| John Boulton | Service Record |
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D.S. John Boulton is a character from The Bill. He was created by Matthew Wingett to supply a suitable foil to the character of Jim Carver. Carver first come across him when Boulton was off duty and was beating up a handcuffed suspect on Sun Hill's ground (Faith in the System, 1 Feb 1994). Carver refused to back up Boulton's version of the story, making Boulton angry. Boulton was reintroduced by Matthew Wingett in his later episode Saved.
Boulton was witty and sharp, with a cool composure. He was loyal to his friends and certainly a man you’d want on your side. Despite a history of violent assaults, no evidence was ever mounted against him. How much of this was a front remained to be seen. Originally from Liverpool, Boulton's first posting as a detective was at a station in Romford (where he knew DS Pearce), before he transferred to Stafford Row station. He first worked with detectives at Sun Hill as a DC in 1994 when he was posted at Barton Street. His partner had recently been killed in a drugs bust, and this had left him traumatised and bitter, turning him into a kind of vigilante policeman. He transferred to Sun Hill permanently the next year, promoted to the rank of DS.
Boulton was certainly a volatile character and you never knew how far he might go. At times his zeal for nicking criminals bordered on the psychotic and he was not averse to roughing up suspects either to make them more talkative or simply as an act of vengeance. He wasn't a bent copper, but at the same time he believed in using whatever means necessary to see that justice prevailed. For some this may have been too much, but Boulton saw it as a tough job for tough men. Despite his uptight approach to policing he was one of the most trusted and effective Detectives.
Whilst he was uncaring with Uniform and most of CID, his combination of obsession and aggression proved strangely attractive to women, notably Claire Stanton with whom he began a discreet relationship. When his colleague DS Don Beech's corruption spiraled out of control, he sought Boulton's help. Boulton refused and they got into a fight, in which Boulton was killed after Beech bashed his head against the ground. The fallout from his death led to CIB walking in and suspending the entire Sun Hill CID, resulting in only four officers being reinstated.
Service Record
- Main article: Service Record
- 1994 - Posted at Barton Street
- 1994 - Involved in an operation as a DC
- 1995 - Promotion to DS
- 1995 - Transferred: Sun Hill
- 1998 - Smacked by DCI Frank Burnside
- 1999 - Head-butted by PC George Garfield
- 1999 - Accused of murdering Anthony Payne
- 2000 - The murder of D.S. John Boulton
- 2000 - DS Boulton’s Funeral
Family and Relationships
Family
- Unnamed brother who lived in Australia (Badlands)
Relationships
- In a relationship with Claire Stanton
- Best friend: Don Beech
- Good friends with DC Rod Skase and DCI Jack Meadows
Major Storylines
- 1998 - DS Boulton is spiked by a criminal’s needle and awaits an HIV test
- 1998 - DS Boulton and DC Carver go to Manchester to investigate a protection racket. DS Boulton is smacked by DCI Frank Burnside for revealing his affair with a gang members wife
- 1999 - Boulton is blamed by his uniformed colleagues for PC Dave Quinnan’s stabbing
- 1999 - In A Question Of Trust John Boulton is accused of killing a suspect. He goes on trial where he is cleared but implies to DC Skase that he was guilty
- 2000 - When Don Beech revealed his links to corruption in Find The Lady, he asked for Boulton's help in return for a bribe. Boulton refused and the two got into a fight, during which Beech inadvertently killed Boulton.