1 00:00:01,043 --> 00:00:03,603 [tense music] 2 00:00:10,883 --> 00:00:13,363 [narrator] Two troubled lovers. A shared timeline. 3 00:00:13,443 --> 00:00:15,083 A desperate destiny. 4 00:00:15,563 --> 00:00:18,603 It was a toxic relationship. They wasn't right for each other. 5 00:00:20,843 --> 00:00:22,563 It was a recipe for disaster 6 00:00:22,643 --> 00:00:24,443 and it was only gonna end one way. 7 00:00:24,523 --> 00:00:26,603 I watched them die that night themselves. 8 00:00:27,083 --> 00:00:29,283 It was the worst thing I've ever seen. 9 00:00:29,363 --> 00:00:31,323 [narrator] Olivia Labinjo and Gary Cunningham, 10 00:00:31,403 --> 00:00:33,283 nobody's idea of a perfect couple. 11 00:00:35,363 --> 00:00:39,403 ♪ I scream into the sky ♪ 12 00:00:39,643 --> 00:00:42,323 [narrator] Those around them can only watch and wait. 13 00:00:42,803 --> 00:00:44,843 -[glass tinkling] -[woman] Deep down in my heart, 14 00:00:44,923 --> 00:00:47,163 I knew that it was gonna be inevitable. 15 00:00:47,243 --> 00:00:49,123 It was just when it was gonna happen. 16 00:00:49,203 --> 00:00:53,043 -♪ I never wanted you to see ♪ -[siren wailing] 17 00:00:53,123 --> 00:00:55,843 ♪ The damage that you've done to me ♪ 18 00:00:55,923 --> 00:00:59,923 There's a lot of bad people out there, a lot of bad people. 19 00:01:00,003 --> 00:01:02,283 Whether they be men, whether they be women. 20 00:01:02,363 --> 00:01:05,763 ♪ Twisted, I recognize ♪ 21 00:01:05,843 --> 00:01:09,803 ♪ The hate behind your eyes ♪ 22 00:01:09,883 --> 00:01:12,723 ♪ Crippled me inside ♪ 23 00:01:13,803 --> 00:01:15,763 [man] If you're in one of them relationships, 24 00:01:15,843 --> 00:01:17,323 you need to get out of them. 25 00:01:17,403 --> 00:01:18,643 It's as simple as that. 26 00:01:18,723 --> 00:01:21,283 [ominous music] 27 00:01:21,363 --> 00:01:24,443 [heartbeat thudding] 28 00:01:25,443 --> 00:01:28,003 [phone buzzing] 29 00:01:28,083 --> 00:01:30,683 [narrator] It is the weekend, when a father receives a call 30 00:01:30,763 --> 00:01:32,523 for help from his adult son. 31 00:01:32,603 --> 00:01:34,683 He phoned me on a Sunday afternoon. 32 00:01:35,003 --> 00:01:36,123 It was in November. 33 00:01:37,763 --> 00:01:39,923 He says, "Dad, can you come and pick me up?" 34 00:01:40,603 --> 00:01:42,323 [narrator] Gary Cunningham, 29, 35 00:01:42,403 --> 00:01:44,283 has been staying with his girlfriend. 36 00:01:44,363 --> 00:01:47,683 When Gary got in the car, he burst out crying and he says, 37 00:01:47,923 --> 00:01:50,003 "She's only stabbed me in the arm." 38 00:01:50,083 --> 00:01:51,603 I says, "You need to report her. 39 00:01:51,683 --> 00:01:53,243 That woman is dangerous." 40 00:01:53,323 --> 00:01:55,283 [Kellie] He was still trying to play it down. 41 00:01:55,363 --> 00:01:56,443 I feel like that was, 42 00:01:56,523 --> 00:01:58,363 he was at his breaking point then. 43 00:01:59,363 --> 00:02:02,323 Never seen him cry. He says, "Dad, I can't report her to the police." 44 00:02:02,403 --> 00:02:03,683 I says, "Why not?" 45 00:02:03,763 --> 00:02:06,363 He says, "Because she's got a young son, 46 00:02:06,443 --> 00:02:08,323 of four years of age." 47 00:02:08,403 --> 00:02:10,723 He says, "if the social services get involved," 48 00:02:10,802 --> 00:02:13,243 he says, "they're gonna take him off her." 49 00:02:14,683 --> 00:02:16,203 [narrator] Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow, 50 00:02:16,283 --> 00:02:19,683 a young woman with seemingly everything going for her. 51 00:02:19,763 --> 00:02:23,203 She was awarded a scholarship to a very prestigious school in Solihull. 52 00:02:23,283 --> 00:02:26,123 She's definitely intelligent, there's no doubt about that. 53 00:02:26,203 --> 00:02:27,803 -She was very bright. -[bright music] 54 00:02:27,883 --> 00:02:29,323 She engaged with the activities 55 00:02:29,403 --> 00:02:31,883 to the point that she was even on the debating team. 56 00:02:31,963 --> 00:02:33,923 And she did so well that she actually went 57 00:02:34,003 --> 00:02:37,283 to university to study politics in 2011. 58 00:02:37,363 --> 00:02:40,323 [narrator] At Nottingham University, she gets a boyfriend. 59 00:02:40,843 --> 00:02:42,043 [Roberta] In her second year, 60 00:02:42,123 --> 00:02:44,483 we know that Olivia entered a relationship. 61 00:02:44,723 --> 00:02:46,163 [narrator] She meets Thomas Hughes, 62 00:02:46,243 --> 00:02:48,923 a laborer from her hometown of Birmingham. 63 00:02:49,003 --> 00:02:51,483 The relationship is not a healthy one. 64 00:02:52,803 --> 00:02:54,883 ♪ What's her name is spreading rumors ♪ 65 00:02:54,963 --> 00:02:57,763 ♪ They don't really care about us ♪ 66 00:02:57,843 --> 00:02:59,563 [narrator] Friends see them fight. 67 00:03:00,563 --> 00:03:02,683 Olivia begins to struggle emotionally. 68 00:03:04,043 --> 00:03:06,923 As Olivia's time in university progresses, 69 00:03:07,003 --> 00:03:09,883 it becomes apparent to her friends and people around her 70 00:03:09,963 --> 00:03:12,683 that she's experiencing mental health difficulties. 71 00:03:12,763 --> 00:03:16,043 This could be as a result of the pressures of university, 72 00:03:16,123 --> 00:03:19,403 of studying quite a academically demanding topic, 73 00:03:19,483 --> 00:03:22,043 but also she was in the volatile relationship, 74 00:03:22,123 --> 00:03:25,363 which is also likely to have an impact on her sense of self, 75 00:03:25,443 --> 00:03:27,483 her mood, and her confidence. 76 00:03:27,563 --> 00:03:29,123 [tense music] 77 00:03:29,203 --> 00:03:31,283 [narrator] Olivia begins to drink heavily 78 00:03:31,363 --> 00:03:34,003 and she's experimenting with cocaine. 79 00:03:34,083 --> 00:03:35,363 She pays the price. 80 00:03:36,403 --> 00:03:38,483 We know that things came to a head for Olivia 81 00:03:38,563 --> 00:03:40,843 and she prematurely left university. 82 00:03:40,923 --> 00:03:43,963 And this is when her mother came and took her back home. 83 00:03:45,563 --> 00:03:50,163 ♪ All these promises ♪ 84 00:03:50,243 --> 00:03:53,963 ♪ Promises to atone ♪ 85 00:03:54,043 --> 00:03:58,003 ♪ Where did it all go wrong ♪ 86 00:03:58,083 --> 00:04:01,603 ♪ Where did it all go wrong ♪ 87 00:04:01,683 --> 00:04:04,363 [narrator] Back in Birmingham, her relationship with Hughes continues. 88 00:04:04,443 --> 00:04:08,163 In 2014, Olivia and Hughes have a baby boy. 89 00:04:10,003 --> 00:04:13,043 The baby is named Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. 90 00:04:17,203 --> 00:04:21,363 Within the year, Arthur's father has left the young family. 91 00:04:21,442 --> 00:04:25,763 A mom at 20, a single parent, a failed student, 92 00:04:25,843 --> 00:04:28,243 Olivia's young life appears a mess. 93 00:04:29,763 --> 00:04:32,923 ♪ It's only just begun ♪ 94 00:04:34,883 --> 00:04:37,043 We look at the experiences that Olivia had. 95 00:04:37,123 --> 00:04:39,963 She had left university prematurely. 96 00:04:40,043 --> 00:04:42,363 She'd experienced mental health difficulties 97 00:04:42,443 --> 00:04:44,723 and she'd left a volatile relationship. 98 00:04:44,803 --> 00:04:46,883 These are traumatic experiences, 99 00:04:46,963 --> 00:04:49,283 and it's likely that Olivia used alcohol 100 00:04:49,363 --> 00:04:51,523 as a way of trying to self soothe 101 00:04:51,603 --> 00:04:53,963 or somehow cope with her situation. 102 00:04:54,043 --> 00:04:56,843 [narrator] Keen to instill some order into her life, 103 00:04:56,923 --> 00:04:59,523 Olivia enlists as an army volunteer. 104 00:04:59,603 --> 00:05:02,963 She has ambitions for a career in the services. 105 00:05:03,043 --> 00:05:05,043 Olivia made attempts to change her life 106 00:05:05,123 --> 00:05:06,443 and this is evidenced by the fact 107 00:05:06,523 --> 00:05:09,563 that she actually made lance corporal in the Army Reserves. 108 00:05:11,163 --> 00:05:13,123 [narrator] But her addiction to drink means 109 00:05:13,203 --> 00:05:14,683 that young mom, Olivia, 110 00:05:14,763 --> 00:05:17,923 is about to experience her first brush with the law. 111 00:05:18,003 --> 00:05:19,923 [Roberta] We do know that her drinking increased 112 00:05:20,003 --> 00:05:22,363 to the point where she was convicted of drink driving 113 00:05:22,443 --> 00:05:25,003 about a year and a half after the birth of her son. 114 00:05:25,083 --> 00:05:27,123 [narrator] Within months of getting her license back, 115 00:05:27,203 --> 00:05:30,363 she is again prosecuted for drink driving. 116 00:05:30,443 --> 00:05:32,283 Unfortunately, her relationship with alcohol 117 00:05:32,363 --> 00:05:34,523 and cocaine are actually pulling her 118 00:05:34,603 --> 00:05:36,083 in a different direction 119 00:05:36,163 --> 00:05:38,603 and not necessarily a direction that's most helpful for her. 120 00:05:38,683 --> 00:05:41,923 [tense music] 121 00:05:44,403 --> 00:05:47,403 [narrator] Less than 10 miles away lives Gary Cunningham. 122 00:05:48,483 --> 00:05:52,403 His and Olivia's life timelines are about to collide. 123 00:05:54,243 --> 00:05:59,083 Gary was the most spontaneous person, 124 00:05:59,603 --> 00:06:03,523 cheeky, funny person I've ever met. 125 00:06:03,603 --> 00:06:05,763 He was a very popular lad. 126 00:06:05,843 --> 00:06:08,763 He always had people knocking at the door for him, 127 00:06:08,843 --> 00:06:12,083 you know, asking him to go out. 128 00:06:12,163 --> 00:06:14,123 He was actually known as Sausage within the family, 129 00:06:14,203 --> 00:06:16,203 hence his nickname, Saus. 130 00:06:16,283 --> 00:06:17,843 And that was what my nan and grandad 131 00:06:17,923 --> 00:06:19,803 used to call Gary as well. 132 00:06:19,883 --> 00:06:21,163 He'd just draw people in 133 00:06:21,243 --> 00:06:23,963 because of how he was naturally around people. 134 00:06:24,043 --> 00:06:26,723 [Ben] He was very loved within the family and he was really sweet, so. 135 00:06:26,803 --> 00:06:30,203 [tense music] 136 00:06:30,283 --> 00:06:33,163 [narrator] But Gary isn't without issues, 137 00:06:33,243 --> 00:06:35,923 ones which leave him isolated. 138 00:06:36,003 --> 00:06:37,843 Once he got into his teens, 139 00:06:37,923 --> 00:06:41,203 he developed Tourette's quite badly. 140 00:06:41,283 --> 00:06:43,123 He was given medication for that 141 00:06:43,203 --> 00:06:46,443 and he was also diagnosed with ADHD. 142 00:06:46,523 --> 00:06:49,163 [narrator] Suddenly, the lively lad who enjoys showing off 143 00:06:49,243 --> 00:06:51,803 is attracting the wrong sort of attention. 144 00:06:51,883 --> 00:06:55,483 Sometimes he would have major problems with people, 145 00:06:55,563 --> 00:06:57,803 obviously, you know, taking the mickey 146 00:06:57,883 --> 00:07:00,003 as you do when you're a teenager at school. 147 00:07:00,523 --> 00:07:04,283 But he tended to cope with it quite well. 148 00:07:04,363 --> 00:07:07,483 He tended to hide a lot of his tics. 149 00:07:07,563 --> 00:07:09,443 [narrator] His lack of success at school 150 00:07:09,523 --> 00:07:11,643 doesn't stop him building a career. 151 00:07:11,723 --> 00:07:14,723 He moved on and decided to get his head down, knuckle down, 152 00:07:14,803 --> 00:07:17,683 and passed most of his electrical qualifications 153 00:07:17,763 --> 00:07:20,603 to become a street lamp installer. 154 00:07:20,683 --> 00:07:22,283 [narrator] Any spare time he has 155 00:07:22,363 --> 00:07:23,803 is filled with his hobbies. 156 00:07:24,603 --> 00:07:26,763 He was pretty handy with his car. 157 00:07:26,843 --> 00:07:28,923 Used to like, you know, 158 00:07:29,003 --> 00:07:30,443 working on his car 159 00:07:30,523 --> 00:07:32,763 and he was very good with electronics as well. 160 00:07:32,843 --> 00:07:35,003 He's got a DJ set upstairs 161 00:07:35,083 --> 00:07:38,083 which he played regular and messed about with regular. 162 00:07:38,163 --> 00:07:40,963 But one of Gary's main passions was his drum and bass. 163 00:07:41,043 --> 00:07:42,443 He used to drive us mad. 164 00:07:43,603 --> 00:07:47,683 Most nights he'll be up there playing his drum and bass. 165 00:07:47,763 --> 00:07:51,003 [upbeat electronic music] 166 00:07:51,083 --> 00:07:53,643 His room is just littered in all the tickets 167 00:07:53,723 --> 00:07:56,883 of venues and events that he's ever been to. 168 00:07:56,963 --> 00:07:58,163 But he loved his music. 169 00:07:58,243 --> 00:08:01,963 Gary loved music so much and he loved dancing. 170 00:08:03,643 --> 00:08:05,363 [intense electronic music] 171 00:08:05,443 --> 00:08:08,003 He loved to-- to go out and party with his friends. 172 00:08:08,083 --> 00:08:09,083 I know that for a fact. 173 00:08:09,163 --> 00:08:10,563 Even in the middle of the week 174 00:08:10,643 --> 00:08:13,003 when he's gonna be up for work the next morning. 175 00:08:13,083 --> 00:08:14,363 And he had friends round 176 00:08:14,443 --> 00:08:19,123 and sometimes even after his sessions of going out at night, 177 00:08:19,203 --> 00:08:21,363 we'd wake up the next morning 178 00:08:21,443 --> 00:08:24,443 to find him and his friends still in the kitchen. 179 00:08:24,523 --> 00:08:26,283 [narrator] Gary begins dating a local girl 180 00:08:26,363 --> 00:08:29,843 around this time and seems to be overcoming his challenges. 181 00:08:29,923 --> 00:08:33,243 He seemed well settled in his early 20s, 182 00:08:33,323 --> 00:08:36,123 and maybe even to his mid 20s. 183 00:08:36,202 --> 00:08:38,243 [narrator] In 2013, Gary and his girlfriend 184 00:08:38,323 --> 00:08:40,403 make an announcement to their families. 185 00:08:40,483 --> 00:08:43,443 Round about his mid 20s, his daughter was born, Amelia. 186 00:08:44,523 --> 00:08:47,123 I think that did kind of settle him down a bit. 187 00:08:47,203 --> 00:08:49,723 [narrator] Being a good father for Gary means trying 188 00:08:49,803 --> 00:08:51,563 to manage his Tourette's. 189 00:08:51,643 --> 00:08:54,563 He would really try to suppress his tics, 190 00:08:54,643 --> 00:08:57,323 which, unfortunately, led him to other forms of medication 191 00:08:57,403 --> 00:08:59,883 rather than take his doctor's approved medication. 192 00:08:59,963 --> 00:09:03,363 He actually spoke to a health professional when discussing his ADHD 193 00:09:03,443 --> 00:09:07,203 and recognized that his binge drinking was becoming worse and more problematic. 194 00:09:07,283 --> 00:09:08,523 [tense music] 195 00:09:08,603 --> 00:09:12,763 [Gary Sr.] And that's when he tended to use alcohol as a kind of suppressant 196 00:09:12,843 --> 00:09:15,643 or even, you know, drugs as well. 197 00:09:15,723 --> 00:09:17,523 That was mainly just drum and bass nights. 198 00:09:17,603 --> 00:09:18,803 I think that was the whole, 199 00:09:18,883 --> 00:09:20,483 that's what you and your mates do. 200 00:09:20,563 --> 00:09:23,243 You go out, you have a rave, you take some drugs, 201 00:09:23,323 --> 00:09:25,803 you drink a lot, and you have a good night. 202 00:09:25,883 --> 00:09:27,683 [narrator] The combination of drink and drugs 203 00:09:27,763 --> 00:09:30,603 changes his usually friendly personality. 204 00:09:30,683 --> 00:09:33,243 Age 25, Gary's relationship 205 00:09:33,323 --> 00:09:35,323 with his girlfriend takes an ugly turn. 206 00:09:36,723 --> 00:09:39,163 [Roberta] In 2013, Gary was convicted 207 00:09:39,243 --> 00:09:41,563 of criminal damage and battery. 208 00:09:41,643 --> 00:09:43,603 He assaulted the mother of his child. 209 00:09:43,683 --> 00:09:45,123 We all have a period in our life 210 00:09:45,203 --> 00:09:47,323 where we think maybe we would've drank a bit too much. 211 00:09:47,403 --> 00:09:50,443 Gary would probably agree that sometimes maybe he did. 212 00:09:50,523 --> 00:09:53,083 [narrator] He and the mother of his daughter split. 213 00:09:53,163 --> 00:09:55,523 Gary's behavior is becoming more reckless. 214 00:09:55,603 --> 00:09:57,763 His family are concerned for his safety. 215 00:09:59,603 --> 00:10:02,523 [Gary Sr.] 'Cause I've warned him many a time about, you know, drink driving. 216 00:10:02,603 --> 00:10:05,203 ♪ With a feeling like ♪ 217 00:10:05,283 --> 00:10:08,283 [Gary Sr.] Never stopped having a go about him, you know, drinking and driving. 218 00:10:08,363 --> 00:10:12,763 ♪ A feeling like I could fly ♪ 219 00:10:12,843 --> 00:10:14,403 But he wouldn't listen to me. 220 00:10:14,483 --> 00:10:17,163 ♪ Feeling so high ♪ 221 00:10:17,243 --> 00:10:20,483 [Gary Sr.] I says at some point, you are gonna get caught. 222 00:10:20,563 --> 00:10:24,123 [narrator] And in the winter of 2017, he is. 223 00:10:24,203 --> 00:10:26,603 Fortunately enough, they didn't send him to prison. 224 00:10:26,683 --> 00:10:31,803 They put him on a drinking rehabilitation course. 225 00:10:32,683 --> 00:10:35,803 [narrator] Gary's family hope that it will be the wake-up call he needs 226 00:10:35,883 --> 00:10:37,683 to get his life back on track. 227 00:10:37,763 --> 00:10:41,123 On the same course, Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow. 228 00:10:41,203 --> 00:10:43,563 [bright music] 229 00:10:44,803 --> 00:10:47,163 Gary and Olivia meet at a drink driver's course. 230 00:10:47,243 --> 00:10:49,763 Meeting at a drink driver's course may not have been 231 00:10:49,843 --> 00:10:51,363 the best place for them to meet 232 00:10:51,443 --> 00:10:54,323 because, ultimately, the thing that they both struggle with 233 00:10:54,403 --> 00:10:56,323 is the very thing that brought them together. 234 00:10:56,403 --> 00:10:58,723 [narrator] The two begin a romantic relationship. 235 00:10:58,803 --> 00:11:00,043 I knew Gary had a girlfriend 236 00:11:00,123 --> 00:11:02,723 because obviously I was told 237 00:11:02,803 --> 00:11:06,003 about it through family friends. 238 00:11:06,083 --> 00:11:11,163 ♪ 'Cause we've been waiting for the flood ♪ 239 00:11:12,403 --> 00:11:16,163 ♪ To old to let this burn, burn ♪ 240 00:11:17,763 --> 00:11:18,883 [narrator] Within weeks, 241 00:11:18,963 --> 00:11:21,203 Gary introduces Olivia to his family. 242 00:11:21,283 --> 00:11:23,363 A meeting his father will never forget. 243 00:11:23,443 --> 00:11:25,403 He brought her back one night in June. 244 00:11:25,483 --> 00:11:26,923 I remember it quite well, actually. 245 00:11:27,003 --> 00:11:28,283 It was a lovely sunny day 246 00:11:29,483 --> 00:11:31,403 and the pair of them had been drinking, 247 00:11:32,763 --> 00:11:34,963 but I don't think Gary was much worse for wear 248 00:11:35,043 --> 00:11:35,923 than what Olivia was. 249 00:11:36,003 --> 00:11:38,083 She was quite well intoxicated. 250 00:11:38,163 --> 00:11:39,043 [tense music] 251 00:11:39,123 --> 00:11:41,523 Two kids, liked drinking, 252 00:11:41,603 --> 00:11:43,683 liked having too much fun maybe sometimes. 253 00:11:44,723 --> 00:11:45,883 And that was it. 254 00:11:45,963 --> 00:11:50,403 All of a sudden, she turned around to me and says, "I want to marry your son." 255 00:11:50,483 --> 00:11:53,403 And I thought, well that's a bit odd. 256 00:11:53,483 --> 00:11:54,443 Why would you say that? 257 00:11:55,683 --> 00:11:57,763 "You know I want to marry him, don't you?" 258 00:11:57,843 --> 00:12:01,683 I says, "I don't even know how long you've been together. 259 00:12:01,763 --> 00:12:03,283 How long've you been together?" 260 00:12:03,363 --> 00:12:04,803 And she says, "Long enough." 261 00:12:04,883 --> 00:12:08,083 She says, "But I wanna be with him for the rest of my life." 262 00:12:08,163 --> 00:12:09,803 And I thought that was really, really odd. 263 00:12:09,883 --> 00:12:10,923 [tense music] 264 00:12:11,003 --> 00:12:12,723 Together, they wasn't perfect. 265 00:12:12,803 --> 00:12:15,803 We can see two people who have very different lives 266 00:12:15,883 --> 00:12:17,403 but have a commonality 267 00:12:17,483 --> 00:12:20,243 in terms of struggling with their life circumstances, 268 00:12:20,323 --> 00:12:22,243 and they're using alcohol and drugs 269 00:12:22,323 --> 00:12:23,643 as a way of managing that. 270 00:12:23,723 --> 00:12:27,283 And, unfortunately, it's leading them on a collision path. 271 00:12:27,363 --> 00:12:28,563 [narrator] It's a collision 272 00:12:28,643 --> 00:12:30,723 that Gary's father can see all too clearly, 273 00:12:30,803 --> 00:12:33,203 but he's powerless to stop it. 274 00:12:33,283 --> 00:12:34,763 Couldn't make him or tell him. 275 00:12:36,843 --> 00:12:38,403 But I did advise him. 276 00:12:38,483 --> 00:12:41,603 I says, "Gary," I says, "That woman's not right the head." 277 00:12:41,683 --> 00:12:44,203 And that was the same night I first met her. 278 00:12:45,123 --> 00:12:48,683 And he says, "Dad, she's just got mental health issues." 279 00:12:50,203 --> 00:12:52,243 I says, "Okay, son. Okay. 280 00:12:53,323 --> 00:12:55,043 We'll see what happens." 281 00:12:55,123 --> 00:12:56,643 Deep down in my heart, 282 00:12:56,723 --> 00:12:58,843 I knew that it was gonna be inevitable. 283 00:12:58,923 --> 00:13:01,163 It was just when it was gonna happen. 284 00:13:01,243 --> 00:13:03,603 [tense music] 285 00:13:04,963 --> 00:13:07,523 [tense music] 286 00:13:10,323 --> 00:13:12,763 [narrator] Gary Cunningham and Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow 287 00:13:12,843 --> 00:13:14,963 become partners in partying. 288 00:13:16,123 --> 00:13:18,323 I think what attracted him to her 289 00:13:18,403 --> 00:13:21,003 was the fact that she was very confident 290 00:13:21,883 --> 00:13:23,963 and she liked to party as well. 291 00:13:24,043 --> 00:13:27,603 So initially that would've stood out for him. 292 00:13:27,683 --> 00:13:29,803 You know, someone like him. 293 00:13:29,883 --> 00:13:32,163 [narrator] Olivia lives with her young son, Arthur, 294 00:13:32,243 --> 00:13:34,603 and Gary, estranged from his own daughter, 295 00:13:34,683 --> 00:13:36,203 takes to the little boy. 296 00:13:36,283 --> 00:13:37,403 Oh, he loved him to bits. 297 00:13:37,483 --> 00:13:38,603 He says, you know, 298 00:13:39,683 --> 00:13:41,043 said, "He's a great son, Dad." 299 00:13:41,123 --> 00:13:42,923 I says, "Bring him up and, you know, 300 00:13:43,003 --> 00:13:44,563 I'll have to meet him one day." 301 00:13:44,643 --> 00:13:45,963 I think for Gary, 302 00:13:46,043 --> 00:13:49,243 having that little family unit with Arthur and Olivia 303 00:13:49,323 --> 00:13:50,603 did appeal to him, 304 00:13:51,763 --> 00:13:54,203 but nobody could take that place of his daughter. 305 00:13:54,283 --> 00:13:56,003 [narrator] But for Gary's father, 306 00:13:56,083 --> 00:13:57,883 there is one big problem. 307 00:13:57,963 --> 00:14:00,683 I've probably seen her about four or five times now 308 00:14:00,763 --> 00:14:03,523 and each time I'd seen her, she'd been intoxicated. 309 00:14:03,603 --> 00:14:06,603 [narrator] The couple share unhealthy appetites. 310 00:14:06,683 --> 00:14:08,363 The only appeal that I know, 311 00:14:08,443 --> 00:14:10,203 as far as I could see, 312 00:14:10,283 --> 00:14:13,403 was that they were both good drinking buddies. 313 00:14:13,483 --> 00:14:14,723 They liked drink. 314 00:14:14,803 --> 00:14:16,443 Probably drink until the end of the night 315 00:14:16,523 --> 00:14:18,843 and maybe even longer and take cocaine. 316 00:14:18,923 --> 00:14:22,643 So that was, I believe, in fact what I know, 317 00:14:22,723 --> 00:14:24,203 was the only attraction to her. 318 00:14:24,283 --> 00:14:25,723 I knew that Gary took drugs, 319 00:14:25,803 --> 00:14:29,403 but he was taking more drugs when he was with Olivia. 320 00:14:29,483 --> 00:14:32,763 [narrator] To Gary's father, Olivia appears boastful. 321 00:14:32,843 --> 00:14:35,163 Apparently she was in the Signals 322 00:14:35,243 --> 00:14:38,363 and that she earns 50,000 pound a year. 323 00:14:38,443 --> 00:14:39,803 And she's told me that 324 00:14:39,883 --> 00:14:42,723 within a space of two, maybe three hours of meeting her. 325 00:14:42,803 --> 00:14:44,763 It's not the kind of thing you say to anybody 326 00:14:44,843 --> 00:14:46,843 in any circumstances, really. 327 00:14:46,923 --> 00:14:50,243 Your salary is what your salary is, whether it's good or it's bad. 328 00:14:50,323 --> 00:14:52,483 [narrator] Olivia does not reveal that she is, in fact, 329 00:14:52,563 --> 00:14:55,283 a voluntary reservist in the Territorial Army. 330 00:14:55,363 --> 00:14:58,203 It turned out she was actually a TA. 331 00:14:58,283 --> 00:15:01,683 And, in fact, she hadn't had a good reputation there either 332 00:15:01,763 --> 00:15:03,163 because of her drinking. 333 00:15:03,243 --> 00:15:04,643 [narrator] Together only two months, 334 00:15:04,723 --> 00:15:06,963 there's an unexpected development. 335 00:15:07,323 --> 00:15:10,243 In 2018, Olivia found herself pregnant. 336 00:15:10,323 --> 00:15:12,563 [narrator] Gary tells his friend, Abbs Barnes, 337 00:15:12,643 --> 00:15:14,083 how he learned of the news. 338 00:15:14,163 --> 00:15:16,283 Olivia was pregnant with his child, 339 00:15:16,363 --> 00:15:18,723 or so he believed was his child. 340 00:15:20,163 --> 00:15:22,243 They didn't speak about it. 341 00:15:22,683 --> 00:15:24,203 Olivia had come back one night 342 00:15:24,283 --> 00:15:26,363 and said, "I've had an abortion." 343 00:15:26,563 --> 00:15:28,043 He was devastated. 344 00:15:28,123 --> 00:15:30,283 He was genuinely devastated. 345 00:15:30,363 --> 00:15:32,403 [narrator] Theirs is a relationship fueled 346 00:15:32,483 --> 00:15:33,683 by drink and drugs. 347 00:15:34,123 --> 00:15:37,403 For Roberta Babb, it is plainly a destructive one. 348 00:15:37,723 --> 00:15:39,883 What really becomes apparent is the relationship 349 00:15:39,963 --> 00:15:42,643 between Gary and Olivia is toxic. 350 00:15:42,723 --> 00:15:45,083 It's on, it's off, it's on, it's off. 351 00:15:45,163 --> 00:15:48,003 There's reports of violence perpetrated with both of them. 352 00:15:48,083 --> 00:15:49,923 They were both as bad as each other 353 00:15:50,003 --> 00:15:51,443 in terms of arguing. 354 00:15:51,523 --> 00:15:52,723 At times, you know, 355 00:15:53,083 --> 00:15:55,563 you could see there was a lot of arguing in texts. 356 00:15:55,643 --> 00:15:57,883 [narrator] And the violence is escalating. 357 00:15:57,963 --> 00:16:00,923 During an argument over a takeaway meal, Gary is stabbed. 358 00:16:01,963 --> 00:16:05,243 It was a fork in the foot over a silly argument. 359 00:16:05,323 --> 00:16:06,923 We went on a night out 360 00:16:07,003 --> 00:16:10,243 and he told us where Olivia had stabbed him in the foot 361 00:16:10,323 --> 00:16:13,563 and in the elbow, just a couple of weeks back. 362 00:16:13,883 --> 00:16:15,563 And he still had the scar. 363 00:16:15,643 --> 00:16:17,323 [narrator] Reporting the incident 364 00:16:17,403 --> 00:16:19,563 is not something Gary will consider. 365 00:16:19,643 --> 00:16:21,003 But it was played down. 366 00:16:21,083 --> 00:16:23,003 And Gary never wanted to get the police involved. 367 00:16:23,083 --> 00:16:24,923 He says, "Dad, I can't report it to the police." 368 00:16:25,003 --> 00:16:26,323 I says, "Why not?" 369 00:16:26,883 --> 00:16:29,323 He says, "Because she's got a young son, 370 00:16:29,403 --> 00:16:30,643 of four years of age." 371 00:16:30,723 --> 00:16:32,883 He was scared she would lose custody of her son, 372 00:16:32,963 --> 00:16:35,083 'cause he said, "Oh, it'll be a shame for the son. 373 00:16:35,163 --> 00:16:36,603 She's a good mom." 374 00:16:36,683 --> 00:16:39,123 He says "If the social services get involved", 375 00:16:39,203 --> 00:16:42,283 he says, "They're gonna take him off her." 376 00:16:42,363 --> 00:16:44,203 I think he was just protecting her, 377 00:16:44,283 --> 00:16:46,003 because that's the kind of person Gary was. 378 00:16:46,843 --> 00:16:49,803 [narrator] For those around them, the truth is plain to see. 379 00:16:49,883 --> 00:16:54,523 I went over to see Gary and he come out of his, 380 00:16:54,603 --> 00:16:58,243 where he lived, and he had scars down his face 381 00:16:58,323 --> 00:17:01,123 that weren't there when I last saw Gary, 382 00:17:02,443 --> 00:17:04,162 which then raised my eyebrow. 383 00:17:04,243 --> 00:17:06,843 And I asked Gary where he got them from. 384 00:17:08,003 --> 00:17:10,483 And he said, "I got them from Olivia. 385 00:17:10,563 --> 00:17:12,523 She likes to attack me." 386 00:17:12,603 --> 00:17:14,043 He was shocked at her violence. 387 00:17:15,923 --> 00:17:18,402 That was the overall impression I got. 388 00:17:18,483 --> 00:17:21,763 That's, 100%, he couldn't believe that she'd done that. 389 00:17:21,843 --> 00:17:23,563 In a haze of alcohol, 390 00:17:23,642 --> 00:17:25,443 in a haze of cocaine use, 391 00:17:25,523 --> 00:17:28,523 people aren't quite sure what is real or what isn't real 392 00:17:28,603 --> 00:17:30,603 and that can also add to this cycle 393 00:17:30,683 --> 00:17:33,603 of destruction, volatility, and toxicity. 394 00:17:33,683 --> 00:17:35,163 [narrator] It does. 395 00:17:35,243 --> 00:17:39,403 Olivia stabs Gary again, this time with a potato peeler. 396 00:17:39,483 --> 00:17:41,163 And I says, "Why has she done that?" 397 00:17:42,443 --> 00:17:44,923 He says, "Because she wouldn't stop arguing 398 00:17:45,003 --> 00:17:46,243 about me going out. 399 00:17:48,043 --> 00:17:50,083 And that she wanted me to stop at the flat." 400 00:17:50,163 --> 00:17:51,723 [narrator] Present in the room 401 00:17:51,803 --> 00:17:54,003 at the time of the attack are Olivia's son, Arthur, 402 00:17:54,083 --> 00:17:56,203 and his father, Thomas Hughes, who's visiting. 403 00:17:58,003 --> 00:17:59,643 If she can do that in her own house 404 00:17:59,723 --> 00:18:00,843 with her own son there, 405 00:18:02,483 --> 00:18:05,043 she's a danger not only to everybody else 406 00:18:05,123 --> 00:18:07,723 or people who are around her, but also to her son. 407 00:18:09,043 --> 00:18:11,203 "No, Dad," he says, "I can't report it." He says. 408 00:18:11,283 --> 00:18:12,843 He told me he felt shame 409 00:18:12,923 --> 00:18:14,723 because he's a male 410 00:18:14,803 --> 00:18:16,923 and stuff like this doesn't happen to males, 411 00:18:17,003 --> 00:18:18,643 but actually it does. 412 00:18:18,723 --> 00:18:20,683 But he just couldn't find a way to leave. 413 00:18:22,723 --> 00:18:25,363 [narrator] This latest attack is the final straw for Gary. 414 00:18:25,443 --> 00:18:27,683 He'd actually broken up with Olivia 415 00:18:27,763 --> 00:18:29,923 and met another girl and he seemed happy. 416 00:18:30,003 --> 00:18:33,123 I was aware that he'd got with somebody else. 417 00:18:33,203 --> 00:18:34,643 And I thought, thank God for that. 418 00:18:34,723 --> 00:18:36,963 He's got rid of her and, you know, 419 00:18:37,043 --> 00:18:38,043 he'd met a nice girl. 420 00:18:39,603 --> 00:18:41,963 And things seemed to be going well. 421 00:18:42,043 --> 00:18:43,963 [narrator] But the relief at Gary no longer being 422 00:18:44,043 --> 00:18:45,683 -with Olivia is short-lived. -[tense music] 423 00:18:45,763 --> 00:18:47,923 They parted ways and he went back to Olivia. 424 00:18:48,003 --> 00:18:51,683 When Gary stayed at mine in the December in 2018, 425 00:18:51,763 --> 00:18:54,123 Olivia was ringing his phone out. 426 00:18:55,283 --> 00:18:58,043 I then text him on New Year's Eve saying, 427 00:18:58,123 --> 00:19:00,923 "I can't believe that you've gone back to her. 428 00:19:01,003 --> 00:19:02,723 I hope nothing bad happens to you." 429 00:19:02,803 --> 00:19:05,043 [narrator] Gary's father is less forgiving 430 00:19:05,123 --> 00:19:07,803 of the woman who has twice stabbed his son. 431 00:19:07,883 --> 00:19:09,803 And Gary's words to me was, 432 00:19:10,603 --> 00:19:12,123 "I've got somebody here to see you." 433 00:19:12,203 --> 00:19:14,003 He brought her in through the back door 434 00:19:15,043 --> 00:19:16,523 and she had a bottle of vodka. 435 00:19:17,883 --> 00:19:20,883 And he says, "She's got that bottle of vodka 436 00:19:20,963 --> 00:19:22,483 just to apologize for what's happened." 437 00:19:22,563 --> 00:19:25,083 I said, "I do not want that woman in my house. 438 00:19:25,163 --> 00:19:26,283 What she's done to you, 439 00:19:26,363 --> 00:19:27,883 you expect me to sit there 440 00:19:27,963 --> 00:19:31,283 and let her walk around my house freely? No." 441 00:19:31,363 --> 00:19:32,603 I said, "Get her out." 442 00:19:32,683 --> 00:19:34,643 But Gary's his own kind of person. 443 00:19:34,723 --> 00:19:37,163 He was very independent, Gary was, in that sense. 444 00:19:37,243 --> 00:19:40,723 If he's gonna do something, it doesn't matter what you tell him. 445 00:19:40,803 --> 00:19:42,003 [tense music] 446 00:19:42,083 --> 00:19:44,923 [narrator] Gary cannot resist what Olivia has to offer. 447 00:19:45,003 --> 00:19:48,243 -He ended up going back to Olivia. -[upbeat music] 448 00:19:48,323 --> 00:19:49,443 I think personally, 449 00:19:49,523 --> 00:19:52,083 just to go back on the drink and the cocaine, no doubt. 450 00:19:52,163 --> 00:19:55,763 ♪ Say what you like, mate ♪ 451 00:19:55,843 --> 00:19:58,163 ♪ I don't mind ♪ 452 00:19:58,243 --> 00:20:00,323 ♪ I don't mind ♪ 453 00:20:00,403 --> 00:20:02,843 ♪ 'Cause I like drinking ♪ 454 00:20:02,923 --> 00:20:04,923 ♪ I like drinking ♪ 455 00:20:05,003 --> 00:20:07,083 We can see how difficult it is for them 456 00:20:07,163 --> 00:20:09,283 to support each other in their sobriety. 457 00:20:09,363 --> 00:20:11,083 We see them drinking together. 458 00:20:11,163 --> 00:20:13,363 But not only that, we see that when they're drinking, 459 00:20:13,443 --> 00:20:15,763 they drink to such levels that they end up 460 00:20:15,843 --> 00:20:19,043 in quite a toxic space where they accuse each other 461 00:20:19,123 --> 00:20:22,803 of actually engaging and acting in quite aggressive ways. 462 00:20:22,883 --> 00:20:25,523 I think he felt some kind of guilt on her. 463 00:20:27,283 --> 00:20:28,843 He didn't want to leave her 464 00:20:28,923 --> 00:20:33,523 because of her mental state and he felt sorry for her. 465 00:20:33,603 --> 00:20:35,643 [narrator] Possessiveness plays a big part 466 00:20:35,723 --> 00:20:37,283 -in their new dynamic. -[tense music] 467 00:20:37,363 --> 00:20:39,243 And that's where a lot of her jealousy come from, 468 00:20:39,323 --> 00:20:41,523 because she wanted to know all about this girl 469 00:20:41,603 --> 00:20:42,723 that he'd been seeing. 470 00:20:42,803 --> 00:20:45,283 He told me that he couldn't actually have my number stored 471 00:20:45,363 --> 00:20:48,443 in his mobile because it would spark arguments. 472 00:20:48,523 --> 00:20:50,763 Who's Abby? Et cetera. 473 00:20:50,843 --> 00:20:53,283 [narrator] Once known for his happy-go-lucky nature, 474 00:20:53,363 --> 00:20:56,083 friends start to see a change in Gary. 475 00:20:56,163 --> 00:20:59,963 When I saw Gary in the December of 2018, 476 00:21:00,043 --> 00:21:02,083 I said to him, "You look unwell." 477 00:21:02,163 --> 00:21:04,683 And he had visibly lost weight. 478 00:21:04,763 --> 00:21:06,083 She wore him down 479 00:21:06,163 --> 00:21:10,603 and he put on a mask 480 00:21:11,403 --> 00:21:12,883 to make out if it was okay. 481 00:21:12,963 --> 00:21:16,163 And really, behind that mask, he was hurting. 482 00:21:16,243 --> 00:21:17,963 His mental health declined. 483 00:21:19,043 --> 00:21:21,563 He told me he felt suicidal. 484 00:21:21,643 --> 00:21:24,323 The way she spoke to him in front of people, 485 00:21:24,403 --> 00:21:26,483 just derogatory comments 486 00:21:26,563 --> 00:21:28,003 and they just weren't kind. 487 00:21:28,083 --> 00:21:31,083 It was more psychological, mental abuse, 488 00:21:31,163 --> 00:21:33,243 trying to wind him down. 489 00:21:33,323 --> 00:21:34,963 And he was fed up at sometimes. 490 00:21:35,043 --> 00:21:36,563 You could hear it. 491 00:21:36,643 --> 00:21:41,043 She hurts him to a point where it has an impact 492 00:21:41,123 --> 00:21:43,003 but it doesn't actually cause the relationship 493 00:21:43,083 --> 00:21:44,683 to disintegrate. [melancholy music] 494 00:21:44,763 --> 00:21:47,563 It was a toxic relationship. They wasn't right for each other. 495 00:21:47,643 --> 00:21:51,243 But they can't quite let each other go, but they can't quite be together. 496 00:21:52,163 --> 00:21:54,963 I just got to the stage where I was sick of telling him, 497 00:21:55,043 --> 00:21:56,523 to be quite honest. 498 00:21:56,603 --> 00:22:00,123 You get to the stage where you can only tell him so much 499 00:22:00,203 --> 00:22:01,563 and if they're not gonna listen, 500 00:22:01,643 --> 00:22:03,763 there's not much you can do about it, unfortunately. 501 00:22:03,843 --> 00:22:06,963 [narrator] Those close to Gary now seriously fear for his safety. 502 00:22:07,043 --> 00:22:08,563 I actually said to Gary, 503 00:22:08,643 --> 00:22:11,683 "If you don't leave, something drastic will happen." 504 00:22:11,763 --> 00:22:13,083 [tense music] 505 00:22:13,163 --> 00:22:15,963 The stories started to come through from friends 506 00:22:16,043 --> 00:22:19,363 about how they'd been in his house 507 00:22:19,443 --> 00:22:21,843 and she told one of Gary's friends, 508 00:22:21,923 --> 00:22:25,323 "I could kill him and get away with it 509 00:22:25,403 --> 00:22:28,963 and use my post-traumatic stress disorder as an excuse, 510 00:22:29,043 --> 00:22:32,323 'cause I've been in the army and I've served." 511 00:22:32,403 --> 00:22:35,163 He told me he was scared of her. 512 00:22:35,243 --> 00:22:37,123 He didn't know what she was capable of. 513 00:22:37,203 --> 00:22:39,683 [tense music continues] 514 00:22:40,643 --> 00:22:44,723 -[tense music] -[traffic whooshing] 515 00:22:45,883 --> 00:22:48,443 [narrator] On February the 23rd, Gary Cunningham Sr. 516 00:22:48,523 --> 00:22:50,643 receives a call from his son. 517 00:22:50,723 --> 00:22:54,363 On the evening around about 8:00 on the Friday, I think it was, 518 00:22:54,443 --> 00:22:56,403 I get a phone call off Gary. 519 00:22:58,123 --> 00:23:02,643 And he says to me, "Dad, can you come and pick me up?" 520 00:23:02,723 --> 00:23:04,123 [narrator] It's a recurring theme. 521 00:23:04,203 --> 00:23:06,523 Since losing his license the previous year, 522 00:23:06,603 --> 00:23:09,163 Gary's relied on his father for lifts. 523 00:23:09,243 --> 00:23:12,323 Obviously I knew that he was banned from driving 524 00:23:12,403 --> 00:23:14,563 and he'd probably spent all his money on, 525 00:23:14,643 --> 00:23:16,043 you know, drinking the night before. 526 00:23:16,123 --> 00:23:18,003 So most of the time if he phoned me, 527 00:23:18,083 --> 00:23:19,563 I'd, you know, go and pick him up. 528 00:23:19,643 --> 00:23:21,403 [narrator] That weekend, Gary Cunningham Sr. 529 00:23:21,483 --> 00:23:24,483 is away with his wife, Louise, in Herefordshire. 530 00:23:24,563 --> 00:23:26,083 I said, "You know where I am son?" 531 00:23:26,163 --> 00:23:28,883 I says, "Gary, I can't physically do it. 532 00:23:28,963 --> 00:23:29,963 It's getting late 533 00:23:30,043 --> 00:23:31,763 and you expect me to drive all the way back." 534 00:23:31,843 --> 00:23:33,243 I says, "I dunno. 535 00:23:33,323 --> 00:23:34,803 Find another way of getting back. 536 00:23:34,883 --> 00:23:37,843 You can't expect me to do this every time you phone me." 537 00:23:37,923 --> 00:23:40,083 [narrator] Gary Sr. has seen it all before. 538 00:23:40,163 --> 00:23:42,723 "Yeah, but, Dad, I need you to pick me up," he said. 539 00:23:43,723 --> 00:23:46,243 He says, "She's having to go at me. 540 00:23:46,323 --> 00:23:47,963 We're arguing," he says. 541 00:23:48,043 --> 00:23:49,283 "I need to get out of here." 542 00:23:49,363 --> 00:23:50,683 [narrator] But this time, 543 00:23:50,763 --> 00:23:53,003 Gary will have to find his own way home. 544 00:23:54,123 --> 00:23:56,883 To be quite honest, because he was with her, 545 00:23:56,963 --> 00:23:58,683 it's probably one of the main reasons 546 00:23:58,763 --> 00:24:00,083 why I didn't pick him up. 547 00:24:00,163 --> 00:24:02,843 'Cause he knew I didn't want him to be with her. 548 00:24:02,923 --> 00:24:04,603 And he obviously wasn't taking any notice 549 00:24:04,683 --> 00:24:06,163 of what I was asking him to do. 550 00:24:07,043 --> 00:24:07,963 So… 551 00:24:09,043 --> 00:24:11,483 That's probably one of the reasons 552 00:24:11,563 --> 00:24:14,963 why I didn't make the effort to drive all the way back home. 553 00:24:15,043 --> 00:24:17,043 So he says, "You can't pick me up then?" 554 00:24:17,123 --> 00:24:18,963 I says, "No, son, I can't." 555 00:24:19,043 --> 00:24:23,123 And that was the last conversation I had with him. 556 00:24:23,203 --> 00:24:27,123 [tense music continues] 557 00:24:27,203 --> 00:24:29,563 [tense music] 558 00:24:31,163 --> 00:24:33,443 [narrator] In the leafy Birmingham suburb of Harborne, 559 00:24:33,523 --> 00:24:36,163 -a discovery. -[tense music continues] 560 00:24:36,243 --> 00:24:40,563 At around about 11 o'clock on the morning of the 23rd of February, 2019, 561 00:24:40,643 --> 00:24:42,883 the police received a treble 9 call 562 00:24:42,963 --> 00:24:44,603 from a member of the public 563 00:24:44,683 --> 00:24:46,043 who was clearly distressed 564 00:24:46,123 --> 00:24:48,203 and had found a male lifeless 565 00:24:48,283 --> 00:24:52,363 in the stairwell just outside Olivia's address. 566 00:24:52,443 --> 00:24:54,763 I believe a delivery driver actually found Gary 567 00:24:54,843 --> 00:24:56,483 at the bottom of the stairs. 568 00:24:56,563 --> 00:24:59,723 They identify that the victim is Gary. 569 00:24:59,803 --> 00:25:03,363 And so they go up to Olivia's address and knock on the door. 570 00:25:03,443 --> 00:25:05,483 [narrator] Nine miles away in Northfield, Birmingham, 571 00:25:05,563 --> 00:25:08,083 the news reaches Gary's sister, Katie. 572 00:25:08,163 --> 00:25:11,883 She said, "She's done this to my brother." 573 00:25:13,243 --> 00:25:14,883 And they said, "Who?" 574 00:25:14,963 --> 00:25:17,163 She said, "His girlfriend. She's done this." 575 00:25:17,243 --> 00:25:19,163 And they said, "What makes you think that?" 576 00:25:19,243 --> 00:25:22,883 And she said, "Because she's been abusive to my brother. 577 00:25:22,963 --> 00:25:25,923 And a few months ago, she stabbed him before." 578 00:25:26,003 --> 00:25:29,123 [narrator] Gary's father is next to get the news. 579 00:25:29,203 --> 00:25:30,443 We had a knock at the door. 580 00:25:30,523 --> 00:25:34,843 It was Katie with her friend, Kellie, and the police. 581 00:25:35,763 --> 00:25:38,123 I didn't realize at the time it was the police. 582 00:25:40,763 --> 00:25:42,323 Katie came in. She says, 583 00:25:44,723 --> 00:25:45,843 "You need to sit down." 584 00:25:47,403 --> 00:25:49,163 [melancholy music continues] 585 00:25:49,243 --> 00:25:50,883 I says to Katie, I says, 586 00:25:52,923 --> 00:25:54,923 "Why do I need to sit down? 587 00:25:55,003 --> 00:25:56,923 Don't need to sit down. Don't be stupid." 588 00:25:58,723 --> 00:26:00,283 And I remember standing there 589 00:26:00,363 --> 00:26:03,163 when they told the mom and the dad what had happened. 590 00:26:03,243 --> 00:26:05,883 And they fell apart. 591 00:26:07,483 --> 00:26:10,203 And that was when the police told me that 592 00:26:13,243 --> 00:26:15,603 found the body at the landing. 593 00:26:17,523 --> 00:26:20,003 "How do you know it's Gary?" 594 00:26:20,083 --> 00:26:23,923 And she says, "He's been formally identified." 595 00:26:26,563 --> 00:26:29,083 I watched them die that night themselves. 596 00:26:29,163 --> 00:26:31,523 It was the worst thing I've ever seen. 597 00:26:31,603 --> 00:26:34,683 They says, "All we know is 598 00:26:37,483 --> 00:26:39,923 that he'd been stabbed 599 00:26:41,763 --> 00:26:43,483 and there's somebody under arrest 600 00:26:45,203 --> 00:26:46,243 for the stabbing." 601 00:26:47,283 --> 00:26:49,403 I even says to the police, I says, "I know who it is." 602 00:26:49,483 --> 00:26:51,843 I said, "It's Olivia, isn't it?" 603 00:26:51,923 --> 00:26:54,323 [narrator] It is a line of inquiry that police are pursuing. 604 00:26:55,723 --> 00:26:57,923 When police arrived at Olivia's address 605 00:26:58,003 --> 00:27:01,283 and broke the news to her that Gary was dead, 606 00:27:01,363 --> 00:27:04,763 her reaction was extremely strange, to say the least. 607 00:27:04,843 --> 00:27:07,443 [narrator] She appears to know nothing of what's gone on. 608 00:27:07,523 --> 00:27:10,803 She was sitting in her pajamas, drinking vodka. 609 00:27:10,883 --> 00:27:12,683 She's just lying there watching TV 610 00:27:12,763 --> 00:27:14,323 as if she ain't got a care in the world. 611 00:27:14,403 --> 00:27:15,843 Watching Mrs. Doubtfire, 612 00:27:15,923 --> 00:27:18,683 seemingly unaware of what had happened. 613 00:27:18,763 --> 00:27:21,403 The police asked if there's anything had gone on. 614 00:27:21,483 --> 00:27:23,683 "No, nothing's gone on here. Why?" 615 00:27:23,763 --> 00:27:26,203 [narrator] But it's clear to police that something has gone on. 616 00:27:27,083 --> 00:27:31,043 Police also found a bloodstained pink knife in the sink, 617 00:27:31,123 --> 00:27:32,283 which was an indication 618 00:27:32,363 --> 00:27:34,563 that something violent had transpired in that space. 619 00:27:34,643 --> 00:27:36,403 And so Olivia is arrested 620 00:27:36,483 --> 00:27:38,803 on suspicion of Gary's murder. 621 00:27:38,883 --> 00:27:41,523 And her response is fairly nonchalant. 622 00:27:41,603 --> 00:27:43,763 You know, she doesn't seem overly bothered by that. 623 00:27:43,843 --> 00:27:45,243 Doesn't seem surprised. 624 00:27:45,323 --> 00:27:47,123 They arrested her in handcuffs 625 00:27:47,203 --> 00:27:49,043 and took her out past Gary's body, 626 00:27:50,203 --> 00:27:52,683 because she apparently turned round to the officers, 627 00:27:52,763 --> 00:27:54,363 "I was supposed to have done that. 628 00:27:55,483 --> 00:27:56,643 You're having to laugh. 629 00:27:56,723 --> 00:27:58,403 I haven't done that." 630 00:27:58,483 --> 00:28:00,603 She told the police that he'd killed himself. 631 00:28:00,683 --> 00:28:02,443 [narrator] Police will have to build a case. 632 00:28:02,523 --> 00:28:03,843 There will be no confession. 633 00:28:03,923 --> 00:28:05,203 A known substance abuser, 634 00:28:05,283 --> 00:28:07,483 Olivia's blood is taken for testing. 635 00:28:07,563 --> 00:28:10,523 And that comes back that she has both cocaine 636 00:28:10,603 --> 00:28:12,083 and alcohol in her system. 637 00:28:12,163 --> 00:28:14,883 Didn't admit she had drugs in. It was just alcohol. 638 00:28:14,963 --> 00:28:17,683 Even though she tested positive for cocaine, 639 00:28:17,763 --> 00:28:19,923 she still said to the police on the interview 640 00:28:20,003 --> 00:28:22,123 that she never took cocaine in her life. 641 00:28:22,203 --> 00:28:26,123 When you look at the levels of cocaine and alcohol 642 00:28:26,203 --> 00:28:28,243 that was in Olivia's bloodstream 643 00:28:28,323 --> 00:28:30,643 at the time of the murder, 644 00:28:30,723 --> 00:28:32,003 I would say that, 645 00:28:32,083 --> 00:28:33,643 although she shouldn't be behind a wheel 646 00:28:33,723 --> 00:28:35,043 and driving a car, 647 00:28:35,123 --> 00:28:38,603 she should be fully aware of what her actions are. 648 00:28:38,683 --> 00:28:40,443 [narrator] A postmortem on Gary shows evidence 649 00:28:40,523 --> 00:28:41,643 of a frenzied attack. 650 00:28:41,723 --> 00:28:44,443 There are multiple injuries on his body. 651 00:28:44,523 --> 00:28:48,123 He had a stab wound to his chest, 652 00:28:48,203 --> 00:28:52,083 but the fatal blow was actually to the back of his leg. 653 00:28:52,163 --> 00:28:54,883 And, in fact, there were three stab wounds to the back of his legs. 654 00:28:54,963 --> 00:28:58,363 Nobody deserves to die in the manner that Gary died. 655 00:28:58,443 --> 00:29:02,123 That's another thing that's really difficult to take. 656 00:29:02,203 --> 00:29:04,203 The fact that he was just left. 657 00:29:04,283 --> 00:29:05,563 From what I understand, 658 00:29:05,643 --> 00:29:07,203 he could have actually been saved 659 00:29:07,283 --> 00:29:09,443 if somebody would've reached him in time. 660 00:29:09,523 --> 00:29:11,883 If an ambulance would've got there or, you know, the police 661 00:29:11,963 --> 00:29:14,003 or if somebody just would've picked up the phone. 662 00:29:14,083 --> 00:29:15,563 But, unfortunately, that didn't happen 663 00:29:15,643 --> 00:29:18,683 and he was left there for a long time during the night. 664 00:29:18,763 --> 00:29:21,123 [tense music] 665 00:29:21,203 --> 00:29:23,123 [narrator] Having been informed of Gary's death, 666 00:29:23,203 --> 00:29:26,523 his family are invited to view his body in the mortuary. 667 00:29:26,603 --> 00:29:29,323 We wanted to remember him the way he was. 668 00:29:30,763 --> 00:29:33,363 He'd been identified by fingerprints. 669 00:29:33,443 --> 00:29:36,203 It was a few days later that his sister, Katie, 670 00:29:36,283 --> 00:29:39,843 actually physically identified him. 671 00:29:43,923 --> 00:29:46,563 Me and Katie went and we identified him. 672 00:29:46,643 --> 00:29:49,323 And we was told we wasn't allowed to touch him 673 00:29:49,403 --> 00:29:52,363 because he was classed as a murder scene 674 00:29:52,443 --> 00:29:54,723 and they needed to preserve all evidence. 675 00:29:54,803 --> 00:29:56,043 So I spoke to him. 676 00:29:56,923 --> 00:29:58,483 And he looked peaceful. 677 00:29:58,563 --> 00:30:01,243 And he still had the cheeky grin on his face. 678 00:30:01,643 --> 00:30:04,243 And I said, "It's gonna be okay. 679 00:30:04,323 --> 00:30:06,643 You're at peace now. I dunno what's happened to you, 680 00:30:06,723 --> 00:30:10,603 but you're at peace, so rest." 681 00:30:10,683 --> 00:30:11,843 [tense music continues] 682 00:30:11,923 --> 00:30:13,603 [narrator] The question remained, 683 00:30:13,683 --> 00:30:16,323 what had happened to Gary Cunningham? 684 00:30:16,763 --> 00:30:18,723 Having been processed and in custody, 685 00:30:18,803 --> 00:30:22,083 Olivia is then interviewed by murder squad detectives 686 00:30:22,163 --> 00:30:24,403 and they put a number of questions to her. 687 00:30:24,883 --> 00:30:26,203 And at that point, 688 00:30:26,283 --> 00:30:28,843 Olivia decides to go no comment 689 00:30:28,923 --> 00:30:31,003 and doesn't answer any questions put to her 690 00:30:31,083 --> 00:30:32,563 by the police officers. 691 00:30:33,203 --> 00:30:36,603 [narrator] Olivia may not be talking, but her phone tells a story. 692 00:30:36,683 --> 00:30:38,603 It's commonplace in any investigation 693 00:30:38,683 --> 00:30:41,443 to seize and examine mobile phones. 694 00:30:41,523 --> 00:30:44,563 And that's exactly what they did in this particular case. 695 00:30:44,643 --> 00:30:47,363 What they discovered was that there were a number of text messages sent 696 00:30:47,443 --> 00:30:49,323 between Olivia and Gary, 697 00:30:49,403 --> 00:30:51,843 clearly showing that there had been a number of arguments 698 00:30:51,923 --> 00:30:55,243 and, on occasions, violent outbursts. 699 00:30:55,323 --> 00:30:58,123 We've seen other messages where there'd been other men 700 00:30:58,203 --> 00:31:00,883 who she was also seeing as well as Gary. 701 00:31:00,963 --> 00:31:03,443 We found that Olivia had sent previous messages 702 00:31:03,523 --> 00:31:05,563 to other partners in the past. 703 00:31:05,643 --> 00:31:08,963 And she was clearly the aggressor in each of those messages. 704 00:31:09,483 --> 00:31:11,483 Lot of sexual talking, 705 00:31:12,523 --> 00:31:14,803 putting herself out there with the messages. 706 00:31:15,963 --> 00:31:17,083 She's very confident. 707 00:31:17,163 --> 00:31:19,883 She's a very confident girl with her messages. 708 00:31:19,963 --> 00:31:23,243 [narrator] Police now believe they have sufficient evidence to move forward. 709 00:31:23,323 --> 00:31:26,683 Olivia is eventually charged with Gary's murder 710 00:31:26,763 --> 00:31:29,563 and she's placed on remand and sent to prison. 711 00:31:29,643 --> 00:31:31,643 [narrator] But there is an unexpected twist. 712 00:31:31,723 --> 00:31:33,563 On remand in prison awaiting trial, 713 00:31:33,643 --> 00:31:35,803 Olivia makes an allegation. 714 00:31:35,883 --> 00:31:38,763 We found out by the police that she'd phoned, 715 00:31:38,843 --> 00:31:42,123 Olivia had phoned the police from the prison 716 00:31:42,683 --> 00:31:45,483 to report a sexual offense. 717 00:31:45,563 --> 00:31:48,283 She even said that Gary had raped her the night 718 00:31:48,363 --> 00:31:49,523 that he was killed. 719 00:31:49,603 --> 00:31:51,643 There was no evidence of that. 720 00:31:51,723 --> 00:31:55,363 And I think this is potentially part of Olivia's manipulation 721 00:31:55,603 --> 00:31:58,923 in that she's had time to reflect on the seriousness 722 00:31:59,003 --> 00:32:01,643 of what has happened between her and Gary, 723 00:32:01,723 --> 00:32:05,843 and she's now trying to get a defense in fairly early on 724 00:32:05,923 --> 00:32:09,683 and trying to discredit Gary and show him as the aggressor. 725 00:32:09,763 --> 00:32:14,403 So basically a counter allegation against Gary. 726 00:32:14,483 --> 00:32:18,563 [narrator] Olivia shows no intention of taking responsibility for Gary's murder. 727 00:32:18,643 --> 00:32:22,683 Her allegation may see any verdict reduced to manslaughter. 728 00:32:22,763 --> 00:32:25,443 Her actions are response to the rape. 729 00:32:25,523 --> 00:32:27,483 She'd admitted to manslaughter 730 00:32:28,923 --> 00:32:30,283 and that wasn't good enough for us. 731 00:32:30,363 --> 00:32:32,043 We wanted murder. 732 00:32:32,123 --> 00:32:35,843 The prosecution were a bit apprehensive at first, 733 00:32:35,923 --> 00:32:37,683 but we eventually convinced them 734 00:32:37,763 --> 00:32:40,523 that we believe it's murder, 735 00:32:40,603 --> 00:32:42,043 especially 12 times 736 00:32:43,683 --> 00:32:44,643 of stabbing. 737 00:32:44,723 --> 00:32:47,683 [melancholy music] 738 00:32:49,123 --> 00:32:50,523 [narrator] In the summer of 2019 739 00:32:50,603 --> 00:32:51,803 at Birmingham Crown Court, 740 00:32:51,883 --> 00:32:54,403 Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow stands trial 741 00:32:54,483 --> 00:32:55,683 for killing Gary Cunningham. 742 00:32:55,763 --> 00:32:58,763 Her defense paints a picture of Gary as violent. 743 00:32:59,843 --> 00:33:03,483 During the trial, it came out, as we expected, 744 00:33:03,563 --> 00:33:07,683 that Gary had previous convictions for violence. 745 00:33:07,763 --> 00:33:10,843 And Olivia used that to her advantage 746 00:33:10,923 --> 00:33:12,643 to paint this picture of Gary, 747 00:33:12,723 --> 00:33:16,763 who was a violent individual, would regularly assault her. 748 00:33:16,843 --> 00:33:19,643 [narrator] Gary's family is shocked by Olivia's behavior in court. 749 00:33:20,643 --> 00:33:22,843 Very aggressive kind of attitude, 750 00:33:25,963 --> 00:33:29,523 as if to say why am I here kind of thing. 751 00:33:29,603 --> 00:33:31,923 It was evident from the day that trial started 752 00:33:32,003 --> 00:33:36,443 she was gonna try and manipulate that whole trial. 753 00:33:36,523 --> 00:33:39,923 You know, to me, 754 00:33:40,003 --> 00:33:44,003 it come across as though she wasn't expecting 755 00:33:44,083 --> 00:33:45,643 any kind of, you know, 756 00:33:45,723 --> 00:33:48,243 sentence or punishment for what she'd done to Gary, 757 00:33:48,323 --> 00:33:49,603 as if she was above the law. 758 00:33:50,803 --> 00:33:53,403 She never had an inch of remorse. 759 00:33:53,483 --> 00:33:56,163 One day she was actually laughing with the security guards 760 00:33:56,243 --> 00:33:59,723 that were in behind the screen at the courts. 761 00:33:59,803 --> 00:34:01,643 [narrator] Olivia's case rests on the fact 762 00:34:01,723 --> 00:34:04,723 that she has acted in self-defense. 763 00:34:04,803 --> 00:34:08,643 Basically saying that she'd been raped by Gary. 764 00:34:09,722 --> 00:34:12,843 They took her underwear, they tested everything for DNA. 765 00:34:12,923 --> 00:34:15,843 There was nothing. No bruising, no nothing. 766 00:34:15,923 --> 00:34:18,003 [narrator] The court learns of another allegation, 767 00:34:18,083 --> 00:34:20,643 this time made to a health professional, 768 00:34:20,722 --> 00:34:24,043 an historical one relating to a babysitter. 769 00:34:24,123 --> 00:34:26,603 She would also know that anything she discloses 770 00:34:26,682 --> 00:34:30,523 to the psychiatrist as part of her trial defense 771 00:34:30,603 --> 00:34:32,202 would also be disclosed. 772 00:34:32,282 --> 00:34:34,563 And she said that she was sexually abused 773 00:34:34,643 --> 00:34:36,083 as a child herself. 774 00:34:36,163 --> 00:34:38,682 So, again, I think this is part of her manipulation 775 00:34:38,762 --> 00:34:41,202 to try and minimize what she has done 776 00:34:41,282 --> 00:34:42,682 and put all the blame on Gary. 777 00:34:42,762 --> 00:34:44,123 Well, there's no evidence. 778 00:34:44,202 --> 00:34:45,363 [tense music] 779 00:34:45,443 --> 00:34:47,083 [narrator] For Gary's loved ones, 780 00:34:47,163 --> 00:34:50,643 hers was a performance aimed at manipulating the jury. 781 00:34:50,722 --> 00:34:51,963 When the court case started, 782 00:34:52,043 --> 00:34:55,523 she come in looking like smart with a suit on, hair done. 783 00:34:55,603 --> 00:34:57,843 She sat down in the court 784 00:34:57,923 --> 00:35:01,323 and she was prepared to sit 785 00:35:01,403 --> 00:35:04,243 and take questions from her side. 786 00:35:04,323 --> 00:35:07,923 She sat down there for probably an hour plus, 787 00:35:08,003 --> 00:35:11,923 answering questions from the defense side. 788 00:35:12,003 --> 00:35:13,563 Not a problem. [tense music continues] 789 00:35:13,643 --> 00:35:16,443 But then when it was time for her to give her evidence, 790 00:35:16,523 --> 00:35:18,443 she came in with her hair scraped back 791 00:35:18,523 --> 00:35:20,363 with a cardigan all folded, 792 00:35:20,443 --> 00:35:23,683 looking very like she has been the victim. 793 00:35:23,763 --> 00:35:27,603 [narrator] Gary's family were keen to hear what Olivia had to say. 794 00:35:27,683 --> 00:35:31,803 As soon as it come to taking the stand, which she did, 795 00:35:31,883 --> 00:35:34,483 which obviously we couldn't wait for because, you know, 796 00:35:34,563 --> 00:35:36,323 hopefully we might get some explanations. 797 00:35:36,403 --> 00:35:38,763 But we knew she was gonna get taken apart 798 00:35:38,843 --> 00:35:39,963 by the prosecution. 799 00:35:41,043 --> 00:35:42,323 Absolutely knew that. 800 00:35:42,403 --> 00:35:45,123 And then when it came to being cross-examined, 801 00:35:45,203 --> 00:35:47,243 she lasted half an hour 802 00:35:47,323 --> 00:35:50,963 and then she refused to give evidence and she refused to come back to court. 803 00:35:52,003 --> 00:35:54,883 [narrator] Olivia had had enough of the cross-examination. 804 00:35:54,963 --> 00:35:56,883 She says she can't do this no more. 805 00:35:58,603 --> 00:36:00,883 "I wanna go back to the prison cell," she says. 806 00:36:00,963 --> 00:36:03,763 Which I think is a bit of a cop out, to be quite honest. 807 00:36:03,843 --> 00:36:05,563 That's her little get-out clause 808 00:36:05,643 --> 00:36:08,083 for not facing up and answering questions 809 00:36:08,163 --> 00:36:09,963 that we need to hear. 810 00:36:10,043 --> 00:36:12,083 What happened that night and why you did it? 811 00:36:12,163 --> 00:36:14,963 I feel like she just thought it was a game. 812 00:36:15,043 --> 00:36:18,923 They eventually took her away back and to the prison 813 00:36:19,003 --> 00:36:21,363 and she didn't show up. 814 00:36:21,443 --> 00:36:23,003 She refused to come to court 815 00:36:23,083 --> 00:36:25,323 for the rest of the part of the court session. 816 00:36:25,403 --> 00:36:29,003 [narrator] After 15 days of trial, the jury arrives with its verdict. 817 00:36:29,083 --> 00:36:31,003 At stake, is she a murderer 818 00:36:31,083 --> 00:36:34,003 or has she killed with diminished responsibility? 819 00:36:34,083 --> 00:36:35,923 One sentence for murder carries life, 820 00:36:36,003 --> 00:36:39,883 the other, manslaughter, can be a short term in prison. 821 00:36:39,963 --> 00:36:43,043 The jury then came back with a conviction. 822 00:36:43,123 --> 00:36:44,923 So she was tried for murder, 823 00:36:45,003 --> 00:36:47,043 but unfortunately she was convicted of manslaughter 824 00:36:47,123 --> 00:36:49,403 under diminished responsibility, 825 00:36:49,483 --> 00:36:51,483 claiming that she didn't know what she was doing, 826 00:36:51,563 --> 00:36:53,123 she had mental health problems. 827 00:36:53,203 --> 00:36:56,643 And she thought she could win and walk from it. 828 00:36:56,723 --> 00:36:58,323 But luckily she never. 829 00:37:00,083 --> 00:37:03,283 [narrator] Three weeks after her trial on September 10th, 2019, 830 00:37:03,363 --> 00:37:05,483 Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow is sentenced 831 00:37:05,563 --> 00:37:08,123 to 18 years for the manslaughter of Gary. 832 00:37:08,203 --> 00:37:10,203 It was pretty good actually. 18 years. 833 00:37:11,283 --> 00:37:14,443 I thought that was pretty good. We was quite happy with that. 834 00:37:14,523 --> 00:37:17,683 [narrator] But Gary's family's relief is short-lived. 835 00:37:17,763 --> 00:37:20,003 -She hasn't finished yet. -[tense music continues] 836 00:37:20,083 --> 00:37:22,763 Her and her defense team mounted an appeal 837 00:37:22,843 --> 00:37:26,163 against the conviction saying it was unsafe. 838 00:37:26,243 --> 00:37:27,563 Couldn't believe it. 839 00:37:27,643 --> 00:37:29,603 [narrator] It looks as if she'll walk free. 840 00:37:29,683 --> 00:37:32,883 [tense music continues] 841 00:37:34,283 --> 00:37:36,843 [tense music] 842 00:37:39,363 --> 00:37:42,603 The trauma is far from over for Gary's family. 843 00:37:42,683 --> 00:37:44,923 Olivia will not accept the verdict. 844 00:37:45,003 --> 00:37:46,003 The police told us 845 00:37:46,083 --> 00:37:47,643 that she'd appealed against her sentence. 846 00:37:49,243 --> 00:37:51,043 And it was obviously gonna be have to be heard 847 00:37:51,123 --> 00:37:52,923 in the High Court in London. 848 00:37:53,003 --> 00:37:55,083 [tense music continues] 849 00:37:55,163 --> 00:37:56,923 [narrator] On the 7th of October, 2019. 850 00:37:57,003 --> 00:37:59,803 Gary Cunningham Sr. attends the appeal. 851 00:37:59,883 --> 00:38:02,243 It will not end well for him. 852 00:38:02,323 --> 00:38:04,643 They didn't make a decision there and then. 853 00:38:06,043 --> 00:38:07,763 They went away obviously to discuss it 854 00:38:07,843 --> 00:38:09,963 and we found out approximately about two weeks later 855 00:38:10,043 --> 00:38:11,963 that the case had been quashed. 856 00:38:12,043 --> 00:38:13,883 [narrator] Having been convicted and sentenced 857 00:38:13,963 --> 00:38:15,963 for 18 years for killing Gary Cunningham, 858 00:38:16,043 --> 00:38:19,643 her conviction has been overturned due to a technicality. 859 00:38:19,723 --> 00:38:23,483 [tense music continues] 860 00:38:23,563 --> 00:38:26,883 The judge asked the jury to make up their own mind 861 00:38:26,963 --> 00:38:30,083 as to whether or not Gary's convictions were relevant. 862 00:38:30,163 --> 00:38:33,683 And if the defense hadn't proven the point 863 00:38:33,763 --> 00:38:37,643 that Gary was a violent individual, then they should dismiss it. 864 00:38:37,723 --> 00:38:40,683 When, in fact, actually, it was accepted 865 00:38:40,763 --> 00:38:43,003 that Gary had a violent past. 866 00:38:43,083 --> 00:38:45,043 But it wasn't for the defense to prove that. 867 00:38:45,123 --> 00:38:46,643 It was for the prosecution 868 00:38:46,723 --> 00:38:49,363 to prove that he wasn't violent on that occasion. 869 00:38:49,443 --> 00:38:51,483 So that conviction was quashed. 870 00:38:51,563 --> 00:38:54,883 [narrator] For Gary's family, it's a cruel blow. 871 00:38:54,963 --> 00:38:55,963 Absolutely gutted. 872 00:38:57,123 --> 00:38:59,323 A retrial was set 873 00:38:59,403 --> 00:39:04,563 and the defense and the prosecution went for another trial. 874 00:39:04,643 --> 00:39:07,683 So obviously we had to go through the whole process 875 00:39:09,083 --> 00:39:12,283 of going there and we had to see her walk in and out 876 00:39:12,363 --> 00:39:15,723 of the court every day with her mom, as free as a bird. 877 00:39:17,123 --> 00:39:19,963 [narrator] The verdict at the second trial is in the balance. 878 00:39:20,043 --> 00:39:21,883 You expect on a retrial 879 00:39:21,963 --> 00:39:24,083 that everyone's probably upped their game a little bit. 880 00:39:24,163 --> 00:39:26,163 You know, they've looked at the weaknesses 881 00:39:26,243 --> 00:39:29,923 in the first trial and they've addressed those weaknesses. 882 00:39:30,003 --> 00:39:31,283 And I think with Olivia, 883 00:39:31,363 --> 00:39:33,603 what this gave her an opportunity to do 884 00:39:33,683 --> 00:39:35,563 was give more time to the thought 885 00:39:35,643 --> 00:39:38,083 around the self-defense angle. 886 00:39:38,163 --> 00:39:40,643 She was trying to paint Gary in a bad way 887 00:39:40,723 --> 00:39:44,043 so she'd come out smelling as fresh as a daisy. 888 00:39:44,123 --> 00:39:45,603 So it wasn't nice for Gary and Louise, 889 00:39:45,683 --> 00:39:48,043 and there was a few times that they broke down. 890 00:39:48,123 --> 00:39:51,163 It was horrible to try and hear her say what she said. 891 00:39:51,243 --> 00:39:54,363 [narrator] Her case is that she stabbed as a way of defending herself. 892 00:39:54,443 --> 00:39:56,523 But actually when you look at self-defense, you know, 893 00:39:56,603 --> 00:39:59,163 she's got to be showing that she was defending herself 894 00:39:59,243 --> 00:40:00,483 because she feared for her life 895 00:40:00,563 --> 00:40:02,243 and that Gary was attacking her. 896 00:40:02,323 --> 00:40:05,923 Yet we couldn't find any obvious defensive injuries 897 00:40:06,003 --> 00:40:07,923 on Olivia at that time. 898 00:40:08,003 --> 00:40:11,043 [narrator] Her defense tactics are not successful. 899 00:40:11,123 --> 00:40:12,283 I knew the jury would come 900 00:40:12,363 --> 00:40:15,163 to virtually the same conclusion, 901 00:40:15,243 --> 00:40:18,603 because it doesn't take a barrister or a judge 902 00:40:18,683 --> 00:40:20,443 to work out the kind of woman that she is, 903 00:40:20,523 --> 00:40:22,683 to be quite honest. 904 00:40:22,763 --> 00:40:23,923 And she didn't give an account 905 00:40:24,003 --> 00:40:26,723 of self-defense at that time, and I think that was her downfall. 906 00:40:26,803 --> 00:40:28,923 She did nothing to call the ambulance, 907 00:40:29,003 --> 00:40:30,243 to call the police, 908 00:40:30,323 --> 00:40:32,403 and explain what had gone on at that time. 909 00:40:32,483 --> 00:40:37,043 Arch manipulator was the chosen words from the judge 910 00:40:39,323 --> 00:40:41,163 and the second judge seen right through her. 911 00:40:42,003 --> 00:40:43,563 And obviously the jury as well. 912 00:40:43,643 --> 00:40:46,123 The words that stuck out for me in that court 913 00:40:46,203 --> 00:40:49,563 was from the judge when he sentenced her. 914 00:40:49,643 --> 00:40:52,043 He said, "You're a very clever girl, 915 00:40:52,123 --> 00:40:54,403 but you have manipulated 916 00:40:54,483 --> 00:40:56,403 and you have continued to try and manipulate 917 00:40:56,483 --> 00:40:59,323 this whole system with your games." 918 00:40:59,403 --> 00:41:03,643 She did it to get what she wanted from who she wanted. 919 00:41:03,723 --> 00:41:05,243 And I thought that was quite telling. 920 00:41:05,323 --> 00:41:08,323 And actually when you look at her behaviors after charge 921 00:41:08,403 --> 00:41:11,083 and in prison forming this kind of defense, 922 00:41:11,163 --> 00:41:14,803 I think that was pretty spot on, to be honest. 923 00:41:14,883 --> 00:41:16,723 [narrator] On the 2nd of July, 2021, 924 00:41:16,803 --> 00:41:19,603 Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow is again found guilty 925 00:41:19,683 --> 00:41:21,203 of the manslaughter of Gary Cunningham. 926 00:41:21,283 --> 00:41:24,683 This time, the sentence is 11 years in prison. 927 00:41:24,763 --> 00:41:26,523 There's a lot of hurt still, 928 00:41:26,603 --> 00:41:28,483 because they know 929 00:41:30,283 --> 00:41:33,083 she's never given her evidence. 930 00:41:35,203 --> 00:41:37,243 They don't know the truth. 931 00:41:37,323 --> 00:41:39,883 They never will know the truth, because she's a liar. 932 00:41:39,963 --> 00:41:42,323 So even if she does tell 'em something, 933 00:41:43,083 --> 00:41:45,883 it doesn't mean to say that what she said is true. 934 00:41:45,963 --> 00:41:49,843 So they'll always live in that we don't know. 935 00:41:49,923 --> 00:41:52,083 [narrator] Gary Cunningham Jr. stayed silent 936 00:41:52,163 --> 00:41:54,683 throughout his ordeal when being abused by Olivia 937 00:41:54,763 --> 00:41:56,683 over the time that he spent with her, 938 00:41:56,763 --> 00:42:01,283 partly from shame and partly to safeguard Olivia's son. 939 00:42:01,363 --> 00:42:03,443 But that was all in vain. 940 00:42:03,523 --> 00:42:05,243 In a tragedy that shocked the nation, 941 00:42:05,323 --> 00:42:07,683 Arthur Labinjo-Hughes was a name 942 00:42:07,763 --> 00:42:09,563 which would hit the headlines. 943 00:42:09,643 --> 00:42:11,563 Having been sentenced, 944 00:42:11,643 --> 00:42:14,243 Olivia is obviously out of the picture 945 00:42:14,323 --> 00:42:17,843 and her son Arthur is then placed with his natural father. 946 00:42:17,923 --> 00:42:19,403 A couple of years later, 947 00:42:19,483 --> 00:42:22,483 Arthur is killed through neglect 948 00:42:22,563 --> 00:42:24,603 by his father and stepmother. 949 00:42:24,683 --> 00:42:26,963 They are then prosecuted for his murder. 950 00:42:27,043 --> 00:42:29,043 This is particularly tragic because, 951 00:42:29,123 --> 00:42:32,123 not only have we got Gary as a victim, 952 00:42:32,203 --> 00:42:34,963 but we've now got Arthur at six years old. 953 00:42:36,043 --> 00:42:37,523 [narrator] Arthur's killers, 954 00:42:37,603 --> 00:42:39,523 Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes, 955 00:42:39,603 --> 00:42:41,563 were sentenced to life in prison 956 00:42:41,643 --> 00:42:45,243 for the murder of the toddler, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. 957 00:42:45,323 --> 00:42:48,283 Tustin will serve a minimum of 29 years, 958 00:42:48,363 --> 00:42:49,803 Hughes of 24. 959 00:42:51,163 --> 00:42:53,083 As for Gary's family and friends, 960 00:42:53,163 --> 00:42:57,243 they are determined that other men should not suffer 961 00:42:57,323 --> 00:42:59,803 in silence as Gary did. 962 00:42:59,883 --> 00:43:01,803 You read about these things, 963 00:43:03,643 --> 00:43:05,803 you don't expect it to happen to a member of your family, 964 00:43:05,883 --> 00:43:07,923 which, you know, when it does, 965 00:43:08,003 --> 00:43:10,243 -it's a real wake-up call. -[melancholy music] 966 00:43:10,323 --> 00:43:13,083 Basically, if there's any guys that are out there… 967 00:43:15,403 --> 00:43:17,523 you know, who are going through the same kind of thing 968 00:43:17,603 --> 00:43:20,443 and struggles, you just need to get out. 969 00:43:20,523 --> 00:43:22,203 You need to get away from it. 970 00:43:22,283 --> 00:43:24,003 [man 2] You sit back and start to think, hang on, 971 00:43:24,083 --> 00:43:26,163 exactly how much support is there out there 972 00:43:26,243 --> 00:43:28,283 for a male domestic side of things? 973 00:43:29,683 --> 00:43:33,923 [Abbs] I personally think that it needs to be spoken about more. 974 00:43:34,003 --> 00:43:36,323 There needs to be more campaigns. 975 00:43:36,403 --> 00:43:39,443 And, actually, it's okay not to be okay. 976 00:43:40,523 --> 00:43:43,203 [man 2] You probably would feel a bit shameful about it 977 00:43:43,283 --> 00:43:44,723 because, you know, you're a man. 978 00:43:44,803 --> 00:43:46,803 You're meant to be tough, you're meant to be strong. 979 00:43:46,883 --> 00:43:49,603 And reaching out and speaking to somebody about it, 980 00:43:49,683 --> 00:43:51,803 you don't want to be judged. 981 00:43:51,883 --> 00:43:54,283 No one deserves what he went through. 982 00:43:54,363 --> 00:43:56,563 No man, no woman, 983 00:43:56,643 --> 00:43:59,443 nobody should ever go through that. 984 00:43:59,523 --> 00:44:03,403 [man] Men should come forward and not be ashamed 985 00:44:03,483 --> 00:44:06,523 or, you know, scared of the consequences. 986 00:44:06,603 --> 00:44:07,443 It happens. 987 00:44:07,523 --> 00:44:10,003 Just need to find the strength and find the right guidance. 988 00:44:11,643 --> 00:44:15,803 And I'm sure, you know, things will be all okay in the end. 989 00:44:15,883 --> 00:44:20,643 [narrator] Now, those who love Gary keep him alive in their memories. 990 00:44:20,723 --> 00:44:23,923 Gary's one of those people you can't forget. 991 00:44:24,003 --> 00:44:25,203 You'll never forget him. 992 00:44:25,283 --> 00:44:26,563 He's one of these people 993 00:44:26,643 --> 00:44:28,563 that have come on this world to leave a mark. 994 00:44:28,643 --> 00:44:29,643 [man] We always talk about him 995 00:44:29,723 --> 00:44:32,643 and remember the stupid things that he'd done 996 00:44:32,723 --> 00:44:35,683 and what a good lad he was and… 997 00:44:38,523 --> 00:44:40,443 It shouldn't have happened. 998 00:44:40,523 --> 00:44:44,163 [melancholy music continues] 999 00:44:50,763 --> 00:44:53,323 [tense music] 1000 00:45:05,843 --> 00:45:09,203 [tense music continues]