This Day in History: 1964-06-10

‘Cage Until Tame’ (BBC-1) – “It happened a long time ago, when Chief Superintendent Robbins was an inspector, and Sergeant Blackitt a constable – but neither man has forgotten Arty Timmins and the trouble he caused before Robbins finally sent him down. Blackie still has a press cutting of the judge’s remarks when Timmins was sentenced for acts of violence and intimidation: ‘You must be locked away from the public. You have behaved like a wild animal, a vicious animal, and you must be caged until you are considered to be tamed. You will go to prison for ten years.’ Now Timmins is out again. But tamed? Chief Superintendent Robbins does not believe so. And with Charlie Barlow away on a course-Robbins makes it his personal business to keep a close watch on one of the hardest characters ever to cross his path. For there are three citizens of Newtown who, even after ten years, have good cause to be frightened. Written by Robert Barr, script editor of Z Cars, ‘Cage until Tamed’ is based – as have been many stories in the series – on true casebook material provided by ex-Detective Sergeant Bill Prendergast of the Liverpool C.I.D. Bernard Bresslaw, the comedian who in recent years has earned an additional reputation as a straight actor, plays the part of Arty Timmins, the tearaway with some old scores to settle.” – Radio Times