This Sunday (30 August), a special double bill of Channel 4’s 24 Hours in Police Custody will follow Bedfordshire Police detectives in a four-year fight for justice.
The brand-new two-part special follows detectives from the force’s Criminal Investigation Department as they work to establish the events that led to a teenage boy being left for dead under a railway bridge in Luton.
Initially reported as a hit-and-run in the early hours of Thursday, 2 June 2022, officers from Bedfordshire Police discover an unidentified teenage boy in a critical condition.
The award-winning series follows detectives as they work tirelessly not only to identify those responsible for the boy’s injuries, but the boy himself.
Despite the four-year investigation, the case is still ongoing.
Exploitation
Regular viewers will recognise familiar faces from earlier episodes of the series, and The Ambush highlights the link between drugs, violence and exploitation.
Tom Hamm, a former Detective Sergeant for Bedfordshire Police who led the investigation, said: “This was an incredibly complex and emotive investigation, both from a personal and professional perspective.
“Sadly, what this case revealed is a fact that came up time and time again in my career as a police officer and later a detective – where there is illegal drug activity there is inevitably violence and exploitation of every kind.
“Whether that is young boys sent miles from home with a backpack and a burner phone, serious youth violence or vulnerable women entrapped in on-street sexual exploitation, drugs are almost always at the centre of it all.
“That’s what this episode showcases and what 24 Hours in Police Custody does as a whole; it offers unprecedented insight into the challenges and crimes Bedfordshire Police face on a daily basis.
“My hope is that viewers watch the show, not to be entertained but to be educated on the topics the documentary covers.”
Despite extensive enquiries, a number of offenders remain outstanding.
“Ultimately this case isn’t closed,” Tom continued.
“So my plea to the public on behalf of my colleagues who remain in force is this: if you know anything about this incident or have information on the outstanding offenders, now is the time to speak up.
“It has been four years; I’ve no doubt that those involved will have spoken about this and someone out there knows exactly what took place. I urge you to speak to the police or report completely anonymously via Crimestoppers.”
You can vote for 24 Hours in Police Custody in the Factual Entertainment category of the National Television Awards 2026 here.
