PC Mike Swirling is a local police officer who often deals with residents of Emmerdale.
Biography[]
2004-2005[]
PC Swirling was first called out to Emmerdale in April 2004 after Terry Woods called the police to prevent his estranged wife Dawn from taking their infant son, TJ, out of the country. PC Swirling initially thought Terry was making a mountain out of a molehill, but upon learning Dawn had threatened to take TJ to Spain and not come back, PC Swirling insisted TJ must stay in the country until everything was sorted out.
The following month, PC Swirling was summoned to woodland by Edna Birch after she caught Chas Dingle and Carl King fornicating against a tree. When Chas mouthed off, PC Swirling and his colleague decided to arrest both Chas and Carl.
In July 2005, PC Swirling took Andy Sugden's statement after Cain Dingle, Robert Sugden, and Jimmy King set fire to a barn at Butlers Farm hoping to frame Andy for insurance fraud. Even though Andy knew Cain, Robert, and Jimmy were responsible for starting fire, he lied that he must've accidentally started the blaze to protect his younger brother Daz who had stabbed Jimmy with a pitchfork. As Andy was talking to PC Swirling, Daz approached them and took responsibility for starting the fire himself, lying that he was smoking in the barn and he mustn't have put out a cigarette properly. PC Swirling accepted Daz's explanation and subsequently informed Andy that his insurance likely wouldn't pay out as a result.
PC Swirling was next called to Emmerdale in November 2005 when a devastated Sam Dingle drunkenly threw a sandwich board through the window of the Post Office after learning his pregnant girlfriend, Alice Wilson, had cancer. Although proprietor Viv Windsor decided against pressing charges, PC Swirling took Sam down to the station for being drunk and disorderly.
A few days before Christmas, PC Swirling was again called to Emmerdale after Emily Kirk absconded with baby Sarah Sugden. Although Sarah's mother, Debbie Dingle, had given Emily permission to take Sarah, Sarah's father, Andy Sugden, hadn't and he called to police to report Debbie had given their baby away. When PC Swirling spoke with Debbie about Andy's allegations, Debbie lied that Emily had taken Sarah away for Christmas. PC Swirling couldn't understand why Debbie would want to spend Christmas without her baby but he accepted her story after Debbie's grandfather Zak Dingle lied that Emily took Sarah with the family's blessing as Debbie was suffering from post-natal depression and needed a break. Afterward, PC Swirling informed a furious Andy that he'd spoken to Debbie and there was nothing the police could do.
2006[]
In May 2006, PC Swirling spoke to Pearl Ladderbanks after she lost several hundred pounds of her, Val Lambert, and Delilah Dingle's money in an internet investment scam. PC Swirling vowed to investigate the fraud, but warned Pearl that even if they did find who was responsible, the chances of getting the money back were next to none. Later that month, PC Swirling arrested Terry Woods and Jean Hope for outraging public decency after finding the pair in a compromising position in the backseat of a car. After a night in the cells, PC Swirling issued Terry and Jean with a caution.
In June 2006, PC Swirling responded after Donna Windsor-Dingle called the police on Shadrach Dingle after he refused to pay for his dinner in the café and then stole a bottle of booze from the shop. Whilst PC Swirling's colleague hauled Shadrach down to the police station on burglary and criminal damage charges, PC Swirling commended Donna for calling the police although this didn't stop Donna from being pressured by the rest of the Dingles to drop the charges.
The following month, PC Swirling spoke with Eric Pollard regarding Adam Forsythe's sudden disappearance after Adam's wife Steph accused Adam of murdering her brother, Terence Turner. A few days later, PC Swirling was on the scene in the aftermath of the King's River show home explosion. Following the explosion, Terence's body was discovered in the foundations of the show home and a murder investigation was launched so PC Swirling conducted house-to-house inquiries.
In September 2006, PC Swirling arrested Delilah Dingle on suspicion of wounding with intent following a fight with Tonicha Daggert in The Woolpack kitchen that left Tonicha suffering third degree burns to her back. Following Delilah's arrest, PC Swirling interviewed Delilah's cousin, Chas Dingle, who witnessed the immediate aftermath of the incident. Although Chas defended Delilah and insisted it was an accident, she inadvertently made things worse for Delilah when she revealed Tonicha was in love with Delilah's boyfriend, Paddy Kirk.
Also in September, PC Swirling called in at Wishing Well Cottage looking for Cain Dingle after the police received a report that Cain had kidnapped Tom and Sadie King.
A month after Tonicha and Delilah's fight, a worked up Tonicha showed up at Hotten Police Station demanding to know why no action had been taken against Delilah. PC Swirling tried to explain they needed to make sure there was a case to answer and asked Tonicha to give them more time. The following day, Delilah was cautioned.
Also in October, PC Swirling spoke to Viv Hope about fly-tipping a brand new twin buggy. Viv's daughter, Donna Windsor-Dingle, admitted Viv got rid of the buggy as she believed her step-son, Jamie, had stolen it. Jamie produced a receipt that proved he bought the buggy and no charges were brought against Viv. The buggy was later collected from the police station.
The same month, PC Swirling investigated when Marlon Dingle and Donna Windsor-Dingle were attacked in The Woolpack by thugs Nick Callow and Gary Dench who were looking for Marlon's brother Eli. Marlon feared for his and Donna's safety and wasn't impressed by the support PC Swirling could offer and was relieved when the culprits were caught a few days later.
In November, PC Swirling appeared in The Woolpack after Louise Appleton reported landlady Val Lambert for selling alcohol to a minor. Whilst in the pub, PC Swirling also caught Val buying cases of wine from Jamie Hope off the books.
A couple of days after Christmas, PC Swirling interrupted an altercation in Main Street between Jamie Hope and Carl King over Tom King's murder. PC Swirling hauled Carl down to the police station although he was released a few hours later without charge.
2007[]
In April 2007, PC Swirling was called to Emmerdale again when an argument between Viv Hope and Lisa Dingle over a stolen packet of sweets got out of hand and resulted in Viv locking Lisa and her daughter Belle in the shop. When PC Swirling arrived on the scene, Viv demanded Belle be arrested for thieving whilst Lisa demanded Viv be arrested for false imprisonment. After establishing what happened, an unimpressed PC Swirling told Viv and Lisa that if he was called out to something like this again, he would arrest them both for wasting police time.
A few days later, Jo Stiles called the police to report an altercation between an inebriated Andy Sugden and his father, Billy Hopwood. Although Andy was the aggressor, he was the one who came off worse and subsequently Billy was arrested for assault. Andy later changed his statement and no charges were brought against Billy.
Also in April, PC Swirling called by Mulberry Cottage to inform Laurel Thomas that her parents, Doug and Hilary Potts, had been involved in a car crash and were taken to Preston Infirmary.
In June 2007, PC Swirling was part of the team who investigated after Marlon Dingle was shot in the chest during a robbery at Ray Stead Bookmakers. The following month, PC Swirling responded after Jasmine Thomas reported Tug Ghyll had been burgled. Really, Eli Dingle had trashed the place as part of an insurance scam after he broke Debbie Dingle's brand new £1,000 television.
In September 2007, PC Swirling spoke with Carrie Nicholls and Jimmy King after Carrie's fifteen-year-old daughter Scarlett ran away following an argument. PC Swirling believed it was a classic case of a teenage strop but Jimmy refused to accept that and ordered PC Swirling to get his finger out and get looking for Scarlett.
2008-2009[]
Ten months later in July 2008, Edna Birch called the police after discovering Emmerdale Veterinary Surgery trashed and the door to the drugs cabinet wide open. Later that afternoon, PC Swirling and a colleague arrested Eli Dingle and Gennie Walker for breaking and entering after catching them with a bag full of veterinary drugs which temporary veterinary assistant Gennie had taken from the surgery in good faith in a bid to save the life of a sheep that had been run over.
The following month, PC Swirling was on the scene after PCs Donna Windsor-Dingle and Ross Kirk were involved in a car accident whilst chasing after conman Freddie Yorke.
In May 2009, PC Swirling visited Andy Sugden to speak to him about an alleged road traffic incident after he deliberately drove his car at Cain Dingle, only narrowly missing him.
A couple of months later, PC Swirling was on the scene after the Home Farm Fayre delivery van rolled down Main Street and into the shop, trapping Doug Potts, Leyla Harding, and Ryan Lamb inside. Nathan Wylde was adamant Aaron Livesy was joyriding and deliberately drove the van into the shop, however John Barton came to Aaron's defense, insisting Aaron never got into the van and he was actually trying to stop the accident. It was suspected Rodney Blackstock had accidentally left the handbrake off the van causing it to roll into the shop, however as the brake had been tampered with in the rescue effort, there was no way to prove one way or the other.
In December 2009, a panicked Laurel Thomas called the police to report Sally Spode had kidnapped her two-year-old son Arthur. When PC Swirling arrived at Mulberry Cottage to speak with Laurel, Laurel explained how she believed Sally was trying to take over her life, even going so far as to attempt to kill her, and now Sally had Arthur. Although Laurel would later be proved right about Sally trying to kill her and take over her life, at the time, PC Swirling thought Laurel was crazy as Sally was living with the Thomas family and had previously babysat Arthur, so when Sally arrived home safely with Arthur the matter was dropped.
2010[]
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2011-2012[]
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2013[]
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2014[]
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2015[]
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2016[]
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2017[]
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2018[]
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2019[]
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2020[]
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2021[]
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2022[]
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2023[]
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2024[]
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