Forensic pathologists Dr. Harry Cunningham (Tom Ward), Dr. Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox) and Professor Leo Dalton (William Gaminara) return to BBC One next month in the fifteenth series of forensic crime drama Silent Witness.
> Buy the Series 13-14 DVD boxset on Amazon.
Series 15 sees the trio tackle the sex grooming of underage girls, confront a female serial killer, uncover a family annihilation and investigate an exorcism.
Guest stars will include Shelley Conn and Vincent Regan in the opening episode, plus Sanjeev Bhaskar, James Cosmo, Gillian Kearney, Leo Gregory, Adrian Dunbar, and husband and wife Tamzin Outhwaite and Tom Ellis playing alongside each other in Episode 6.
Episode 1: Death Has No Dominion (Part One)
Sunday 1st April 2012, 9pm
Leo is in emotional turmoil when old friend Professor Lizzie Fraser commits suicide. It’s a double tragedy as Lizzie’s sister, a forensic scientist, was stabbed to death at a crime scene ten years ago.
After Nikki attends her father’s memorial she joins the team at the scene of a violent triple murder at a farmhouse. But soon Detective Superintendent Tom Byrne takes charge. DNA at the farm matches that of mysterious female serial killer, The Wraith. But Nikki starts to question the investigation after she meets the parents of a murdered policeman.
Episode 2: Death Has No Dominion (Part Two)
Monday 2nd April 2012, 9pm
Harry persuades Detective Inspector Connie James to disobey police orders and secretly test DNA evidence from the original investigation. Leo is still troubled by the suicide of old friend Professor Lizzie Fraser and Nikki learns more about the circumstances surrounding the death of Lizzie’s sister.
The strain of the murder investigation becomes too much for Detective Inspector Ginny Gray and the team turn to Janet to help profile the personality of female serial killer The Wraith – but is it enough to catch her?
Episode 7: Domestic (Part One)
Sunday 8th April 2012, 9pm
Harry is disturbed when he’s called to a crime scene on suburban Magnolia Drive, the same house where he and Nikki attended a christening party two years earlier. His memories are stirred when he comes across the dead bodies of mother Justine Thompson and her teenage daughter Gemma.
Teenage stepson Charlie lies in a comma but toddler Ellie has been left unharmed. DI Ronson and Myers believe Justine’s husband Stuart Thompson to be the prime suspect. But Harry believes Stuart is innocent.
Episode 8: Domestic (Part Two)
Monday 9th April 2012, 9pm
The team uncover more about the tangled lives and deceit of the inhabitants of Magnolia Drive where Justine Thompson and her teenage daughter Gemma were found murdered. Harry makes a significant discovery about Charlie and neighbour Deborah confronts teenage son Joel. DI Ronson dispatches Myers to Nottingham to follow a lead.
Meanwhile at the Lyell Centre, Leo and forensic scientist Gill Bailey recreate the shape of the mystery weapon used in the murder – but can it lead to the killer?
Episode 5: Paradise Lost (Part One)
Sunday 15th April 2012, 9pm
Grisly serial killer Arnold Mears has a penchant for poetry, but no remorse for violently killing three teenagers. He’s spent the last five years sending Annie, a desperate mother of a missing girl, on secret hunts to uncover his hidden victims.
But with still no bodies found, Annie’s son Andy, upset at Mears’ manipulation of his mother, turns to Nikki for help. Leo finds himself in hot water with the team when he re-examines a case by Nikki’s old mentor, Dr. Helen Karamides.
Episode 6: Paradise Lost (Part Two)
Monday 16th April 2012, 9pm
Nikki hunts down the original detective on the case, Detective Inspector Gladwyn, and visits the church which killer Arnold Mears attended as a boy. Mears is furious that the police have been made aware of the undiscovered bodies and declares that he is prepared to reveal where he has hidden them – but only to Nikki.
Can she outwit the scheming Mears and compel him to reveal the whereabouts of the bodies and Annie?
Episode 9: Redhill (Part One)
Sunday 22nd April 2012, 9pm
There’s little sympathy when child-killer James Wade suddenly dies in his cell, but Leo’s encounter with the dead ex-prison inspector Rachel Kruger compels him to find out more about the notorious Redhill Prison.
Hardened prison officer Daniel Kessler and sidekick Ellis Roberts are not prepared to reveal anything. Harry meets Wade’s sister Miriam and agrees to help find her brother’s killer, but the team find themselves up against stubborn Detective Inspector Bridges who believes that Rachel’s husband Peter is soley responsible for her murder.
Episode 10: Redhill (Part Two)
Monday 23rd April 2012, 9pm
The team of forensic pathologists investigate a murder at the notorious Redhill prison where the battle to control the drugs trade on the wing continues. Harry and Nikki dig deep into Detective Inspector Bridges’ past, making a significant discovery. Leo attempts to find the truth surrounding the murder of ex-prison inspector Rachel Kruger.
But when Leo decides to tail domineering prison officer Daniel Kessler he finds himself in dangerous territory – with an explosive outcome. Back at home, Leo has a heart-to-heart with Janet.
Episode 11: Fear (Part One)
Sunday 29th April 2012, 9pm
One of Delaney’s patients, Eve Gilston, was found dead in her bed. Despite the coroner’s verdict of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome, Delaney is not convinced and asks Leo to investigate.
Suspicion falls on Eve’s dad Anthony, who lost the family fortune, and his wife Beth. Leo is made to feel less than welcome by DS Brooks who is suspicious of Leo’s motives until the truth comes out.
Episode 12: Fear (Part Two)
Monday 30th April 2012, 9pm
Leo is determined to uncover the circumstances surrounding the death of Eve Gilston. Nikki and Harry track down the nun who performed the exorcism but are shocked by what they find. Leo confronts Eve’s mother Beth Gilston and comes close to the truth on what actually happened the night before her daughter died.
Psychiatrist Sean struggle to come to terms with Eve’s death and turns his attention to Eve’s brother John, whom believes he too is now possessed by the demons that haunted his sister.
Episode 3: And Then I Fell in Love (Part One)
August 2012
When Nikki witnesses 15-year-old Shannon running barefoot into an on-coming car, it marks the start of her journey into the harrowing world of sex grooming of underage girls.
Detective Inspector Masood knows Shannon has been sexually abused – but by whom? Suspicion falls upon Shannon’s stepfather.
Harry is temporarily homeless from a gas explosion in his flat and moves in with Nikki. The pair, along with Leo, examine two puzzling bodies at the Lyell centre – a heavily tattooed man and a decomposed body abandoned at the airport.
Episode 4: And Then I Fell in Love (Part Two)
August 2012
The team of forensic pathologists uncover further harrowing details of a number of underage girls who have been groomed and forced into prostitution. Leo examines the flat where Amy was held. Quiet gang member Younis grows more uncomfortable as the men prey upon schoolgirls Lauren and Hannah.
Nikki uses facial reconstruction to identify the decomposed body found in the suitcase at the airport. She returns the disturbed Shannon to her family but when stepfather Abdul learns of Shannon’s ordeal he prepares to take revenge.
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