DS Abney led the investigation regarding the attack by Yasmeen Metcalfe on her husband Geoff in April 2020.
Yasmeen had married Geoff the year before, thinking he was a charming widower, however he had a history of coercive control over his partners, gaslighting and threatening them. Unsuspected by anyone other than Yasmeen's granddaughter Alya Nazir, Geoff had steadily worn down the previously strong-willed lady, controlling her daily routine, her finances and appearance. Things reached a head at Easter when he waved a knife in her face as he threatened her and she impulsively retaliated by smashing a nearby wine bottle across his head, and then stabbed the broken shard into his neck.
Utterly shaken, Yasmeen rang the emergency services herself, making no attempt to cover what she had done. She was arrested and taken to Weatherfield Police Station where DS Abney questioned her in the company of Imran Habeeb who represented her. He reminded her of her right to remain silent but Abney persisted, pointing out that Geoff had sustained life-threatening injuries. She tried to take the lady through the events of that night but she was in an state of shock and Imran tried to use that fact to suspend the questioning but Abney retaliated by playing the tape of the 999 call in which Yasmeen specifically said that she had killed Geoff.
Outside of the interview room, Imran tried to get Abney to doubt the evidence of her eyes and ears and consider self-defence but she was entirely unconvinced, saying she was in no rush to charge the lady as she was waiting for Geoff to come round and give his statement. She was at his hospital bedside when he did so, saying that the argument was about her supposed drinking (a problem that he had invented as part of his gaslighting) and feigned puzzlement as to any other reason she could have for attacking him. The interview was interrupted by Alya who burst in, making allegations of his abuse. Abney had to try to calm her down, saying she would interview her in due course and got her accompanying PC to escort her from the premises. The interview continued with Geoff lying that Yasmeen had assaulted him on several occasions. Tim and Sally Metcalfe were by the hospital bed as the interview took place and were shocked when Abney raised a previous matter on Geoff's record appertaining to a previous partner, Jocelyn Walkey, also assaulting him, and similarly under the influence of alcohol. Tying this in with Geoff's first wife, Tessa Metcalfe who he claimed also had a drink problem, Abney pointed out that there was a pattern, which caused Geoff to rebut the matter angrily, but also led to Sally having the first doubts of suspicion about her father-in-law's true character.
Under further questioning, a tearful Yasmeen said she panicked when Geoff had the knife in his hand and broke down when Abney showed her a photograph of the neck wound, saying she needed to see Geoff and tell him how sorry she was. She was subsequently charged with attempted murder.
Over the next few weeks, Imran and Alya investigated Yasmeen's defence and came up with proof that Geoff had been using escorts during his marriage. Alya passed this news on to Sally who informed Tim who, in turn, confronted his father, saying it was a good motive for Yasmeen's attack and pushed his father into confessing the fact to DS Abney. He did so, claiming he had been too ashamed to admit the fact before, but Abney viewed the confession with cynicism, saying he had only done it to prevent the fact being used as a defence in the upcoming trial.
Genuinely missing his wife's company, Geoff tried to get Yasmeen to return to him as his "soulmate" in return to which he would get the charges against her dropped. He visited a confused Abney who told him that the matter was now in the hands of the CPS and it would not be possible to halt the matter in its tracks.
Events took an unexpected turn when a lady called Elaine Jones materialised, having read of the case in the paper. She revealed herself to be not only Geoff's first wife but also the true mother of Tim, who had fled her abusive marriage fifty years before when Geoff had practised his tricks and games on her. Her son disbelieved her and Geoff, shocked by her return, caused her to disappear. Sally, convinced by now of Yasmeen's innocence, and Alya both visited Abney to report the woman missing and her connection to the case. She visited Geoff to question him on the matter but he claimed that Elaine was merely a fantasist and that Tessa had been his first wife.
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List of appearances[]
2020
2021