DS Phil Hunter    played by Scott Maslen

First appearance    # 029 (25/07/02)     

Phil Hunter was such an effective copper because it takes a thief to catch a thief. He grew up in a housing estate in Leyton, the son of a builder's merchant. When he was 18, he fancied himself as an entrepreneur with a Midas touch, but quickly realised that he neither possessed the start up capital or the flair to go the distance - only the patter. An older 22 year-old Phil joined the Force mainly because he didn't fancy jail. He figured he was much less likely to get nicked if he was calling in favours from within the very institution that would've kept their eye on him had he operated from the outside. He wasn't an out-and-out criminal; he just couldn't resist exploiting every business opportunity that came his way - but he was always careful in what he chose. 

Given that Hunter knew a huge cross section of people from all walks of life who could provide an invaluable networking opportunity, all manner of offers were there for the taking. Over the years he developed a business acumen he always knew he had, which in turn cultivated an over-confidence he liked to display to women who caught his ever roving eye. Following a two-year stint as a new DS, he arrived at Sun Hill after sailing close to the wind at Hammersmith station, with a reputation that preceded him.

Phil was married for 13 years to Cindy, his childhood sweetheart from off the estate. The relationship was certainly tempestuous and she was known to give as good as she got. As the years wore on, Hunter increasingly believed that the grass was always greener on the other side. Chasing women became another sport to him, irrespective of the wedding ring he never wore. In his eyes, having the reputation for putting it about is nearly as good as the real thing but without the danger. Phil and Cindy tried for a baby but Phil was mortified when they discovered he was firing blanks. Their relationship blew apart when Cindy found out that Phil already had a four year-old daughter, Madison, the product of an affair with the wife of a boxing promoter and small-time crook. This revelation coincided with a maturing of approach from Phil who realised that he had responsibilities as a parent. However, Hunter was still motivated by greed and liked his women to be as fast as his cars. He got his kicks from living dangerously but sometimes got out of his depth. Backed into a corner, he could be ruthlessly unscrupulous. He would sell his own wife if he had to - and he did. In the end, Phil decided to put in a transfer to Special Ops. Scrapes and various indiscretions aside, although they didn't admit it publicly, the officers in CID knew they were going to miss him.