DS Dunne

DS Dunne investigated two separate crimes in Coronation Street. In June 2003, the Underworld factory was burgled overnight and much of its stock was supposedly taken the storeroom. In reality, it was a scam by Joe Carter, Mike Baldwin's manager in the factory, to bankrupt Mike and buy out the business from him. Joe set up a dummy company - Artrec - who were a supposed supplier of materials to Underworld. Mike would then pay invoices for the non-existent goods but in reality was paying large sums of money directly to Joe. These sums increased further when Joe's partner in crime, Karen McDonald, started forging Mike's signature on further cheques. As their crime was reaching its successful conclusion and only a few days were needed for the final forged cheque to clear through the bank, Mike caused a problem when he declared his intention to instead carry out a long-delayed stock check in the factory. Joe and ex-con Frank Marsden staged a theft from the factory during the night, making it appear as if Artrec's non-existent supplies were among the stock that was taken. DS Dunne interviewed the Underworld staff and asked for a list of the stock that was taken but Joe had destroyed it in order that Mike couldn't claim on the insurance. The police were unable to solve the "crime" but Mike eventually put two and two together, helped by a confession from a guilt-ridden Karen, and Joe was sent on his way.

In September of the same year, Lucy Barlow and Shelley Unwin reported Peter Barlow to the police for marrying the latter bigamously several weeks after marrying the former legally. DS Dunne took their statements and returned to the Street with them where he arrested Peter. Taken to the police station, he offered a full confession, sick of living a life based on lies and he was told that he was facing a custodial sentence.

Lucy was by far the more vindictive of the two women in her desire for revenge whereas Shelley still harboured feelings for Peter. Lucy bullied Shelley into making a further statement to the police, highlighting the emotional trauma and abuse she had suffered. In a long interview session with DS Dunne, he asked her if Peter had ever been violent or made it difficult for her to go out in public and she realised that she was unable to lie about him. The next day, Peter went with Ken to the station to hear the result of the CPS's assessment of a liable prosecution and, after Dunne kept him waiting on tenterhooks for as long as possible, he was told that as the marriages hadn't lasted for long and as there was no fraudulent financial gain for Peter, he would not be prosecuted.

List of appearances

 * Episode 5519 (4th June 2003)
 * Episode 5520 (6th June 2003)
 * Episode 5585 (19th September 2003)
 * Episode 5607 (20th October 2003)
 * Episode 5608 (20th October 2003)
 * Episode 5609 (22nd October 2003)