24 Hours In Police Custody | Preview (Channel 4)

The UK's biggest and most successful true crime documentary series returns with a brand new run of six gripping films, each one including unprecedented access to behind-the-scenes police investigations into major crimes.

In the first episode, Wanted, a man who looks like a delivery driver is seen ringing the doorbell of a house in the leafy suburbs of Luton. As the door is answered he immediately begins a shockingly brutal assault on three women who are alone in the house. Remarkably, the attack is captured on camera on the property's CCTV.

As the victims are taken to hospital the case is handed to Detective Inspector Tom Hamm of Bedfordshire's Criminal Investigation Team, who begins an urgent manhunt. When initial police enquiries draw a blank, a member of the victim's family posts the CCTV images of the assault on Facebook and offers a reward of £20,000.

The post goes viral and the story is picked up by newspapers and broadcasters across the UK and internationally. The police are now in a race to apprehend the suspect, fearing that the publicity will mean he will go to ground. Tom Hamm reveals, 'Policing is about holding your cards close to your chest and not giving away what you've got.

Unfortunately, in this case, by putting the CCTV images all over social media, he's now become a massive flight risk'. Cameras follow every twist of the hunt after it becomes clear the suspect is now hiding abroad. 'There's a part of this case that we're never gonna get to the bottom of.

Maybe he will shed light on it when he's finally caught up with. But as it stands I don't really know why that home was targeted.' This is the inside track on a gripping and disturbing case. A real-life drama where the facts really are more compelling than fiction.

24 Hours In Police Custody returns Monday 27th September at 9pm on Channel 4.