PC Andrea Dunbar    played by Natalie Robb

First appearance    # 197 (10/03/04)    

Pretty and vivacious with razor sharp observational skills and a willingness to learn, Andrea Dunbar was everything one would hope for in a probationer. But Andrea was not what she seemed; working for one of the tabloids, she was an undercover journalist researching a big investigative piece on whether the Metropolitan Police had become too soft on criminals post Stephen Lawrence.

Born in Dalkeith, she went to a good university where she studied English, and proceeded to an internship on a women's magazine, moving from there into journalism. This was her most challenging job to date, a story which could have made her name, and she was determined to do it well.

Andrea's adulation of her father translated itself into a weakness for male figures of authority. At Sun Hill, she responded especially well to the quiet dominance of DI Manson. She identified her own focus and determination in him, and shared some of the same views about results and statistics. Indeed, it wasn't long before the two embarked on an affair. She showed the utmost respect for DCI Meadows and Supt. Okaro, but didn't respond as well to Inspector Gold.

Despite her ability, Andrea was totally disorganised, and her paperwork left a lot to be desired. But on the whole, she was surprised to find that she made quite a good cop, and that many of the qualities journalism requires apply to policing. Reactions on the relief were mixed towards Andrea. She was aware of her sex appeal, but chose not to play on it, except where it could get her good information. At various points, members of the relief tried to quiz her on her personal life, but she usually managed to skilfully evade their questioning. On the handful of occasions that Andrea did find herself in the spotlight, she based her background on her best friend in Scotland.

Just little over a year later, Andrea's cover was well and truly blown, leaving her to face the wrath of Gina Gold and fatally compromising her testimony at the trial of serial rapist Alan Kennedy, who was acquitted. Desperate for a chance to redeem herself, she made one last effort to gather incriminating evidence against Gabriel Kent - only to end up being held hostage in a store room by the crazed copper. In the end, Gabriel left her to die in the station fire, along with all the evidence she had against him.