Malcolm Cox, known to his friends as Coxy, is the secondary antagonist of the fifth episode of the first series of Life On Mars, unofficially titled, The Footy.
He was portrayed by Joe Duttine.
Biography[]
Malcolm Cox is a football hooligan who Sam Tyler and Gene Hunt meet one night in The Trafford Arms, a pub where fans of Manchester United Football Club meet up, while the detectives are working there undercover. The pair were trying to find out who killed Colin Clay, another Man U fan and a regular at The Trafford Arms.
Malcolm presents himself as noisy and rude, which irritates Gene as he reluctantly tries to blend himself in with the United fans. At one point, while Gene is acting drunk in front of the rowdy hooligans, he makes a comment about Colin’s death. This puts Malcolm’s back up and, in an act of defiance, he puts his keys between his fingers and tells Gene that Colin’s death isn’t any of his business. Gene shows no fear and starts to drop his drunken act. Sam and Malcolm’s friend Pete Bond then attempt to calm the situation down, with Malcolm then turning to his mates before telling them that he won't hurt Gene because he wants to save his energy for the big fight they have planned with the Manchester City fans the next day.
The next day arrives and Sam, with the help of his colleagues Annie Cartwright and Chris Skelton, comes to the conclusion that Malcolm must be Colin’s killer. Sam goes to Gene with his theory, telling him that he remembers seeing what looked like key marks on the back of Colin’s neck in the mortuary. He also remembers Malcolm putting his keys between his fingers during his heated confrontation with Gene. Sam and Gene then go to Malcolm’s house where they reveal to him that they’re police officers. A chase ensues and Malcolm is taken to the police station, and angrily questioned by Sam and Gene. When Malcolm is uncooperative, Sam tells him he’s charged with Colin’s murder before Malcolm then blurts out the truth, that it was Pete, his friend from the pub, who killed Colin. Malcolm is then let go and isn’t seen, mentioned or heard from again.