Netflix releases ‘profoundly sad’ ITV true crime drama starring Martin Freeman-Pierra Willix-Entertainment – Metro

A crime drama starring Martin Freeman has found new fans since being released on Netflix (Picture: ITV/ Rex)

Netflix has quietly added a five-year old ITV drama series that multiple fans have called ‘superb’.

Released in 2019, the six-part series A Confession stars Sherlock actor Martin Freeman as real-life Detective Superintendent Steve Fulker, who was removed from the police force after investigating the disappearance of Sian O’Callaghan and breaching police protocol.

In 2011, the 22-year-old was last seen at a nightclub in the town of Swindon in Wiltshire in the early hours of March 19.

A few days later her body was found, with 48-year-old taxi driver Christopher Halliwell pleading guilty to her murder the following year.

He is currently serving a life sentence after also admitting he killed another young woman – Becky Godden – eight years earlier.

The ITV drama follows the investigation into the disappearance and murders of the two women and how their killer very nearly avoided being sent to jail.

A Confession was first released on ITV in 2019 (Picture: ITV)

After officers arrested Halliwell, rather than read him his rights, provide him with a lawyer and bring him to a police station, Det Supt Fulcher said he wanted to speak with Halliwell ‘man-to-man.’

The detective and suspect met at Barbury Castle, an Iron Age hill fort near Swindon, where Fulcher believed Halliwell might be keeping Sian alive.

Believing there was an imminent threat to life, Fulcher wanted to use what he believed what were emergency powers, with the suspect admitting to murdering Sian before directing police to her body.

It was after this confession he admitted he’d also killed before, leading police to where he buried Becky.

However, as Fulcher had not cautioned Halliwell as he should have under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, the criminal proceedings were thrown into jeopardy and the detective faced gross misconduct hearings.

The series about what unfolded was recently released on Netflix, with viewers urging others to tune in.

It tells the story of Detective Superintendent Steve Fulker, who was removed from the police force after investigating the disappearance of Sian O’Callaghan and breaching police protocol (Picture: ITV)

‘Watched ITV’s A Confession on Netflix yesterday. So so good. They did a really good job focusing on the victims,’ user brendaukxo posted on X.

‘Martin Freeman’s series A Confession is on Netflix here I will watch… looove British crime dramas so much,’ kikibats shared.

‘A Confession on Netflix is a fab watch, based on a true story,’ AngeM1888 added.

Since first being released, many other viewers have praised the series.

‘Outstanding. Didn’t want it to end,’ Linda C wrote on Rotten Tomatoes.

‘Well written and you really couldn’t see the ending coming Freeman again does a good job of playing the not quite right central character and it’s gripping to the end,’ someone else commented.

‘One of the best shows I have seen in a while, right up there with Broadchurch and Line of Duty. An interesting true story and great acting. It also gives a lot of heart and thought to the victims at the centre, which not all crime shows do,’ another wrote.

On the afternoon that Haliwell made the two confessions of murder to Fulcher, he should have read the suspect his rights three times according to PACE rules, which he knowingly failed to.

It meant that his confession about murdering Becky was not admissible in court, and the charge was dropped.

It was not until 2016, when new evidence was found, that he was convicted of Becky’s murder.

Following his sentencing, police said there was a ‘distinct possibility’ Halliwell was a serial killer due to the eight-year gap between the murders.

Although Fulcher was found guilty of gross misconduct after being investigated by the police watchdog IPCC, he was allowed to keep his job, but he later resigned after his career was left in tatters.

His career was left in tatters after being investigated for gross misconduct (Picture: ITV/Rex)

However, he has always defended his actions. In 2018 he appeared on the ITV show To Catch a Serial Killer with Trevor McDonald.

‘My view is that I have brought two daughters back to their mothers and I’ve prevented other victims resulting from Halliwell’s continued pursuit of his career as a serial killer,’ Fulcher told McDonald.

‘But for my course of action Becky would still be in that field, Sian would never be found and Christopher Halliwell would be walking the streets.’

A Confession also stars Imelda Staunton as Karen Edwards, Becky’s mother and Siobhan Finneran as Elaine Pickford, Sian’s mother. Joe Absolom plays Halliwell.

A Confession is streaming on ITVX and Netflix.

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