While no crime was involved, I thought it would be important to remember that ordinary police officers can find themselves in extraordinary circumstances. All it takes is an accident to occur and they could very easily lose their lives whilst trying to protect other people.

While he had a lot of experience in the force, nothing can prepare you for the conditions he found himself working in, and I’m sure the people who could have been on the bridge with him when it collapsed will appreciate his hard work in preventing greater loss of life and injury.

So here’s to you Pc Barker. You will be missed.

Anne and John Darwin concocted a scheme back in 2002 to make John Darwin’s disappearance look like a tragic death, saying that he had gone out for a canoe trip in the North Sea but had drowned. Meanwhile he had been living in the house next door before moving to Panama to start a new life.

Even their sons didn’t know the true story, and mourned their father until 2007 when he suddenly re-appeared. Claiming he had amnesia and couldn’t remember anything about the previous 5 years, the con was eventually unravelled when photographs were found of the couple, together, in Panama whilst looking at properties.

Now the pair have been t0ld to repay money they defrauded from insurance companies to the total of £600,000, with all but a token £1 sum being repaid by Anne Darwin as Mr Darwin has no financial assets to his name.

The case grabbed headlines across the country back in 2007-2008, and it seems that the two are finally getting the full punishment they deserved for misleading both their own family along with legal and financial authorities. They were originally sentenced to 6-6.5 years each.