Sergeant Cottam dealt with Hilda Ogden when she reported Stan Ogden missing for three days in November 1976 after they had had a row when she'd discovered he'd been dipping into the Christmas money that she'd put aside. The Sergeant was unsympathetic, suggesting that Stan might be on a clifftop, contemplating jumping as he muttered sweet nothings about Hilda. He did say that they'd take his name and alert the patrols but they couldn't get Interpol involved over a missing window cleaner. He also suggested that Stan could be with another woman, which got her hot-footing round to 19 Inkerman Street to see if he was with Clara Regan.