Burnham chimney sweep reflects on policing past on TV

Dean Lawrence, 65, has lived in Burnham-on-Crouch since 2008 and has run chimney sweeping business Burnham Sweeps for most of that time.

Dean served with the Metropolitan Police for 30 years and was part of the investigations into several high-profile incidents, including the 7/7 London bombings in 2005.

He was a Detective Inspector when he retired from the force and is now among the contributors for two documentaries looking back on the London bombings two decades on.

One is being produced by the BBC and the other for Sky.

He said: “I joined the Metropolitan Police in 1983 as a Uniform Constable which everyone has to do for the first two years. 

Recognition - One of Dean's commendations (Image: Dean Lawrence)

“I very quickly decided that I wanted to join the CID.

"I served as a Detective Constable at Kensington, Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush police stations. I then joined the murder investigation teams and further trained as a forensic crime scene manager and exhibits officer.

“This involved dealing with all the forensics at the scene of a murder, post mortems and delivering evidence at trial at the Old Bailey.

“I then joined the Anti Terrorist Branch in 2001. At the time I was involved in numerous Real IRA bombing campaigns in London for over four years. 

“I then got promoted to Detective Sergeant in April 2005. 

“On promotion you had to then transfer. I was then posted to Walworth Police Station.

"I was only there for three months as I got a recall back to the Anti Terrorist Branch on the morning of July 7, 2005."

Dean received an “urgent phone call” that day and was told to get to Scotland Yard as soon as possible.

He had specialised in tracking suspects’ movements to and from crime scenes as well as using CCTV and mobile evidence.

Dean requested 200 police officers to be ready for a briefing at 6am the next morning.

He said: “This was done and it took four days and many sleepless nights to identify the terrorist suspects leaving Leeds by car, driving down the M1 to Luton railway station. 

“They unloaded their rucksack bombs and boarded the Thames Link train to Kings Cross.

"There they hugged and parted to carry out the terrorist attacks.”

After another four years on the Anti Terrorist Branch, Dean was promoted to Detective Inspector.

He and his team tackled a wide range of incidents, including a liquid bomb plot on multiple planes disguised as soft drinks and the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in 2006, as well as two car bombs outside the Tiger Tiger night club in Haymarket, in June 2007.

He has been deployed to France, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, India and the United States.

Dean was sent to Tel Aviv, Israel, in April 2003 when two UK nationals carried out a suicide attack.

In 2004, Dean was deployed to Spanish capital Madrid after multiple explosions on trains suspected to be due to terrorist activity.

He was sent to Jamaica in 2007 after the sudden death of Bob Woolmer at the Cricket World Cup, and Pakistan after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

Business - Burnham Sweeps (Image: Dean Lawrence)

Dean said he began to consider retirement after a colleague lost an eye in a terror attack in Pakistan, whilst in a meeting with the FBI.

Having completed 30 years of service and with eight months of leave owed to him, he moved to Burnham-on-Crouch around the same time.

After having trouble finding a qualified chimney sweep, he decided to change careers and become one himself.

Dean retired from the Metropolitan Police in 2009 and since then has been running his Burnham Sweeps, covering towns and villages from Maldon to South Woodham Ferrers.

Now living a quieter life, his hobbies include walking pet dog Ethel, going to the gym and clay pigeon shooting.

Cleaning chimneys might be a far cry from fighting terrorism, but Dean said: "I have enjoyed being a chimney sweep for the last 15 years, and meeting lots of nice people and properties."