Case file · Series 18, Episode 2 · Season 18, Episode 2
The Incident at Cooper Hill
A ranger vanishes after encountering strange lights at a UFO hotspot, leading the investigation towards a nearby RAF base.
The 60-second case card
Should I watch this one?
Alien folklore gives the case its glow, but the real secrecy belongs to military research and relationships maintained on the ground.
- Best for
- UFO sightings · RAF base · Secret research
- Mood
- Eccentric
- Team
- DCI John Barnaby with DS Charlie Nelson
- Spoiler guidance
- Read the premise freely; open the marked sections only after watching. Check the linked provider advisory for further viewing information.
Why it matters
Alien folklore gives the case its glow, but the real secrecy belongs to military research and relationships maintained on the ground.
A forest ranger is stopped by unexplained lights above Cooper Hill and disappears from her vehicle. Visiting UFO enthusiasts regard the incident as confirmation of extraterrestrial activity, but the discovery of her body forces Barnaby and Nelson to test a more human explanation.
The trail reaches RAF Cooper Hill, where covert aerial-surveillance work and personal links between base personnel and villagers have been concealed for more than twenty years. The strange lights are only one part of a history shaped by affairs, betrayal and institutional secrecy.
Break the seal: reveal the finding
Who was the killer in The Incident at Cooper Hill? (spoiler)
The apparent close encounter is bound to secret surveillance work and relationships dating back decades, giving the killer both a technical cover story and an old grievance.
More episode detailsProduction, cast, deaths and filming information
Credits, context and checked facts
Production and cast
- TV series
- Series 18
- Episode number
- Episode 2
- Written by
- Paul Logue
- Directed by
- Renny Rye
- Listed transmission date(s)
- 13 January 2016
- Reported filming period
- April–May 2015
- Detective
- DCI John Barnaby
- Partner
- DS Charlie Nelson
- Pathologist
- Dr Kam Karimore · Manjinder Virk
- Principal setting
- Cooper Hill
- Casebook tone
- Eccentric
Sources accompany the production credits and filming links.
Fictional settings and real filming places are listed separately. Filming links include 0 mapped areas; 5 exact sites.
Credits and archive connections
- Writer credits6 episodes credited to Paul Logue
- Director credits23 episodes directed by Renny Rye
- Release positionCase 106 of 144
- Story characterEccentric · UFO sightings · RAF base
- Location evidence5 exact screen-use matches
RAF Benson appears as fictional RAF Cooper Hill; the former RAF Daws Hill site supplies the bunker.
The Crown Inn at Benson appears as the village pub, and its garden is used for the Tonev garage.
Sources for the production file
Published episode chronology and credits ↗Official ITV programme page ↗Filming-location reference index ↗Credits follow the linked chronology. Dates can differ between territories. Consult original credits for story, teleplay and adaptation wording. External synopses may contain spoilers.
Selected episode credits
The Incident at Cooper Hill cast
These selected cast entries link to their published profiles. They do not include every name shown in the end credits.
Fiona Dolman
Pip Torrens
Alison Steadman
Steve Evets
Lee Armstrong
Steve Toussaint
Tanya Fear
Sian Webber
Michelle Collins
Steve Oram
Belinda McGinley
Jennie Dale
Sheena Bhattessa
Alister Austin
The performers behind this case
Core cast
Follow the cast links for full actor and character guides.
Neil Dudgeon
John Barnaby · Detective Chief Inspector- Messiah
- Life of Riley
- The Mrs Bradley Mysteries
Gwilym Lee
Charlie Nelson · Detective Sergeant- Bohemian Rhapsody
- The Great
- Jamestown
Manjinder Virk
Dr Kam Karimore · Police pathologist- The Arbor
- Trigger Point
- Out of Darkness
Image credits identify the licence used. No programme publicity stills are reproduced.
Forensic team
Dr Kam Karimore
- Credit
- Resident pathologist
- Played by
- Manjinder Virk
Spoiler-controlled deaths
Deaths recorded in this case
4 people die in this case, according to the linked death record.
Break the seal: reveal the list of deaths
- Felicity Ford
Murder · Drowning
Performer check- Felicity Ford: Belinda McGinleyThe earlier synopsis-derived list printed Felicity Ward; the published cast record supports Felicity Ford, used here.
- Sgt. Yasmin Ali
Murder · Strangulation or hanging
Performer check- Sgt. Yasmin Ali: Sheena BhattessaThe earlier list used only the surname Ali; the published cast record supplies the rank and given name.
- Carter Faulkner
Murder · Other recorded death
Performer check- Carter Faulkner: Steve Evets
- Eric Tonev
Murder · Other recorded death · historical or before the main case
Performer check- Eric Tonev: not listed in the current published cast recordNo Eric Tonev performer appears in the current published cast record; Abigail and Nathan Tonev are different characters.
Break a second seal: reveal the verified killer
Who was the killer in The Incident at Cooper Hill? (spoiler)
Abigail Tonev · Nathan TonevAbigail killed her husband Eric Tonev with a rock after he tried to leave her. Their son Nathan later killed Felicity Ford to protect that secret, killed Sgt. Yasmin Ali while moving Eric's body and killed Carter Faulkner because he witnessed the resin disposal; Nathan's attempted murder-suicide with Abigail was stopped.
Verified motive
Abigail killed Eric when he tried to leave her, then concealed his body. Years later Nathan killed Felicity to stop her reporting the grave and protect his mother, killed Yasmin when she encountered him moving Eric's body and killed Carter because he witnessed the resin disposal; his final plan was to reunite the family in death rather than face their exposure.
Verified decisive clue
Archive case 106 · checked 25 September 2026Eric Tonev's grave and Nathan's childhood memoryThe recovered body breaks the story that Eric ran away, and Nathan remembers Abigail returning bloodied on the night Eric meant to leave her. Felicity found the grave, so Nathan killed her to protect his mother, then killed Ali during the body's move and Faulkner when he saw the resin disposal. Abigail's older killing is distinct.
Real place → fictional identity
Where was The Incident at Cooper Hill filmed?
RAF Benson
Used as: The active station appears as fictional RAF Cooper Hill.
The Crown Inn
Used as: The inn appears under the same name in Cooper Hill.
The Crown garden
Used as: The pub garden is redressed as the Tonev family's garage.
Former RAF Daws Hill
Used as: The former military site supplies the story's secret bunker.
St Mark's Hospital
Used as: The real hospital appears as the hospital used during the investigation.
Sources accompany the identified filming places.
Wider filming areas
Places connected to this file
No real filming place is confirmed for this case.