Derek Hilton

**Derek Hilton** was a Chief Superintendent and later the Assistant Chief Constable of Central Police. He was also secretly affiliated with organised crime.

## Background

### Personal

Hilton was born on the 2nd April 1965, possibly somewhere in Scotland based on his accent. His father was also named Derek Hilton. Little else is revealed about his family, other than he has a teenage son (whose framed photo is seen on his desk).

Hilton has known Superintendent Ted Hastings for many years. He is mentioned to live outside of the city. Hilton also appears to have a close relationship with DCI Roz Huntley, with it being implied they attended Ryton-on-Dunsmore Police Training Centre together.

### Professional

Hilton became a police officer in 1983 and underwent training at Hendon Police College (although it is suggested in Series 4 he may also have attended Ryton-on-Dunsmore Police Training Centre). He is shown to have a considerably political and selfish mindset throughout the show, seeming to care more about numbers, statistics and appearances than actual police work. In Series 1 he mentions having worked in Anti-Corruption, however, it is not stated which unit within Anti-corruption it was.

It is unclear when he became involved with the Organised Crime Syndicate, but by Series 4 when he has ascended to the rank of ACC, he is shown to be one of the highest ranking police officers involved with the group.

## Series 1

### A Disastrous Affair

Hilton is introduced as the Chief Superintendent at Kingsgate Station. He calls in DC Kate Fleming from the Criminal Investigation Department (although she is actually an undercover AC-12 officer) regarding an arrest made by DCI Anthony Gates that she processed. He urges her to re-categorise it to make it appear only one of the suspects used a knife, as Divisional Commanders are under scrutiny to reduce recorded incidents of knife crime, and Hillside Lane Station has higher reduction numbers than Kingsgate Station.

Hilton later meets with Gates and his team at TO-20 to inform him that AC-12 have entered the building and are intending to question him. He later instructs DC Kate Fleming to "prioritise" the investigation into anti-social behaviour being raised by Alf Butterfield, essentially telling her to put it on the back burner to give the illusion of lower crime rates in the Moss Heath area. However, when Butterfield is assaulted again and comes to Kingsgate Station to file a formal complaint due to lack of action, Hilton admonishes Fleming.

### In the Trap

Hilton meets with DCI Anthony Gates in his offices in Kingsgate Station, stating his interview and investigation by AC-12 puts the station in a "delicate position". He then introduces Gates to DI Ian Buckells, who has taken Gate's place as SIO into the disappearance of Jackie Laverty. However, when Gates mentions his team has a lead on the murder of Wesley Duke and the Greek Lane Mob in Moss Heath, Hilton's tone changes, appearing happy he can take something of note to Chief Constable Edward Thomas.

He later meets with Superintendent Ted Hastings outside of work at an upscale restaurant in the Kingsgate area of the city. He mentions he served two years in working in professional standards himself, although is not clear as to whether he was stationed at AC-12 or AC-9. He claims that due to the strong allegations, DCI Anthony Gates is already a "dead man walking", and doesn't understand why AC-12 continues to look for more evidence. He makes disguised references to Gates ethnicity (referring to him as being "from the South"), and conveys to Hastings that AC-12 doesn't want to develop a reputation for bringing criminal charges against such officers. When Hastings suggests that DC Kate Fleming should return to her normal duties with TO-20, Hilton agrees.

### Terror

Hilton arrives at the AC-12 Building whilst members of TO-20 are being questioned in relation to the investigation into DCI Anthony Gates, and confronts Superintendent Ted Hastings on his decision to continue the investigation. He complains that after their discussion (which he misinterpreted as a "deal"), AC-12 would discontinue the investigation into Gates, and in return Hilton would sideline Gates and restructure the Tactical Operations elements (including TO-20) to make himself look better, a plan he had gone ahead and emailed to Chief Constable Edward Thomas. Hastings rebuffs these claims, noting it was a mere discussion between the two and that AC-12 needs to substantiate the allegations against Gates with hard evidence, otherwise Central Police would be liable to be sued by Gates for constructive dismissal. Hilton reluctantly acknowledges this, and storms out of the offices.

He is later confronted in his offices by DS Steve Arnott and Superintendent Ted Hastings, who warn him he is being played by DCI Anthony Gates who is trying to frame the crimes taking place on Greek Lane as acts of preparing for terrorism instead of drug manufacturing. Hilton responds that it is probable the group were selling drugs to finance terror activities, a "noted" *modus operandi* of Al Queda. Arnott snaps at this allegation, accusing Hilton of only going along with the terrorism angle as it makes him look better, and would likely result in a promotion down the line. Hilton ignores their counter-angle, and reiterates he has pledged considerable resources into investigating the terrorism angle.

### The Probation

Hilton is later seen in the Kingsgate Station flanked by other senior officers, including Chief Inspector Philip Osborne from Counter Terrorism, mentioning that he has seconded most of the station into the new counter-terrorism investigation. After Osborne and DS Steve Arnott have a minor confrontation, he dismisses Arnott and apologises to Osborne. He then introduces the Chief Inspector to DS Matthew Cottan, who since he testified against Gates has been appointed Deputy SIO in the operation. The next day, Cottan and Hilton are seen walking into Kingsgate Station together, where Hilton recommends that Cottan take the Inspectors exam, suggesting he could eventually replace Gates. He appears to ignore Cottan's mentions of growing up in a bad crowd, and caddying at a golf club for a "man who opened his eyes to law and order" (a reference to Tommy Hunter).

He later appears at the aftermath of the suicide of DCI Anthony Gates, which took place after an AC-12 operation that resulted in the capture of Tommy Hunter. Alongside Superintendent Ted Hastings, he is told (untruthfully) by DC Kate Fleming and DS Steve Arnott that Gates was killed in the line of duty running through traffic to apprehend Hunter. Hilton states that he will inform Jools Gates of the tragic news. In the epilogue that states Tommy Hunter is cooperating with Central Police in exchange for immunity, he is shown engaging in what appears to be friendly conversation with Hunter in a police interview room.

## Series 4

### Episode 1

Hilton is reintroduced, having been promoted from Chief Superintenent to Assistant Chief Constable between the events of Series 1 and 4. After DCI Roz Huntley and her team from Operation Trapdoor arrest Michael Farmer for the suspected kidnap of Hana Reznikova, Hilton arrives at Polk Avenue Station where Farmer is being held.

Under intense pressure from the public to find and charge a suspect, he urges Huntley and her team to charge Farmer with not only the offenses related to Reznikova, but also the kidnap and murder of Baswinder Kaur and Leonie Collersdale. Huntley acquiesces to his request, much to the objection of Forensic Coordinator Tim Ifield, and Farmer is charged. Hilton is later seen informing the press of this decision at a press conference held outside of Pelbury House.

### Episode 2

Hilton returns to Polk Avenue Station to express his condolences regarding the death of FC Tim Ifield. He is briefly confronted by DCI Roz Huntley regarding the decision of AC-12 to remove her as SIO from Operation Trapdoor, but he brushes her off and claims it is out of his hands. He then enters a private room where the new SIO, DCI Ian Buckells provides him with more information. He makes remarks to Buckells that it is a "small mercy" that they are allowed to refer to the victims Baswinder Kaur and Leonie Collersdale as prostitutes again now that Huntley has been removed as SIO.

Hilton is later met by Huntley at his office in Pelbury House, where she informs him of the updates of the investigation into the death of FC Tim Ifield, where he commends her for keeping the information that Ifield could have been involved kept a secret. She questions AC-12's trust of Ifield given the new information and their decision to remove her as SIO, to which Hilton responds he is considering having her reinstated as SIO of Operation Trapdoor.

### Episode 3

Hilton meets with Superintendent Ted Hastings, where the two spar regarding his decision to reinstate DCI Roz Huntley and Hilton makes disparaging remarks against the conduct of AC-12. Later, once Huntley has falsely charged and implicated Hana Reznikova in the murder of Tim Ifield, she is commended for her actions by Hilton, who refers to the two as "friends" and places his hand on her leg.

When Nick Huntley contacts Jimmy Lakewell and informs him that DS Steve Arnott is about to come to his offices at Webber & Barratt Partners LLP to question him a second time, Lakewell contacts Hilton. Hilton then uses a burner phone to contact Robert Denmoor, instructing him to confront and kill Arnott at the offices. Demoor obliges, and when Arnott arrives at Huntley's offices he is attacked and beaten with a baseball bat, before being thrown down a flight of stairs.

### Episode 4

Hilton meets with DCI Roz Huntley outside of work at the Kingsgate Hotel, where she asks him to help her to make an official complaint about AC-12, claiming they are trying to discredit her and run the risk of destroying public trust in Central Police. She urges Hilton to help her close the investigation into Michael Farmer and ensure he is convicted, and keep the death of Tim Ifield an internal matter. He agrees to back her, and claims he can provide her with dirt on members of AC-12 so she can counter their "underhand tactics". He then gives her a secondary mobile number to contact him.

Hilton later provides Huntley with a Signed Authority from his office recusing AC-12 from their investigation into both DCI Roz Huntley and the investigation of Operation Trapdoor. Huntley later presents this to Superintendent Ted Hastings when she is being further interviewed by him and DC Jamie Desford. That evening at the Kingsgate Hotel he meets with Huntley again to discuss the matter, where he states that AC-12 are corrupt and need to be shut down. Hilton then makes a romantic pass at Huntley, but is promptly rejected. Later in the night, Hilton meets in secret with PC Maneet Bindra (who it is implied he is blackmailing), who reluctantly provides him with classified AC-12 documents.

### Episode 5

Upon arriving at Pelbury House, Hilton is confronted by Superintendent Ted Hastings regarding his decision to recuse AC-12 from their investigation into Huntley. He reiterates his support of Huntley and disdain for AC-12, mentioning the fact that, amongst other things, they had deeply corrupt officer DI Matthew Cottan working for them for many years. Hilton demands that Hastings hand over Cottan's dying declaration to his office, and admonishes Hastings for his lack of progress in investigating the allegations of officers working with the Organised Crime Syndicate mentioned in the declaration. He states he intends to report to the Deputy Chief Constable and Chief Constable his concerns about the functionality and trustworthiness of AC-12.

When new information calling into question the credibility of DCI Roz Huntley comes to light, Hilton is visited in his offices by Superintendent Ted Hastings, DS Steve Arnott and DS Kate Fleming, who explain the new evidence to him. Although he seems shocked and believing of the new evidence, due to AC-12's previous accusations against Nick Huntley he demands that their evidence into the investigation be passed onto AC-9, so any further findings cannot be tainted by accusations of bias. Excusing Arnott and Fleming from the room, he reveals to Hastings he is in possession of the video recorded dying declaration of DI Matthew Cottan, in which it is revealed that a senior figure codenamed "H" is leading the network of corrupt police officers affiliated with the Organised Crime Syndicate. Hilton accuses Hastings of being the senior officer mentioned by Cottan, and issues him with a Regulation 15 Notice before dismissing him.

### Episode 6

Meeting with DCI Roz Huntley after her hospitalisation, Hilton acknowledges that Central Police will aid with her medical bills, but states that the arrest of her husband Nick Huntley cannot be ignored. He states that her self-recusal is not enough, and she will need to resign from Central Police in order for such proceedings to be resolved "quietly".

When AC-12 is able to locate evidence linking DCI Roz Huntley to the killing of Tim Ifield in a location at the Queens Chase Woodland, Hilton arrives at the scene accompanied by DC Jamie Desford (who has been transferred to AC-9 and been taken under his wing) and DS Sam Railston. Admonishing Hastings for his insubordination, he transfers authority of the crime scene to Murder Squad, and reminds Hastings that he will soon be required to attend a hearing, and he should not "expect it to go well".

After DCI Roz Huntley is arrested, she reveals during her interview to AC-12 that she had DC Jodie Taylor perform some investigative work on phone records, which reveal that it was the number that Hilton gave her at the Kingsgate Hotel that called Robert Denmoor and instructed him to assault DS Steve Arnott. As both AC-9 and Murder Squad are also listening in to the interview, this information is heard by DC Jamie Desford, who immediately contacts Hilton to warn him. This allows Hilton to escape from his offices at Pelbury House before he can be arrested by Superintendent Ted Hastings and armed officers from the Strategic Firearms Command. It is implied that during his call with Desford, Hilton arranges to have Robert Denmoor aid Desford in extracting Jimmy Lakewell from the AC-12 Building, assuring Desford he "has his back".

His body is later found at the same Jetty that Oliver Stephens-Lloyd's body was found, dead from an apparent self inflicted shotgun blast to the head. DS Kate Fleming notes the similarities, and the fact that Stephens-Lloyd's murder was made to look like suicide by corrupt Chief Superintendent Patrick Fairbank and other members of the Organised Crime Syndicate, indicating it is a strong possibility Hilton was killed to keep him silent. An epilogue reveals that his death was ruled a suicide by the Coroner.

## Series 5

### Episode 1

It is revealed that Hilton was able to blackmail PC Maneet Bindra of AC-12 into providing him with classified information on their investigations by threatening her cousin Vihaan Malhotra. Malhotra worked as a Junior Administrator at the Eastfield Police Storage Facility, and was close to termination due to disciplinary issues and a gambling addiction. Hilton informed Bindra that he would be able to pull strings to allow her cousin to keep his job, but only if she gave in to his demands.

After the arrest of Vihaan Malhotra, Superintendent Ted Hastings formally ends the investigation into "H" (a senior officer involved with the Organised Crime Syndicate), declaring that all the evidence points to Hilton being said senior officer. Hastings remarks that killing himself was "the only decent thing" Hilton ever did.

In an incident unrelated to Derek Hilton, Lee Banks slits the throat of Maneet Bindra and leaves her to die at the same location as Hilton's body was found, further adding credence to the theory that Hilton did not commit suicide but was murdered.