You can watch the episode online here, or here (if you are not from the UK-)
It’s 1997 and Denise Woods is now a successful Detective Inspector at Brixton. In an era of ‘cool Britannia’ and ‘Blair’s babes’ she’s ideally placed to climb the ranks, but is struggling to find time for husband Ray Deans (Richard Coyle) and their young daughter. A functioning rather than loving relationship, we get the impression that Denise is spending most of her time at work and that Ray and Denise’s mother, Rose, are handling most of the childcare and keeping the family home together.
Denise is investigating another rape-murder, this time of a young girl called Lauren Hinds, whose body is found on an estate. Denise’s world turns upside down when DNA on Lauren Hinds is cross-checked on the ‘all-new DNA database’ and matches unknown samples found on Amy Reid back in 1985. Samples with no name attached.
Suddenly Mike Holland’s legal team is able to push to make his original conviction ‘unsafe’ and he’s released after 12 years in prison. As her world starts to crumble, Denise is forced to admit to Ray that she planted evidence back in 1985. He feels utterly betrayed. Things worsen for Denise when a DPS enquiry is launched into her actions in 1985. And she’s even further exposed in a court case for Holland’s financial compensation. The trial brings out certain secrets from her past, tearing her apart in front of the jury, and threatening to expose the truth that she planted the evidence against Holland to avenge vulnerable, young Amy Reid.
While the court case rages, Denise continues to look into Lauren Hind’s rape and murder. And eventually arrests a club bouncer called Stephen Forester, who quickly admits to rape and murder. But though forensics confirm he was with Lauren, Forester’s DNA does not match the ‘unknown’ DNA on Amy Reid from 1985. Furthermore, evidence suggests Forester is physically impotent and whilst he undoubtedly murdered Lauren he would have been unable to rape her himself. Denise realises there may have been two people involved in Amy Reid’s and Lauren Hind’s deaths.
The court case closes with Denise’s professional reputation in tatters. Despite no official findings against her, Denise is demoted to Detective Sergeant and told not to pursue Holland. Worse still, as the news of Princess Diana’s death shakes the country, Ray asks for a separation and insists Denise’s beloved daughter stay with him. Denise is forced to move out of the family home, into a cheap hotel, and pull the broken pieces of her life together.