CHASING A KILLER - GARY ALLEN

In February 2000, Gary Allen walked free from Sheffield Crown Court, acquitted of murdering 29-year-old Samantha Class. But the police were convinced he was the killer, and that it was only a matter of time before he struck again. For two decades they refused to let the case go cold. A change in UK law, a covert operation, and the tragic murder of another woman lead detectives to believe they could finally bring Allen to justice – “You can’t get away with murder twice, surely?” 

In 1997, Samantha Class, a young mother, was found murdered on the banks of the Humber Estuary. Detective Superintendent Ken Bates and Detective Inspector Phil Bell led the case. Despite a DNA match linking Allen to the crime, the jury found him not guilty. “I knew I was watching a future killer walk away,” Bates  said. Weeks after, Allen attacked two women in Plymouth. Their brave testimonies put him behind bars, but not forever.

In 2019, more than 20 years later,  38-year-old Alena Grlakova was reported missing in Rotherham. Detective Chief Inspector Mark Oughton led the investigation. As the team pursued every lead, phone records unearthed a chilling connection: Gary Allen. Soon after, Detective Constable Richard Stump uncovered disturbing audio files on one of Allen’s seized devices. It transformed the inquiry from a missing person case to a  murder investigation. 

Although Oughton believed Allen was their man he needed more information to build a case. South Yorkshire and Humberside Police joined forces. DCI Chris Calvert from Humberside Police was brought in to assist. Reviewing Allen’s past offences, uncovering disturbing behavioural patterns echoing Samantha’s murder, Calvert knew this was not only a strong case for Alena, but the last chance to secure justice for Sam.

Backed by the Crown Prosecution Service, and with Sir Max Hill, Director of Public Prosecutions, personally involved, a landmark appeal quashed Allen’s acquittal, paving the way for a retrial. In 2021, Allen faced trial at Sheffield Crown Court again for the murder of Samantha Class and also for the murder of Alena Grlakova. 

Featuring firsthand accounts from detectives, journalists, and survivors, this two-part documentary highlights the tireless efforts of South Yorkshire and Humberside Police to bring down Gary Allen, a man who believed he was above the law.