The Sweeney: Bad Apple (ITV 11 Oct 1976, with John Lyons)

In Bad Apple Haskins discovers that a pair of coppers, Huke and Perraut, may be taking money from villains, both as cuts from various crimes and for arranging things so that the villains get off lightly if they do find themselves in court.

Haskins, having once been wrongly accused himself of being a “dirty” copper wants Regan and Carter to bring them down. The Blue Parrot Club seems to be the base Huke and Perraut use to make their contacts and deals so Jack goes undercover as a barman. Meanwhile Carter goes to work at Huke and Perraut’s station, making it obvious that he is not averse to taking a “back hander” himself.

A very concise episode, with no excess. The boys gather their evidence to bring the pair don and apart from a brief scuffle with Perrault, who tries to make a break for it after discovering what is going on, there is no real action to speak of.

Incidentally The Blue Parrot is also the name of the club run by Sydney Greenstreet in Casablanca.

production details
UK / ITV – Thames / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Monday 11 October 1976

Writer: Roger Marshall / Director: Douglas Camfield

Series: The Sweeney Season 3 Episode 6

cast
John Thaw as Regan
Dennis Waterman as Carter
Garfield Morgan as Haskins
Norman Jones as Perraut
John Lyons as Huke
Sheila Brennan as Marge Proctor
Brian Poyser as Ash
Rod Culbertson as Grigg
Colin Rix as Letts
David Miller as Hudson
Kenneth Gilbert as Supt Reynolds
Patricia Franklin as Mrs Perraut
Ellis Dale as Bank Manager
John Alkin as Daniels
Maggie McCarthy as W.P.C. Collins
Billy James as Drag Stripper
Steve Hatton as Johnny Peters