BBC Factual has announced a new two-part series, Cold Case Investigators: Solving Britain’s Sex Crimes, produced by Brinkworth Productions for BBC Two. The series offers an “unprecedented” look at cutting-edge forensic science and its role in identifying suspects in previously unsolved sex offences.
The series follows detectives from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire’s Major Crime Unit as they reinvestigate cold cases of sexual offences dating back to the 1980s. With access to the latest DNA techniques, the team delves into 5,400 unsolved rape and sexual assault cases from the last 50 years.
Each episode focuses on a different previously unsolved case: three teenage girls attacked on their way home from school in the early 2000s, a 16-year-old boy raped while walking home through a park in 1983, and a woman kidnapped and raped after getting into a taxi in 1993.
The Major Crime Unit has achieved remarkable success, winning 90% of the cases it has taken to court. This raises important questions about the potential impact if more police forces adopted similar approaches.
Tom Coveney, Head of Commissioning, Science, expressed his hope that viewers will be “inspired and captivated” by the work of the cold case investigators, praising the “extraordinary” skill and dedication of both the detectives and forensic scientists. He emphasized that these investigations are ultimately about delivering justice for victims, and he offered gratitude to those who shared their stories.
