Lonely

Lonely is a small-time, very nervous sniveling little crook, who suffers badly from B.O. The section wouldn't have touched him, but Callan - a free-lance - uses him because he can produce almost anything - from a gun to a forged passport, at very short notice.

Because of his wide range of contacts, he can also produce the kind of specialist - card-sharps, pick-pockets etc., that Callan sometimes needs. He is terrified of Callan and, for that reason only, loyal.

Callan has taken Lonely under his wing - whether out of friendship or more a cynical exploitation of Lonely's skills and vulnerabilities is never made clear.

Lonely is gullible, and never far from trouble. Several times during the season he's found "doing porridge" (in jail) He lives in a squalid little dump, and his prime source of recreation is looking at girlie magazines and getting into trouble. His weaknesses (easily frightened, easily conned) is often exploited by Callan's combatants.

The relationship and interplay between Callan and Lonely is one of the major strengths of the series, and an example of the quality of characterisation and scripting.