24 Hours in Police Custody: New episode shows how Beds Police solved machete attack and shooting

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
24 Hours in Police Custody is back on our screens this week and is going behind the scenes to reveal how police solved an attempted murder in Bedfordshire.

At around 2am on 31 October 2019, a group of attackers shot a man three times outside his house in Luton, and used a machete to attack him before fleeing and burning the getaway car. When police arrived at the scene, they found a spent bullet casing, a bullet and a black balaclava covered in blood.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Channel 4 will uncover how Bedfordshire Police detectives solved the attempted murder, which the judge in the case called “a planned and targeted attack” that “bore the hallmarks of a gang attack”.

The episode will follow the force from the initial 999 call right up to the conviction of Samad Ali and Stephen O’Dell, who carried out the frenzied

Ali and O'Dell at Luton police station. Picture: Channel 4Ali and O'Dell at Luton police station. Picture: Channel 4
Ali and O'Dell at Luton police station. Picture: Channel 4

The balaclava was linked to O’Dell through his DNA while a necklace, stolen from the victim, worn by Ali had both Ali’s blood and that of the victim on it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In 2020, Ali and O’Dell both were handed sentences of 12 years and four months each for their part in leaving the victim with life-changing injuries.

The new episode will premiere on Channel 4 at 9pm on Wednesday, June 5.