DS Podmore was one of several officers tasked with finding a missing Sam Blakeman who had been kidnapped by Robbie, a member of Harvey Gaskell's drugs gang. Harvey was intent on tracking down Leanne Battersby and Simon Barlow who had gone into hiding with Nick Tilsley under a witness protection programme after tip-offs and evidence from Leanne led to Harvey being arrested and remanded in Highfield Prison awaiting trial. Harvey's aunty Sharon Bentley was roped in to assist and when other avenues failed, it was decided to snatch the boy to bring Nick out of hiding.
As part of the investigation, DS Podmore called into The Kabin when Roy Cropper told him where Sharon could be found. No one on the street knew at that time of her connection to the imprisoned gangster and, fortunately for her, there were no other customers present and Brian Packham was in the back room when Podmore established the family connection to Harvey and questioned her as to when she had last spoken to him. She admitted that she had visited her nephew in Highfield Prison the week before but denied that they were close, saying that you didn't turn your back on family. Podmore told her that he was just exploring possibilities by speaking to her and left, leaving a thoroughly rattled woman behind him.