‘There’s a killer on your track.’ The words crackled into the earpiece of 23 year-old WPC Michelle Leonard, a decoy officer, as she walked up Whiteladies Road in Bristol on a cold morning in March 1979.

Michelle was one of a dozen female officers who had been deployed to try to catch ‘The Clifton Rapist’ - a man who had attacked at least seven women in the city over two years.

For months, the decoy officers had been dressed as students, walking the streets to try to lure the man to attack them. But he had failed to take the bait, and this was the operation’s final night.

But one of the observation officers had seen a man following Michelle in his car. The man matched the horrifying photofit image the attacker’s victims had given. They had checked the numberplate on the Police National Computer. And the check came back. This man was a convicted murderer and rapist who had been freed from prison.

Michelle’s choice was simple and terrifying? Should she walk onto the darkened side-streets in the hope this killer would attack her? Or should she put her own safety first and stay on the main street, knowing the man would pick another victim that night?

Should Michelle endanger her life in the line of duty?

Rob has presented, written and directed this true crime documentary looking at how this covert operation culminated in a moment of pure drama. ‘Decoy’ also looks at how this changed the face of undercover policing in Britain. It also studies the horrific statistics surrounding women’s safety. What has changed in the last forty years? Rape conviction rates have plummeted, despite the advent of CCTV, phone data and DNA.