In Police Hands

When PC Quilley is visiting a farmer who has some complaints. He comes across a young couple hiding in a stable and acting suspiciously.

They may not have broken any laws but Quilley uses vagrancy laws and a suspicion that the girl is underaged to bring them in for questioning.

Both the lad and the girl refuse to cooperate, leading to threats from the police.

The lad has a bit of money with him and the girl eventually confirms that she is 17 years old. They are lovers running away from home.

WPC Walters is brought in to accompany the girl just in case she is underaged. She suspects it is that lad who might be running away from his home. It turns out that he is the son of a prominent surgeon and from a respectable but overbearing household.

In the end this episode was a much ado about nothing. Quilley had the same thoughts. While Walters thought it was all a big waste of time to see this young couple getting harassed over nothing.

It certainly was a minor story, it looked a lot like a filler. I could not get over how a young lad could get threatened with physical violence over something trivial.

Then again the police could get away with it in those days. You could contrast that with The Bill by which time, interviews are recorded and suspects demand the right to see a solicitor.