson	Michael Jenner	5 November 1996 (1996-11-05)
Slater gets into trouble after following up on a tip-off about a till snatch.
133	"All in the Mind"	Cathy Shipton guest stars	Diana Patrick	Edwin Pearce	7 November 1996 (1996-11-07)
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"	Paul Greenwood and Catherine Cusack guest star	Roger Gartland	Isabelle Grey	8 November 1996 (1996-11-08)
Carver and Rawton follow up an irregularity on an insurance claim submitted by a decorator and uncover a double life.
135	"Nice Boy"	Nadim Sawalha guest stars	Brian Parker	Scott Cherry	12 November 1996 (1996-11-12)
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"	TBA	James Hawes	Simon Moss	14 November 1996 (1996-11-14)
Ackland introduces single-manning at Sun Hill, causing problems for Brownlow.
137	"Finishing School"	TBA	Michael Cocker	Barry Simner	15 November 1996 (1996-11-15)
Slater and Keane reach the end of their probationary periods and face a final assessment.
138	"Death of a Nobody"	Hour-long episode; Peter Guinness and Philip McGough guest star	Simon Meyers	Tom Needham	19 November 1996 (1996-11-19)
Meadows and Deakin investigate the murder of a taxi driver. The action bears the hallmarks of a gangland execution, but why would anyone want to kill a complete nobody?
139	"Up the Wall"	TBA	Steve Shill	Lyndon Mallett	21 November 1996 (1996-11-21)
Hollis learns an important lesson in community policing when some friendly advice that he gives a resident on noise pollution backfires.
140	"Boiling Point"	Kenneth Colley guest stars	Christopher Hodson	Neil Clarke	22 November 1996 (1996-11-22)
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"	TBA	John Bruce	Katharine Way	26 November 1996 (1996-11-26)
Boulton arrests a woman for drug dealing, but Rawton suspects that she may be a victim of mistaken identity.
142	"Public Relations"	TBA	Brian Parker	Philip Kingston	28 November 1996 (1996-11-28)
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"	Jeremy Bulloch guest stars	Roger Gartland	Sebastian Secker Walker	29 November 1996 (1996-11-29)
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"	TBA	Martin Hutchings	Edward Canford-Dumas	3 December 1996 (1996-12-03)
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"	TBA	Jane Prowse	Mark Holloway	5 December 1996 (1996-12-05)
Beech and Rawton investigate the apparent assault of a father by his son and uncover a family secret.
146	"Many Happy Returns"	Paul Jerricho guest stars	Adrian J. Fearnley	Andrew Rattenbury	6 December 1996 (1996-12-06)
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"	Dominic Guard and Danny Webb guest star	Roger Gartland	Terry Hodgkinson	10 December 1996 (1996-12-10)
Croft and Rawton investigate some shady Romanian businessmen and a suitcase full of black paper.
148	"Scorned"	Brian Protheroe, Jane Slavin and Geraldine Fitzgerald guest star	Morag Fullarton	Tracey Black	12 December 1996 (1996-12-12)
Croft and Rawton investigate a dentist accused of indecent assault by one of his patients.
149	"Stolen Kisses"	Samantha Seager and Jo Martin guest star	Michael Cocker	Manjit Singh	13 December 1996 (1996-12-13)
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"	TBA	Harry Bradbeer	Philip Kingston	17 December 1996 (1996-12-17)
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"	Michael Attwell, Michelle Gomez, Joe Absolom and David Schofield guest star	James Hawes	Stephen Plaice	19 December 1996 (1996-12-19)
Monroe and Conway uncover a bogus wheel-clamping operation.
152	"A Gun to the Head"	John Fraser and Rob Edwards guest star	Chris Lovett	Maxwell Young	20 December 1996 (1996-12-20)
Beech and Daly are put in an impossible situation when a judge decides to reveal the name of their informant.
153	"Merrily on High"	New opening sequence introduced; Danny Dyer and Frank Mills guest star	Michael Cocker	Robert Jones	24 December 1996 (1996-12-24)
It is almost Christmas, and Assistant Commissioner Hicks has declared Sun Hill Police Station an alcohol-free zone – terrible news for Brownlow and Conway who had hoped to enjoy a "liquid lunch" when taking him to a posh French restaurant. Stamp and Slater arrest an elderly man after a road rage incident, but manage to reunite him with his estranged family.
154	"Hers"	Tamzin Outhwaite guest stars	Michael Cocker	Mark Holloway	26 December 1996 (1996-12-26)
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"	Eric Mason guest stars	John Bruce	Stephen Greenhorn	27 December 1996 (1996-12-27)
Boulton and Skase investigate a car-ramming incident involving a member of a local pub team.
156	"The Right Thing"	First appearance of PC Jamila Blake; Paul Bettany and Ken Bones guest star	Nigel Douglas	Tony Mulholland	31 December 1996 (1996-12-31)
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.