Code of Silence has come to a climatic ending on ITV1, with the police – and Alison – doing everything they could to catch the bag guys, aka Cruella, Hulk, and Wolf. But did they manage to in the series finale?

Viewers will know that Alison’s lipreading skills proved crucial for the detectives investigating a criminal gang’s plans to target a London vault. But dissatisfied with her life, and always feeling underestimated, she quickly became WAY too involved… Honestly, it was like watching a car crash happening in slow motion.

Here’s everything you need to know about the series finale of ITV thriller Code of Silence in our ending explained, as well as news on a possible series 2…

***Warning: spoilers from the Code of Silence ending ahead***
Did the police finally manage to catch gang leaders Cruella and Joseph? [Credit: Mammoth Screen/ITV]

Code of Silence ending explained

After the penultimate episode’s twist (although most of us saw it coming), Liam and Braden were both on the run from the police – and each other. Liam had double-crossed the gang and stolen the jewels, while Braden just had a whole lot of rage.

At the beginning of the final episode, poor DC Ben Lawford was fighting for his life in hospital after being shot (he later recovered), and the police force were wiping the egg from their faces after the huge cock-up. Not only had they lost the jewels, and perps Liam and Braden, they also had nothing to pin on Joseph and Helen.

With Braden on the loose, the police moved Alison and her mum to a secure location. But, not one to see sense, she didn’t stay there for long! Liam (Kieron Moore in the Code of Silence cast) managed to sneak a burner phone into the flat hidden under some takeaway food containers. A message on the phone asked her to meet Liam “same place as last time”…

Alison had already inserted herself into the case way more than was sensible. She’d slept with one of the suspects, and was basically responsible for Ben being shot.

As Ben’s girlfriend stated: “If you’d just done what you were told, and waited outside, Ben wouldn’t have had to go in. He would have waited for armed response. He wouldn’t be in hospital.”

As if that wasn’t enough damage, Alison’s relationship with Liam had undermined ALL the evidence she’d gathered. So did Alison do as she was told and stay with her mum in the secure location? Of course she didn’t!
Joe Absolom as the menacing thug Braden [Credit: Mammoth Screen/ITV]

Episode six recap: Why did Liam do it?

During the final episode of Code of Silence, DI James Marsh discovered what we’d suspected all along – that Liam Barlow was the foster son of murdered Charlie Fletcher.

DI Marsh requested the fostering records for Manchester, and discovered Liam’s real identity – Liam Grey. Charlie Fletcher was the foster dad that Liam had adored… Until he was killed by Helen’s husband Alfie Redman.

Of course, the canny copper realised “none of this is a coincidence”. Nope. Liam stole the necklace and set Braden up as revenge against the gang who had killed his foster dad during one of their previous raids.

Braden had told Liam that no one would get hurt. Although it was a promise he couldn’t keep, when one security guard was killed.

Liam later told Alison: “Money is the only thing that Helen and Braden care about. That was the only way to hurt them.”
Helen’s husband Alfie had killed Liam’s foster dad Charlie [Credit: Mammoth Screen/ITV]

What happened to Braden at the end of ITVX thriller?

Braden realised he’d been properly thrown under the bus by Liam. Talking to Danny’s girlfriend, he said: “It was the kid. Liam Barlow. He convinced me we were going to stitch up the police, but it was me that got played.

“Your Danny recommended him, but someone informed on Danny for that ransom wear gig. It opened a vacancy for some slippery little Mancunian [bleep] to step into.”

Although, at this point, he didn’t realise WHY Liam had done it, he was intent on getting the jewels back – and revenge. After Alison met Liam, she visited The Canterbury Tap in a bid to persuade the landlord to testify against Braden. By this point, Alison’s stupidity knew no bounds!

Of course, Braden was there waiting for her. He abducted her, and recorded her in distress – a message he sent to Liam. He would release Alison in exchange for the necklace, or so he said.

Liam agreed to meet with the gang, led by Helen. She took him to a warehouse where Braden had a gun to Alison’s head. Liam had no choice but to hand over the necklace in exchange for Alison’s freedom. However, he had one more card to play…

Hacker Liam had informed the police of what was going on. Armed police arrived just in the nick of time!
Braden used a scared Alison as a bargaining tool to get the jewels back [Credit: Mammoth Screen/ITV]

Did the gang get caught?

At first, it looked like Helen and Joseph were untouchable. They made sure they were on CCTV cameras far away from the robbery. They’d covered every angle; every loose end was tied up.

When questioned by the police, they both read statements, insisting they were property developers, and did not work with Braden. The police did not have enough to charge them.

That is, until the climactic Code of Silence ending. In the closing minutes of the ITV thriller, armed police arrested Helen, Braden, and Liam. Police arrested Braden for murder, armed robbery, and attempted murder.

They were finally able to nail Helen, after “getting her admission on tape”. Meanwhile, Liam had given up his own chance of freedom to save Alison, and catch the gang.

Later, we learnt that police had arrested Joseph for money laundering.
It looked like Alison would stand by her man during the ending of Code of Silence [Credit: Mammoth Screen/ITV]

Did Liam and Alison stay together?

Although their relationship began under false pretences – Alison was using Liam for intel, and he was using her as a cover – the pair did develop genuine feelings for each other.

Before he was caught, Liam wanted to sell the necklace for £5m to a buyer in Panama, and run away with Alison. However, Alison wanted him to testify against the gang.

At the end of Code of Silence, he did the right thing. He gave himself up for Alison, thus proving his genuine feelings for her.

Two months later, we saw Liam standing trial in the dock. He seemed at peace with his fate, knowing he’d got justice for his foster dad.

He communicated to Alison using British Sign Language, asking her to visit him, and she signalled that she would. The implication is clear – she’ll wait for him, and he would continue to learn BSL for her.

Liam is charged with conspiracy to rob, and pleads guilty. Viewers did not learn his fate after that.

Despite Liam’s inevitable spell in jail, Alison got a happy ending. She moved into a new flat with her mum Julie, and got a big lump sum of money from the police for her work as an informant.

DI James Marsh told her: “Payments to informants are based on results. And, thanks to you, we made some pretty big arrests. It was your information that led to the recovery of the necklace.”

He handed her a cheque for a whooping £50,000. DI Marsh also suggested she use some of it to enrol in a forensic expert lipreading course. Does this point to an incoming series 2 of Code of Silence?
Kieron Moore’s character Liam Barlow was charged with conspiracy to rob [Credit: Mammoth Screen/ITV]

Is there a Code of Silence series 2?

ITV has not yet confirmed if there’ll be a series 2 of Code of Silence, but there’s plenty of potential for more episodes.

We didn’t learn Liam’s fate at the end of the series, and it looked like Alison would be embarking on a forensic expert lipreading course. Although, if we’re honest, we’re really not sure she’s cut out for the job!

If a series 2 is commissioned, the news will probably come after the entire series has aired on ITV1. This is similar to This City is Ours, Rivals, and Ludwig, who all announced a second series AFTER all the episodes had aired.

To be honest, it makes more sense that way. Who else felt a bit robbed of tension when Sky Atlantic confirmed a series 2 of Day of the Jackal before series 1 had ended? Kind of ruins the drama of the first series if you know the main character survives for another season!

Watch this space for more news about Code of Silence series 2 when we get it.