Richard Akers

**Richard Akers** was the husband of DS Jayne Akers and a former Detective Constable within Central Police.

## Background

### Personal

Richard was married to Jayne Akers, a Detective Sergeant in Central Police. However, some time prior to the events of Series 2 he started having an affair with DC Kate Fleming, a friend of his wife's.

### Professional

Prior to the events of Series 2, Richard was a Detective Constable with Central Police. He was dismissed for gross misconduct after writing an anonymous blog about service bureaucracy and the target culture under the web handle DC Comic. While this is never mentioned in the series it is heavily featured in newly released series 2 deleted scenes.

## Series 2

### The Ambush

Akers first calls DC Kate Fleming after his wife's death when she is in South Central Hospital. They meet later that evening and have sex, but it is clear that Richard is not in a good place, drinking heavily and looking at photos of him and Jayne Akers afterwards.

### Carly

Richard once again meets with DC Fleming at his house where the two sleep together, but this time he asks her where she told her husband, Mark Fleming, she was. He then asks about the investigation into DS Akers death. Fleming tells him they are close to finding a prime suspect.

### Behind Bars

As part of the investigation into the September 5th Ambush, AC-12 decides to question Richard. DC Fleming visits him the night before to give him a heads up that it is her and DS Steve Arnott who will be visiting an asking him questions. She tells him to answer all their questions honestly, but not to divulge that fact that DS Akers requested he contact her or the fact that he did attempt to contact her.

The next day, he is questioned in relation to a phone call made by DS Akers to his mobile the night of the ambush, where she told him she had to work late at work. DS Arnott then asks if there was any phrase she used in the call that could have indicated she was under stress, which he denies. When DS Arnott and DC Fleming meet at a pub, she divulges that he called her on the night of the ambush, and confesses to being involved romantically with him behind Jaynes back. She also confesses that Detective Inspector Lindsay Denton is aware of the affair, having pulled her phone records whilst she was undercover at 4th Street Station.

### Blood Money

Upon hearing that Akers has been acting suspiciously, Superintendent Ted Hastings decides that he should be brought in for questioning. However, DS Arnott suggests holding off on bringing in Akers in favour of questioning Deputy Chef Constable Mike Dryden, believing that Richard "isn't going anywhere".

However, he is later arrested by the Major Violent Crime Unit, and questioned by DCS Lester Hargreaves and DS Nicola Rogerson. It is revealed that the Financial Forensics Unit analysed the bank accounts of both him and DS Akers, and showed that they had not made any cash machine withdrawals and debit card payments for over a month, indicative that they were potentially using cash given to Jayne as a bribe instead. Rogerson then reveals that a search of the Akers property found a briefcase under the floorboards containing £20,000 in cash. Richard denies having seen the case before, and denies the notion that DS Akers was taking bribes. He is then charged by DCS Lester Hargreaves under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

After the Major Violent Crime Unit officers leave, DS Arnott and DC Fleming obtain authorisation from the custody sergeant to conduct an unrecorded intelligence interview with Akers. He agrees to this, and his solicitor leaves the room. Kate chastises him for being aware of his wife's corruption and saying nothing, to which he responds that she doesn't suit a holier than thou attitude, and imagines she has also turned a blind eye to beneficial things in the past. Upon realising the police intend to crucify the reputation of DS Akers, he reveals that she kept hidden records of her last case involving Tommy Hunter as leverage against the criminal parties she was dealing with. He directs AC-12 to a PO Box containing the records. Distraught, he starts tearing up and tries to hold DC Fleming's hands, but she pulls away and leaves the room.

## Trivia

In early versions of the script, Akers former occupation was a Detective Constable. However, he was dismissed from Central Police for Gross Misconduct after it was discovered he wrote an anonymous blog about service bureaucracy and the target culture within the force under the moniker "DC Comic". DCS Lester Hargreaves makes barbed comments towards him regarding this during his interview. This plot point was omitted from the final version of the script, with Akers simply being described as "between jobs".