DC Beecroft was one of the officers involved in the investigation into the murder of Maxine Peacock and the brutal assault on Emily Bishop in January 2003, both crimes committed by Richard Hillman although no one knew this at the time.
Whilst grieving widower Ashley Peacock was being questioned in an unsympathetic manner at Weatherfield Police Station, Beecroft was on duty in the Street. He refused a request by Ashley’s father Fred Elliott to enter 4 Coronation Street where the murder had taken place to obtain his grandson’s favourite toy, as he might contaminate the scene of crime. Later, questioning the neighbours about what, if anything, they had seen, Beecroft and his colleague DS Tony Trafford spoke with Richard and Gail Hillman when Richard took the opportunity to drop the name of Aidan Critchley into the conversation as he had set him up for the crimes. Later on, in Roy's Rolls, Peter Barlow told the two officers that he’d noticed a faint light in the vacant hardware shop on Victoria Street. Beecroft and Trafford led a raid on the squat and found Aidan there with items from the Peacocks' house in his possession, all planted by Hillman. He tried to make a break for it but was quickly caught and taken to the station by the officers, all watched by a gloating Richard.