Bernie Harris, the Scarlet Pimpernel of Splott, is the worst thief in the world. He once stole a set of wheels off a car and was so scared by the owner that he was putting them back when the police came. He found the alien technology in a shed belonging to a neighbour. He was rejected by his mother, possibly girlfriend, local pub and fellow teenage hoods, and on top of that he was scared and desperate, having seen his own death on the ghost machine. In fact, his future was changed when Torchwood intervened and Morgan died instead.

Ben McKay has had a few TV roles before Torchwood, including the last man to be executed in the UK, Timonthy Evans.

Torchwood

Ghost Machine (2006) TV episode .... Bernie

Before Torchwood

"The Bill" .... Dwayne Patterson / ... (4 episodes, 2003-2007)
Sound (2007) (TV) .... Danny
Hot Fuzz (2007) .... Peter Cocker
"Casualty" .... Danny Walker / ... (3 episodes, 2002-2006)
Wilderness (2006) .... Lindsay
Kidulthood (2006) .... Rapper
The Last Hangman (2005) .... Timothy Evans
"Holby City" .... Tez Roache (1 episode, 2004)