The Gold: Kenneth Noye's callous words as he left police officer dying at bottom of his garden

Following the infamous Brink’s-Mat robbery 1983, police officers recounted their sense of urgency in trying to find the £26 million worth of gold bullion that had been stolen – before the robbers could get a chance to melt it down in a BBC documentary.

In a documentary, which aired tonight, (March 20) on BBC One, the police officers involved in the operation and in Flying Squad recounted their versions of events in an undercover operation that spanned England’s south east and south west.

Newly-promoted Detective Chief Superintendent Brian Boyce, played by Hugh Bonneville in the hit BBC series The Gold, a drama based on the incredible robbery, said in the documentary: “Our task was far greater than just arresting the robbers, we hadn’t even recovered the dust of the gold. We had to work extremely hard, follow the trail and recover as much of the gold as possible.”

Officers John Fordham and Neil Murphy had followed suspects Kenneth Noye and Brian Reeder, both of whom had been seen handling “incredibly heavy” briefcases into the backs of cars.

They had traced them to Hollywood Cottage, a mock-Tudor mansion near Sevenoaks in Kent, built by Noye. Fordham was apparently in battle fatigues, and the two officers had infiltrated the estate, and attempted to move through the bushes to get closer to the two suspects to “see whether physical gold bars were being handed by Noye to Reeder”, stated Roy Ramm, former commander of Specialist Operations at New Scotland Yard.

He added: “But as they moved forward, they disturbed the dogs.” Boyce stated Murphy transmitted that they were having problems, and then the dogs proceeded to attack the ill-fated John Fordham.

Reeder and Noye then exited the premises to find out what was going on, Murphy had apparently managed to make it out of harm’s way but Fordham was not so lucky.

“John Fordham was discovered by Kenny Noye”, says Ramm, “Noye was armed with a kitchen knife and stabbed John Fordham ten times.”

All nearby officers and members of Flying Squad broke cover from the covert operation to support John Fordham, who was seen running towards officers before dropping to the ground with “five [wounds] in the front, and five in the back,” states Boyce. Tony Yeoman, who was quickly on the scene said he “turned to see John lying just inside the garden. Dreadful sight.

“As we approached the cottage, I saw Noye coming out of the front door and I just smashed him as hard as I could.

“I said ‘do you realise you just left a police officer dying at the bottom of your garden.'” He said: “I didn’t give a f*** who he is I hope he dies.”

In December 1985, Noye had been famously acquitted in a trial that was attempting to find out whether Fordham’s death had been a murder. He had argued that he was in “fear of his life”, and stated he had stabbed Fordham in self-defence.

A later trial, held in July 1986, found Noye, who was married to Brenda Tremain from Looe, guilty of handling stolen Brinks Mat gold, and sentenced to 14 years in jail.

Tony Yeoman recounts when he smashed Kenneth Noey