Judge John Deed (2001) s02e02 Episode Script

Yeah, you've been watching too much What is it? - Formula 1! - Formula 1! I'll beat you any day, Gran.
- You know, you should be pushing me.
- Oh, there we go.
Okay? You won't go and leave me? Like your poor mum.
Mum's dead, Nan.
She is.
I sometimes wonder if you know more than you let on, in that world of yours.
Police are mounting a reconstruction of Geri Landers last known movements, hoping it would jog someone's memory.
Geri was savagely beaten to death on the way home from work.
Anyone with any information should contact the incident room on O1273 Gary! Food's on the table.
You're supposed to clear up.
I don't know why I keep putting food on the table for you, or her in there.
I don't want none.
Starve then.
See if I care.
So, if you'd just sign there and there.
- Keeping out of trouble, Gary? - I did it.
- It was me.
I did.
- What did you did, Gary? I killed I killed Geri.
I followed her to Bluebell Wood.
Is this just another story, Gary? I did it! I hit her with an iron bar then I thrown it in the park.
I did it, I did it! It's my fault.
I did do it! - Anything interesting, Mr Harrison? - A fraud case, my lord.
You may have read about it, the ECO mortgage scandal.
- Oh, can't we dump it on somebody else? - I thought you'd welcome it, my lord.
Two lawyers accused of falsifying mortgage records.
They hold 900 mortgages worth some £120 million.
They fall behind on their payment? Hope we get a good jury, Coop.
John, the clerk of number two told the list officer you had precedence in a case I'm hearing, the ECO mortgage fraud.
I've done a lot of the background work.
It's one of those victimless crimes.
- Didn't know there was such a thing.
- I'm not even sure there's a prima facie case.
Well, either way, you're the answer to my prayer, Robert.
Would you like to send your clerk around for the papers? No.
I need to get back in shape.
Far too easy for you.
I saw Jo Mills at the Bailey the other day.
- She never mentioned it.
- Oh, we had lunch.
Is it all over with you? Do you have a case there? Oh, I'm keeping an eye on something.
- You didn't answer my question.
- What, you planning to take her out? No.
Not if it causes us problems.
If she went out with you, Row, she'd realise just what good value I am.
- You're hearing the ECO mortgage fraud? - Not any more.
Judge Home nearly ran me down to get it.
- Was it in your list? - Not according to Robert Home.
Any possibility he's behaving fraudulently? I very much doubt it.
Is that what you know or want to believe? Well, doesn't the old school tie system tend to discourage corrupt judges in this country? Two were investigated last year.
- The Attorney issued a nolle.
- There was no case to answer.
They're members of the same club as the Attorney.
You're getting cynical, Row.
The police suspect a network of corrupt lawyers, all Masons.
There has to be a judge or two among them.
Is that what you know or want to believe? It's the only way it could work consistently.
Is this an on-going investigation? Not going anywhere.
They can't nail a judge.
Or daren't.
- You've never refused me before.
- I'm older and wiser.
Well, older, anyway.
You should let it go.
It's past.
You don't have to go with me, Jo.
Old habits are hard to break.
There are new means of testing forensic evidence.
I'm determined to get this before the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
It'll be another 12 years.
What could be new? Jimmy Darvall telling us who really did it.
- I've become a Buddhist, Mr Deed.
- You can still proclaim your innocence, Jimmy.
Being in prison isn't important.
It's karma.
But if you tell us who really did it, you'll give him the chance to pay off his karma.
That's possible, Jo.
Then you agree that there was a third party in the room? - I can still see that axe in my hand.
- An axe without your fingerprints on it.
I must accept what your father-in-law said in his summing up.
Mr Justice Channing said that I wiped the handle clean.
No cloth with blood on it was ever found.
Some things are inexplicable, Mr Deed.
- Are they treating you all right? - Oh, yes.
The food's wonderful.
I'm gonna keep looking.
Jimmy Darvall didn't kill his wife.
I'm as convinced now as I was 12 years ago when I defended him.
Your capacity for emotional involvement never ceases to amaze me.
The law isn't a trade in inanimate objects, Joe.
It's about people, human judgements.
If there is even the faintest whiff of injustice, we should be entitled to investigate.
- The police found no evidence for a third party.
- They didn't look beyond Jimmy Darvall.
Well, presumably they didn't think it necessary.
That's one of the weaknesses of the judicial system.
- The police work for the prosecution virtually.
- So we have to rely on the police in these matters.
- And have even more miscarriages of justice.
- Hysterical nonsense.
Joe, you were the trial judge.
Only you can sanction my seeing the prosecution evidence.
I am not inclined to help.
The verdict was correct.
Then I'll find another way.
So long as you don't use your own judicial powers to look, that would be entirely improper, and keep you off the Appellate Bench forever.
Before I hear your opening, Mr Brill, I'd like to see counsel in chambers.
You could get yourselves some coffee.
All rise.
Is this case ready to go to a jury, Clive? - The CPS believes it.
- On this evidence? A confession from a suspect with a mental age of 13? A solicitor was present and an appropriate adult.
He did then subsequently withdraw his confession.
There is strong forensic evidence.
He had the dead girl's bloodstained scarf.
Her blood was on his clothes.
His glasses and an earring belonging to him were found at the scene.
And what do you have to say? Without the confession he made in the first place, we wouldn't be here.
Presumably the CPS has some basis for their optimism.
Let me hear it.
At the time of making his confession, how did Gary Patterson behave? I'd say he was distraught.
You said you knew the young man.
Yes, sir.
He'd come into the station from time to time for a chat.
- Had you seen him in this state before? - No, sir.
Thank you, Sergeant.
Remind me when you made your note.
It was shortly after I called the murder squad.
How long after he made his confession? Fifteen minutes, my lord.
It's a contemporaneous note, sir.
Well, not quite.
But I do understand the difficulty of getting such notes down.
Why wasn't he cautioned immediately after he made his confession, Sergeant? - We were a little taken aback, miss.
- Because you didn't believe him? - No, he had all the right facts.
- Facts anyone could have gathered, surely.
- I don't know, miss.
- Lf you think about it, Sergeant, you'll find that all the information that Gary Patterson had was in the public domain.
My lord, is my learned friend making her closing speech? - Are you, Mrs Mills? - I have no further questions.
Thank you, Sergeant.
You can step down.
Was there something else? No, sir.
With your leave, my lord, my next witness, Detective Superintendent Craddock, is likely to be on for a good while.
In view of the hour, might it not be sensible to call him first thing tomorrow? We should at least get started.
Superintendent, after you charged Gary Patterson with murder, could you tell the court what you found in his room at his father's house? Lots of newspaper photos of the dead girl pinned to his wall.
- Did you draw any conclusion from that? - He appeared to be obsessed with the victim.
Did you find anything else in his room that was relevant to the investigation? A number of items belonging to Geri.
A cheap bracelet, a mitten, two Sprite cans with her lipstick on and a scarf her mother identified Geri was wearing on the day of her death.
It was bloodstained.
- Did you identify this blood? - Yes, it was Geri Landers'.
Did the defendant say how he came by these items, including the bloodstained scarf? He said he found them.
- Did you believe him? - I didn't disbelieve him.
I asked him if he saw her drop them.
He said he did.
- So you didn't believe him to be a liar? - I believed his confession.
Did you believe him when he said he found the bloodstained scarf? No.
So you chose only to believe the things that suited your case? No, that logic told me were true.
Is it possible that he could've stumbled across the body? It's possible.
There had been no attempt to conceal it? She lay where she fell.
The surrounding undergrowth was flattened.
Did you ascertain how? Could the young woman have met a lover there? The undergrowth was minutely searched for clues.
There was nothing apart from a gold earring and a pair of spectacles.
- And who found these items? - The scenes of crime officers, sir.
Are you calling them, Mr Brill? Um Not unless Your Lordship wants to question them.
The defence accepts the witness' statements.
Did you establish whose glasses they were? The glasses and earring belonged to the defendant.
Might it be sensible if I cross-examined the witness? Yes.
How do you know that these glasses belonged to the defendant? He identified them as his.
And you knew that he sometimes told the truth, when it suited your case.
- Were they found under the body? - No, on the undergrowth.
- Was there blood on the undergrowth? - Yes, there was a lot of blood spray.
Generally or directional? Mostly between nine and twelve on the clock face.
- Was there blood on the glasses? - Yes, about eight or nine flecks.
- Did Mr Patterson have blood on his clothes? - He did.
Clothes you identified that he was wearing at the time? Yes.
How much blood was on him? Two spots on his jeans and several more on the welts of his trainers.
- But not on the tops of his trainers? - None were found there.
Superintendent, if none were found, it means none were there.
Yes, my lord.
What violence do you judge was used to inflict these fatal injuries? Like someone gone berserk.
- Causing a wide spray pattern of blood - Yes.
that didn't spray his clothes? How is that? I can't say.
In view of the hour, Mrs Mills, I think this might be a convenient moment.
All rise.
My great-nephew's rowing at Henley.
I hope we'll get time out, Robert.
I'm sure we can arrange that, James.
Morning.
Is that the judge who's having an affair with his clerk? Who's that with Judge Home? The defence barrister in the ECO mortgage fraud, Sir James Valentine.
- No, the other one.
- Oh, that's Marcus Hargreaves, solicitor.
Could you get me a favour from one of your friends? I need details of some old fraud cases.
I don't want anybody to know about it.
I'm sure I can find someone, Judge.
If I'm wrong about this, Coop, it could do a lot of damage.
Am I ever going to get to meet this man? I think Henry's a bit nervous of you.
Can he reasonably go on teaching you if you're having a relationship? He's not likely to give me good marks just 'cause we're going out.
Do you have a bright friend who could do some legal research for me? - Depends how much it pays.
- He'd need to be computer literate.
Dad, there are no computer-illiterate students.
More than anything, they'd need to be discreet.
That might be a stretch.
Everyone wants to talk to the media.
So why are you being so secretive? Ajudge might be behaving corruptly.
Cool.
It hardly describes how I'll be treated if I've got this wrong, Chaz.
- So why bother, then? - Why bother about anything? Why bother about what's happening to animals? Because they're victims.
I thought this was victimless.
Nobody's being mugged, but falsifying mortgage records is a crime.
The what-can-I-get-away-with attitude that our society tolerates degrades us all.
Look, you mustn't let this get to you.
Am I? You barely noticed the two pretty waitresses.
I probably thought they were too young.
Carol's quite old.
She's nearly 40.
Nearly 40.
Are you kidding? That's far too old.
What would I have to do on these cases? Try to find a common thread.
This could cause a huge scandal.
Takes a lot to scandalise us nowadays, Chaz.
Hey.
How's it going? - Are you Carol? - Mmm-hmm.
Charlie was right.
Ow.
- We'll have a bottle of the house red, please.
- Sure.
- This is my dad, Carol.
- Oh, your dad.
I thought it was your date.
Well, I suppose I could stretch a point.
She seeing anybody? - Aren't you seeing Jo any more? - I see her in court.
Superintendent Craddock, let's consider the forensic evidence.
The murder weapon, were Gary's fingerprints on the murder weapon? No, but he showed us exactly where he'd thrown it in the pond.
Did you consider that this slightly obsessed young man might have followed the victim and witnessed her murder and seen where the real murderer threw the murder weapon? I'm in the business of collecting evidence.
If that had been the case, he would have made a witness statement, not a confession.
But if he were feeling guilty about following her That's a question for a psychiatrist, Mrs Mills.
Are you calling one? - I'm not.
- No.
Didn't think I recalled seeing a report in the bundles.
Let us return to the blood on Gary's clothing.
This was found to have the same DNA profile as Geri's.
Yes.
Have you seen the results of the independent DNA tests the defence had done on the two spots of blood on his jeans? Yes.
- Do you recall the results? - They didn't match.
Ours did.
Are you submitting this report, Mrs Mills? It's item 2D in your bundle, my lord.
When Gary was making his confession, did he say what he'd been doing since the murder? No.
He'd been at home.
He doesn't work.
- Did he mention his bedridden nan? - No, but I believe he looked after her.
He'd looked after her since the death of his mother when he was 12.
Hardly the profile of a stone-cold killer, Superintendent.
Is that a question, Mrs Mills? I have no further questions.
Thank you, Superintendent.
What are you doing? - Why, you made me jump.
- What are you doing down here? - Research.
I'm doing research.
- You shouldn't be here on your own.
- Well, where's Denis? The man who let me in? - He's gone off duty.
It's nearly 8:OO.
Oh, I missed my bus.
Who gave you permission to be here? Denis Marlowe said.
I'm doing work for my dad, Mr Justice Deed.
Oh.
Why didn't you say? - Are you taking those out, miss? - Is that okay? Write the folio and case number in the book.
I blew your cover, Dad, I didn't realise Denis had gone.
Something like this is hard to keep quiet.
Maybe Coop will cover our trail.
Dr Vaughan, would you please examine exhibit 1 A, and tell the jury what it is? An iron bar, 70 centimetres long, weighing 1.
2 kilos and pitted with rust.
It was used to murder Geri Lander.
- You are certain of that, Dr Vaughan? - Yes.
I examined it as part of the scene of crime evidence.
I found blood and particles of hair clinging to the surface.
Both DNA matched to Geri.
How does blood and hair remain on an iron bar submerged in water for eight days? In the absence of an emulsifier, such as washing-up liquid or agitation, minute amounts of oxygen encapsulate the blood and hair and keep them inert.
It takes quite a lot to wash off blood.
- The blood was type O, the most common type? - Yes.
Do you know what blood group Gary Patterson is? Blood type O, but the DNA is specific to Geri's and not Gary Patterson's blood.
You visited the scene of the crime? Several times, to measure the blood spread on the undergrowth, the angle of projectile in blood.
You concluded that the blows to the left side of her head meant that the assailant was right-handed.
"Blood projected to the left and rear left.
" Would any have sprayed forward? There was blood in a forward position.
Much blood? Yes, the blows that shattered the skull bone cut the left anterior arterial to the brain.
In your report, marked K in your bundle, my lord, you comment on the defendant's clothing.
Indeed, we do have the trousers in question.
The police identified the jeans the defendant was wearing on the night of the murder.
You examined these trousers.
Had they been washed? No, I found blood matched to the victim's.
Remind the jury how much blood was found on the garment.
One smear that matched the girl's blood and a trace that also matched hers.
- There was no other blood on the jeans? - No, my lord.
Dr Vaughan, could there be other spots of blood that you failed to test? No, I tested all the blood there.
How do you explain so little blood following such a savage attack? Um, my lord I'm not quite sure of procedure with Your Lordship cross-examining the witness, but you are calling for speculation on the part of this witness.
Deduction, Mr Brill, deduction.
All the difference in the world.
Dr Vaughan.
A number of reasons.
The girl may have put her hands up and prevented front forward spray.
The photos don't show blood on the victim's hands.
Well, perhaps it might be sensible to hold a view so the jury can see the scene of the crime.
Then we can all see exactly where the blood went.
I thought your judge didn't want anything known about this, Rita.
- Oh, Ben Goldin found her down here.
- She was entitled to be here, I said.
Can we do anything about these entries, Denis? Not really.
If I tear that page out, it'll only draw attention to what it is you're trying to hide.
The undergrowth was hardly grown at the time of the attack.
What there was had been trampled.
The red flags, sir, show the pattern at its most dense.
It's a radius of about ten feet.
- Yes, most of the blood at four feet.
Can we assume that the attacker stood in front of the victim? Yes, sir, just to her right.
And the blood is thinnest right behind him.
Why wasn't there more blood on the clothing? Are we sure of the clothes he was wearing? Her blood was on his jeans.
Well, possibly Mr Patterson will explain the absence of blood to us if he gives evidence.
I'm sure he will.
- Where were the glasses found? - Alongside the body.
What did that tell the police? That the murderer dropped them in the struggle.
Are they Gary Patterson's glasses? Yes, he identified them as being his when he confessed, my lord.
He withdrew his confession, but not his admission that they were his glasses.
Did he volunteer that he'd lost his glasses or did you tell him that you'd found his glasses next to the body? I don't remember, my lord.
Perhaps we should jog your memory.
We found some spectacles by Geri's body.
Do you recognise them? The suspect nodded.
Is that "yes", Gary? Yes.
Yeah, I lost them that night.
Had Mr Patterson mentioned losing his glasses before this interview? You can answer from there.
I I don't recall, my lord.
We only seem to have his word that they're his glasses.
Has the defence checked Mr Patterson's prescription against these glasses? - We're still trying to do that.
- Why is it taking so long? - I'm conducting the defence, my lord.
- Hmm.
I dare say we're all grateful that murder now only carries a life sentence.
I agree with Your Lordship, in the light of your taking over the conduct of the prosecution and defence in a murder trial.
Until the morning.
All rise.
There's a pattern even in the first four cases.
- Did you stay up all night? - It's exciting once you find a way in.
Connection one, all the defendants were acquitted.
Two, all were so-called victimless crimes.
Three judges were involved, including Robert Home.
They all went to Oxford.
- So did two thirds of all judges, including me.
- All were members of Brown's.
Your starter for 10.
What's the other connection? Wearing aprons and rolling up their trouser legs? - Haven't had time to check if they're Masons yet.
- Row Colemore can do that.
The instructing solicitors on the fraud case in front of Judge Home, Westwake Hargreaves, were the instructing solicitors on most of the other fraud cases.
- Westwake Hargreaves? You sure? - I think so.
Look, I found this.
- That's Judge Home.
- Where did you get this? From the clerk at Judge Home's old chambers.
- That's Peter Hargreaves.
- Yes, I know.
It's an eerie coincidence.
Peter Hargreaves was the instructing solicitor when I defended Jimmy Darvall.
- Was that a fraud case? - No, murder.
These solicitors are connected to most of the fraud cases.
Was that stupid or what? That's what I was thinking at 3:OO in the morning with too much caffeine swilling around in my brain.
I started to get paranoid, thinking, "I'm being set up.
Someone wants me to find this.
" Then I think, "No, get some sleep and just review it in the morning.
" Conclusion? They're not stupid, Dad.
They're just overconfident.
Porcini boccone is great.
That's a lot of food.
You could share it with your guest.
Oh, he's not that type.
- What do you do when you get off work? - I go home to bed.
That is a novel idea.
- Charlie said you're a High Court judge.
- We go to bed, too.
Don't believe a word he says.
Carol is trying to persuade me to share the porcini boccone with you.
Do we have that sort of relationship? Oh, let's just have a bottle of the organic house red, please.
Okay.
Great legs, John.
Great mind, too.
She's a mature student reading philosophy at Sussex.
Why spoil it? You had dinner with Jo Mills.
Yes.
Go anywhere interesting? No, her place.
- You don't mind? - No, said I didn't.
There's not a bit of meat on the entire menu.
At least it guarantees we won't see any judges or lawyers.
I think we might have found something on this fraud case.
Well, at least Charlie has.
You're a Mason, aren't you, Row? Was that the connection? Pretty weak cement.
It's not what holds them together.
- Well, money's a powerful magnet.
- Maybe.
Coupled with a wonky rationale like victimless crime.
Here we are.
- I think we're ready to order, Carol.
- I put myself entirely in your hands, Carol.
Talk to me, Denis.
- What happened? - What do you think? - They're moving me.
- Because you helped the judge? I'm being moved to Aylesbury.
- Well, did you talk to the union? - Nothing they can do.
It's a transfer.
- He's convinced it's as a result of helping us? - Yeah.
Perhaps I should speak to the resider.
I don't think it'll do any good, Judge.
- Ah, John.
- Good afternoon, Michael, Ian.
One of our circuit judges has complained about you interfering with the course of a case he's hearing.
Really? And how does he know what it is that I'm supposed to have done? I'm not sure we should even discuss it without him.
Better here and now than when it's too late.
Action outside of a court can be entirely misconstrued.
You must be careful, John.
What is it that he thinks that I'm supposed to have done? It seems you've been examining his cases.
Here and where he sat previously as a recorder, in order to affect his current case.
Well, that's a pretty serious indictment.
Have you been doing as he suggests? If you have any suspicions, you should bring them to the Lord Chancellor.
These cases are a matter of public record.
Judges tend to trust one another, John.
There are rumours of a judge being involved with the solicitors on trial here in the ECO mortgage fraud.
Perhaps you should wait and see what comes out in evidence.
It's a closed world, Michael, supported by the old boy network clubs and Masonic Lodges.
As far as I know, Mason's only do charitable work.
Ah.
You'll do both the bench and the department more harm than good by fuelling these rumours.
You'll have every judge in the country against you.
- Do you want such a response from your brothers? - So what's new? If you ever find anything that troubles you, come to us, John, there's a good fellow.
We are the proper authority to examine such matters.
This is Charlie Deed.
Please leave a message.
Charlie, it's me, I hope you're safely tucked up in a lecture.
This is getting complicated.
The forces of reaction want us to stop.
Call me.
- Any luck? - Got a couple of items.
Is there a programme where I can run a search on names alone? There is.
It'll cost you.
- How about a cappuccino? - Make it a skinny latte and you've got a deal.
You have to specify the name.
If you just say Green, you'll get everyone called Green with share interests.
- Well, I can be fairly detailed.
- Okay, let's get this search horse up and running.
What name do you want a search on? Robert Alexander Randolph Home.
At least he isn't John Smith! He owns 80,OOO shares in Amax Conversions PLC.
Go into Amax.
See how his shares are allotted.
It doesn't work.
It's a blind trust for people like politicians who need to be seen to be given up their vested interests.
See if any other names on my list are holders in Amax.
Try Sir James Valentine.
All the names you gave me, bar one, are Masons.
- Who's the exception? - Marcus Hargreaves.
He's one of the partners of Westwake Hargreaves.
He took his brother's place when he died last year.
John, the Mason's aren't proscribed.
I'm simply looking for a thread.
Well, there's no indication on criminal intent.
No, Charlie's working on it.
Stop him.
Somebody stop him! Mr Collins, how often did Gary Patterson come into your chemist shop? Quite often, to get his nan's prescriptions.
Did Geri serve him on those occasions? If she was on the pharmacy side.
I was encouraging her to learn pharmacy.
She was a very bright girl.
She was planning to try for an Open University degree.
How did she react to the defendant? She was very nice to him.
She was so very nice to everyone.
She just made work seem such a pleasure.
- Did she treat him like any other customer? - No differently.
And how did he behave towards her? He hung around her a lot.
Did she encourage his attention? No, not a bit, never.
Was there ever an occasion when he forced himself upon her? - My lord, that's not a proper question.
- Yes.
Mr Brill Did you ever see the defendant behave improperly towards Geri? He made a grab for her a couple of times.
Uh, he often followed her, I sometimes walked her through the park because of it.
That was soon after she started going out with a new boyfriend.
Do we know who this boyfriend is? The police were unable to find him, my lord.
She and Gary had a bit of an argument about that.
He grabbed her arm, she shrugged him away, he ran off.
Would you say he was violent towards her? Yes.
But Gary wasn't normally a violent boy.
Not like some of them.
Did Geri say what the row was about? My lord, this is a line of questioning that requires third party reporting.
Yes.
Was Gary present at this conversation, Mr Collins? - No.
- I withdraw the question.
I think this might be a convenient moment.
All rise.
I had everything, Dad.
I spent hours going through those records, just like Henry told me to.
Someone stole them all.
It can't be coincidental, can it? We should stop this right now.
- Dad, you can't be serious.
- You could have been hurt.
- They're all Masons.
- The Masons aren't proscribed, Chaz.
Something is going on.
There are too many coincidences.
Judge Home owns 80,OOO shares in Amax Conversions PLC.
They hold six million shares in Moraira PLC, the company in the shipping fraud Judge Home tried last year.
He acquitted the two directors.
- Did you remember all that? - There's lots I can't remember.
Seven of the people on that list hold shares in Amax, including Sir James Valentine.
The solicitors for Amax are Westwake Hargreaves.
Amax holds shares in companies other judges are trying for fraud of some sort.
- Were they all acquitted? - I don't know.
Do we have a case? Oh, we have enough to destroy the reputations of all concerned, but not enough to convict them, no.
- So how do we move forward? This is so exciting.
- This is not a game, Chaz.
Once a reputation is destroyed, you can't put it back by saying sorry.
- We can't just do nothing.
- Lf it was the papers they were after, somebody is prepared to act criminally to get them.
- Then I'll go back and get them again.
- No.
Not on your own, you won't.
There's something else.
The two lawyers that Judge Home is trying are associates of Westwake Hargreaves.
They get around.
If you are going back, I'm sending Stephen with you, just to be certain.
You saw Carol the other night? Yeah, yeah, she, um, she She wrote her phone number on my bill.
I'm not into long term relationships.
- Carol's a grown woman, Dad.
- Yeah.
Was Geri particularly nice to Gary? She didn't encourage him.
But she showed him affection beyond courtesy to a customer, did she not? Not that I noticed, miss.
She wasn't interested.
She wasn't hostile to his displays of affection? She was too kind.
She'd chat away to him, ask him about his gran.
He never had much to say, poor lad.
But she said something to you? Yes, we were very close.
She told me She told me she thought he was pathetic.
- Was that after he went out with her? - She never She wouldn't.
You're privy to all her movements? Well, no, but she wouldn't.
Did you ever see Gary behave violently around Geri? That time he grabbed her.
Yeah.
Isn't the truth of the matter that Gary was in love with the girl, and mostly followed her at a distance, unable to approach her? Like I said, he was pathetic.
Oh, I thought you said Geri thought he was pathetic.
Not you.
- Terminal six is free now, miss.
- Miss? It's Charlie.
I bribed you with the skinny latte, remember? - But someone nicked the papers I got.
- What papers are they? Did somebody get to you? - What are you talking about? - Has anyone approached you about Miss Deed? Is that her name? Thought she was a nutter.
- Somebody did get to you.
- Terminal six.
Tell me what you're after.
Is the defence ready to proceed, Mrs Mills? We are, my lord.
With your leave I call Gary Patterson.
What happened to Mr Patterson? He won't say.
It's believed he was beaten up at the remand centre.
I see.
Hold the bible in your raised hand and read the words on the card.
Just repeat the words after the usher.
- No, just a minute.
Gary? Can you read, Gary? I can, but with my glasses I can.
Has no one given you replacement glasses in the last five months? I did have some.
Yeah.
Give him his glasses from the table.
Can you read the words? Can you read, Gary? I could once.
Can someone verify whether the defendant can read? He can read, sir.
- And you are? - Dale Patterson, Gary's father.
Okay, thank you, Mr Patterson.
Can someone find him some reading glasses? Put them on, Gary.
And read from the card.
I swear by God Almighty that the evidence shall be the truth, nothing but the whole truth.
Good, now try the other glasses.
Can you see the words on the card? - No.
- Why is that? I don't I don't know.
I think you do, Gary.
I trust you are going to call Mr Patterson's optician, Mrs Mills.
Oh, I am, my lord.
Before we proceed, I will see counsel in chambers.
All rise.
The conduct of this case is shambolic.
It has scant regard for the truth.
I thought the trial was about the presentation of fact.
It should be about discovering the truth, that's what the public expects of us.
I don't believe that either you or the CPS tested the evidence.
The glasses found by the body are clearly not the defendants.
- Is the earring his? - He identified it as being his.
- You challenging that? - Of course, there's no DNA linking it to him.
And you're content not to submit evidence from your psychiatrist? I am.
Presumably because it's unhelpful to your case.
I'm going to adjourn this trial and have the defendant examined by a psychiatrist.
Hopefully, I will have a report by Monday.
I will disclose the contents to you both.
I hope that one of you will call the psychiatrist.
Do you want a hand to analyse it all? - Is that your strong point? - I was always pretty good at reasoning.
Then why didn't you become a lawyer? I couldn't afford the extra year.
Should I stick around? Why don't you just get to it? You want to take me out.
Mind-reading's another of your talents.
- I'm seeing a lecturer.
- Oh, well, I can't compete with that.
He's married.
Look, if I went out with a policeman, I wouldn't have any other friends.
They all do dope or social dissidence.
Then you'd better give me their names.
You'd better not lose that.
Mrs Cooper? Can I grab a lift back? I'll be right with you.
I'll catch you up.
- What is it, Sergeant? - Look the judge ought to know something in the prosecutions case that wasn't disclosed to the defence.
It may not mean very much, Coop, in view of the evidence.
- Even so, it should have been disclosed, Judge.
- I'll make sure it is.
Oh, tell Mr Harrison that Dr Eugene Baldichino is the psychiatrist of choice.
Avoid those on the Home Office list.
Will all parties involved please proceed to court three.
All parties Constable Ashurst? Is there a problem? - Should there be? - You lot don't dig us out otherwise.
What sort of problem might there be? Well, I did smoke in the Judge's car.
- Oh, you think this a matter for mirth? - No, sir.
There's been a complaint against you.
You've been misappropriating police resources to help Mr Justice Deed further a private vendetta.
I've been helping collect information on possible fraud, sir.
Oh, and what fraud is that? I think I'd better talk to the Judge first, sir.
Not before you talk to us.
They can't keep the files.
Who were they? Policemen who investigate policemen.
You didn't do anything wrong, Stephen.
- I'm sorry I lost the files, Judge.
- Hi, this is Charlie Deed.
- Please leave a message.
- Did you get a receipt? Chaz, it's me.
Call me as soon as you can.
I think we've got a problem.
Judge, I'm ready.
You're miles away.
I feel like walking.
- Charlie, have you got the file? - Yeah, and I gave Stephen a copy, too.
What's wrong? Nothing's wrong, I'm with Carol.
I'll talk to you tomorrow, sweetheart.
Bye-bye.
- So have you two always been close? - Yeah.
Charlie spent most of her time with me after her mother and I divorced.
Lucky her.
the fire detector off a fire engine.
- You're a bit off your beaten track, aren't you? - Well, this looks like your home from home.
- Hi, Carol.
- Hi.
Oh, Carol, this is Jo who's appearing before me.
- I've heard a lot about you.
- Have you? Have you eaten? - No.
- Yeah.
It's a bit of a busman's holiday for me.
Have the white bean and pumpkin chilli tacos.
It's very special.
Or we could all go and eat together somewhere else? I think the prosecution would object.
Gary, I want you to think very carefully before answering this question.
Do you understand? Did you kill Geri Lander? No, no.
Why did you tell the police you had? They were kind to me, so I Were you there when she was killed? - Is that a yes, Gary? - Yes.
Did you see who did it? Well, why didn't you tell the police that? I don't know.
Did you see this person hit Geri with the iron bar? Was it a man you saw? Yes.
Have you seen this man before, Gary? Gary, you say you didn't kill Geri.
Is that right? Gary, is this man you say killed Geri a friend of yours? - Gary, is he someone known to you? - No.
We'll need some help.
Get a doctor.
Gary Patterson had an epileptic seizure.
Is he gonna be all right? I doubt it.
The doctors aren't sure if he can undergo such intense examination again.
It's beginning to feel like a replay of the Jimmy Darvall trial.
I don't see it.
This boy allegedly followed the girl, rowed with her and then killed her when she rejected him.
Jimmy came home the worse for drink, killed his young wife when she said she was leaving him.
Yes, we argued that there was a third party present.
I think that Jimmy knew that person and blocked him out.
And possibly Gary Patterson did the same thing.
Pound gets us on the bus.
We ain't got 20 pence unless either one talks.
John, could we have a conversation? I'd catch you at the digs, but you lead such a social life.
- I'll be at the digs for tea.
- Excellent.
Mrs Mills.
Sounds like a wrap on the knuckles.
- Having such a social life? - He's reading the wrong diary.
Are you serious about Row Colemore? Does it matter? No, if it's what you want.
I liked your waitress friend, Carol, she's very warm.
Hmm.
Hmm.
- Yes, very bright, too.
- And you get to eat healthily.
This sort of thing erodes the credibility of the bench.
Little by little it diminishes our authority.
No, Michael, rumour of corruption that we fail to deal with does that.
Are you investigating Robert Home? It's not a vendetta.
It's such a breach of etiquette, John.
I have a suspicion that I wish to investigate to my satisfaction, I would have hoped, with your support.
You'll have to seek that from the circuit resider.
I take a very dim view of it.
I suspect he will, too.
Yes.
I feel cheated, like you let me win.
I've never thrown a match in my life.
Well, you didn't try very hard.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm distracted.
Do you think Jo could be using you to wind me up? Ha! You wish.
You miss her, John.
I see her every day in court.
At some point, John, we've got to take action on this investigation.
Is there anything on this judge yet? Have you got somebody reliable in the CPS? No, but I wouldn't let that deter me.
I have to congratulate you, Sir John, it's a first rate job of detection.
Well, Charlie did most of the donkey work.
In attempts to convict such high profile figures, the CPS needs to feel confident about any witnesses.
- We need someone to point the finger.
- We won't get that unless we give it to the police.
Then it ceases to be discreet.
We've given up our megaphones, John.
- We would need at least one solid witness.
- And who do you suggest? The two solicitors currently on trial.
Won't they think they're better off in front of Judge Home? No, not necessarily.
Home knows we're onto him.
He'd be obliged to play a straight bat.
I could have a word with my colleagues.
The solicitors might get a deal for turning against their cohorts, even at this late stage.
Worth a try.
Mrs Mills, can you tell us of the state of Mr Patterson's health? He's recovering from the seizure, my lord.
He is not yet fit enough to resume evidence.
Is he likely to return to the witness box in the near future? The doctors are optimistic.
Is he able to give you instruction? I have received instructions.
I should like to call Mr Patterson's optician, Amber Hollick.
This is an expert witness.
Has the prosecution seen her report? I submitted it during the adjournment.
Mr Brill? It does appear to be an ambush, my lord, but I've accepted there were valid reasons.
Did you prescribe eye glasses for Gary Patterson? Yes, about four years ago.
- We haven't seen him since.
- What condition does he have? A genetic malformation of the lens.
Well, he can't see objects close to.
- Is this a condition that rights itself? - No, not in my experience.
Were you asked to examine a pair of spectacles and compare them to Mr Patterson's prescription? Exhibit 2C.
These are the glasses I examined.
Are they glasses that you or any optician would have prescribed for the defendant's condition? No, they wouldn't have corrected it.
Let the jury be certain about this.
Could these glasses ever have been Gary's? - No.
- Thank you, Miss Hollick.
Mr Brill, would you like to examine this witness? Thank you, my lord.
No.
Mrs Mills, in the circumstances, do you wish to call the psychiatrist Dr Baldichino? Yes, my lord, with your leave.
I believe you recently examined Mr Patterson? Yes, I examined him as thoroughly as I was able in prison.
Did you form an opinion on his mental state? There is no condition as such which marks Gary as being mentally unstable, psychotic.
His social function is limited by his emotional age.
He's a 22-year-old man with the emotional age of someone in his early teens.
He's socially inadequate.
He can't interact with his peers and is easily distressed and embarrassed, especially with the opposite sex.
Tongue-tied to a point of total frustration.
Is Gary, in your opinion, a violent personality? No.
He's quite benign.
His constant attention to his bedridden grandmother is an example.
In helping her, he finds a role in life.
Did you ascertain the causes of his emotional retardedness? He witnessed his mother die violently when he was 12.
How did she die? She fell down the stairs during a row with Gary's father.
Gary has an exaggerated need for attention and approval that his father wasn't able or willing to provide.
Could he get this, say, by giving comfort and succour? - Yes, he could.
- And how would that make him feel? Good, worthwhile, useful.
He'd be neither threatened nor challenged.
He'd get the approval he craves.
Dr Baldichino, in this situation, if he were lying about killing the girl, would he be aware of it? It is likely that in such an emotional state, he might believe he'd done something he'd only witnessed.
Would such a person be able to sustain this fiction over a long period, say, 10 or 12 years? When access to reality is cut off by some emotional block, such as false sense of guilt, it can be sustained indefinitely.
Thank you.
"Socially inadequate, immature, unable to interact.
"Gets distressed and embarrassed with the opposite sex.
"Tongue-tied, totally frustrated, desperately needing approval.
" I'm quoting you, Doctor.
Now, let's hypothesise.
The person whose approval he most needs is the young woman who rejects him, laughs at him, goes out with someone else.
Is this someone who is going to remain benign? In those circumstances, he could lash out.
Violently and uncontrollably until the object of his desire can reject him no more? - Yes, it's possible.
- Thank you, Doctor.
Sir Joseph Channing to see you, my lord.
- We don't have an appointment.
- He apologises for calling in like this.
All right.
My lord.
- Sorry to interrupt your meal, John.
- There's some spare if you want it.
Good God! Is it part of the LCD cutbacks? Just so there'll be no misunderstanding.
I hardly think we could avoid those, Joe.
I want you to be perfectly clear on what I'm about to say.
On the bench you are an irritation.
Most barristers would prefer not to appear before you.
What you do there is sometimes fair, sometimes just, but you are a prig, a self-righteous prig.
You think that nobody else can deliver justice.
- Well, they can, you know.
- Yes, I'm sure.
And when you're in the wrong, you become a complete ass, as in this vendetta against Robert Home.
Oh, you've been elected spokesman, have you? Well, perhaps I've missed a beat here somewhere, Joe.
Perhaps somehow you're connected to this network of deceit.
Oh, don't be ridiculous.
There is no network of deceit.
The judges of England are impeccable.
I've known Robert Home for years.
He He's a member of my club.
I knew his father.
Well, I suppose that's a start.
There is no corruption.
By your actions, you put at risk the very last bastion of decency and integrity.
Where do these paragons get their immunity, hmm? Aren't they subject to human weaknesses like most of humanity? Most of us went to decent schools.
We were exposed to the right values.
For you to pursue this is to imbrute the bench.
You must stop, if not for your own sake, then for the sake of your daughter, my granddaughter.
For those you cherish.
Your sister, Mrs Mills and her family, your new girlfriend.
You better leave, Joe.
I'm sure we'll reach an accommodation.
The alternatives are too awful to contemplate.
John, this is a surprise.
- I'm surprised to find you in.
- Then why did you come? - How are you? - Tired.
I've been reviewing Jimmy Darvall's trial.
Something still doesn't add up.
- He's holding out on us.
- Perhaps I should go and confront him again.
- Yeah, thanks.
Boys okay? - Mark's upstairs online.
I haven't spoken to Tom for ages.
You buy them phones so they can keep in touch and you're the last person they call.
Would you like to see a football match at the weekend? We could take Charlie and the boys to Brighton.
John, you don't like football.
The Lord Chancellor wants the judiciary to have a more popular touch.
What's wrong? Nothing.
Nothing at all.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Denis Marlowe is not very happy about his transfer to Aylesbury, you know.
Why are they sending him to Aylesbury? Well, it might have been the Outer Hebrides as far as Denis is concerned.
Coop.
Is he unhappy enough to pull the prosecution papers on the Jimmy Darvall trial for me? Aylesbury's where I defended him.
Denis is very flattered that you remember him.
Most judges don't even know the polls exists.
Do we know whether Gary Patterson's recovered yet? He has.
He's ready to go back in the box.
Mr Brill.
Do you know that on a previous occasion Mr Patterson had confessed to a crime he didn't commit? I did see information to that effect, my lord.
Did you disclose this to the defence? The CPS took the view the information only confused matters.
If the defendant were to be found guilty, failure to disclose might prove grounds for an appeal.
Nondisclosure is permitted under the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act of 1996.
Yes, but the test is applied by the prosecution.
It's subjective, not objective.
This arguably goes against the requirement for a fair trial under the Human Rights Act.
I'm going to adjourn until after lunch, during which time I want full disclosure to the defence of any previous confessions that Mr Patterson may have made.
Failure to do so might render any conviction unsafe.
All rise.
Prosecution bashing, John? How much does the 1996 Act help the police, Row? Every little helps.
We need all the help we can get.
I've heard back from Gavin McFayden.
CPS don't think there's enough in what Charlie scraped up.
John.
Well, say something.
It's a disappointment.
That's all? - I could talk to the Fraud Office.
- No, no, no.
I don't I don't think so.
The more people we talk to, the more reputations we put at risk.
John.
John, did you know something when you asked about the boys last night? Jo, are you all right? You've gone quite white.
- Tom's in hospital, came off his scooter.
- Is he badly hurt? They're taking him to the theatre now.
I'm on my way to York.
Why did he have to choose a university so far away? My car's outside.
I'll take you to King's Cross.
- My junior can hold the fort.
- Yes, let me know how he is.
You obviously have some very powerful and influential friends, Robert.
One inevitably meets major figures in the course of one's career.
What I haven't managed to work out is whether they share your wonky ideas on victimless crime or are simply supporting a fellow.
Either way, I've decided not to act on the corruption I've found on the bench.
With respect, Sir John, I find that very wise.
Reputations so hard won are easily lost.
Just pray that none of my family and friends has any more mishaps, or nothing will stop me.
Hmm.
Well argued.
But a bit short on facts.
It's an argument for why those judges and lawyers should be prosecuted.
- Henry filled in some gaps.
- Did he? As your law lecturer, he should be teaching you to be factual.
If the law fails you, Chaz, then change the law.
Don't try and bend it.
Do you want to eat? Are we not gonna go after these guys? We can't.
We all want to do it, Chaz.
We We get frustrated, we try to bridge gaps the law won't let us jump and, um - Can I keep this? - Mmm.
Where do you want to eat? I thought where Carol works.
- Let's try somewhere else.
- Why? She really likes you, Dad.
She's a waitress I picked up, Chaz.
Now, drop it.
Come on.
No, I'm not hungry any more.
I can't go out with your friends to please you, Chaz.
- No! - Don't do that.
- Jo, how's Tom? - He's got great tarmac burns on his leg.
He'll be fine.
I'm waiting for Row to finish a meeting, then I'll come back.
- Row drove you? - He had a meeting with the York police.
- That was convenient.
- Yes.
I'll see you in the morning.
When you said you saw this other man kill Geri and throw the iron bar into the pond, were you telling the truth? - Yes.
- That was the whole truth, was it? Yes, it was.
Yeah.
You know the purpose of the court is to get to the truth, Mr Patterson? Yes.
So, when you previously told the police it was you who killed her, was that the truth? - No.
- Ah.
So you lied to the police? Is that so? Yes.
Well, Mr Patterson, how do we know you're not lying now when you say you didn't kill her? I'm not.
I'm not.
Earlier, you said you lie so that people are kind to you, did you not? I saw him do it.
I did.
I saw him do it.
Isn't this simply another lie? No.
You don't know.
I seen him do it.
Isn't it true, Mr Patterson, you hit Geri again and again and again because she rejected you? - No.
- You didn't want anyone else to have her? - I didn't do it.
- You invented this other man.
You invented him to cover up your own sordid crime.
No.
I didn't.
That is the That's the truth.
I didn't.
Your truth, Mr Patterson, is all strokes for folks.
Hmm? We'll let the jury decide on the evidence.
You wish to come back, Mrs Mills? Gary.
How clearly did you see this other man on the night of the murder? I I saw him do it.
- Were you spying on him and Geri? - No.
Were you following Geri? - Yes.
- Why didn't you try and stop him? Gary? Mrs Mills.
In the circumstances, I have no further questions.
Are you calling your forensic expert? Next, my lord.
Dr Markham, did you examine blood on items of clothing belonging to the defendant? Yes, a pair of trainers and a pair of jeans.
What were your findings, Doctor? There were two types of blood on the jeans, but only one on the shoes.
On the welts of the trainers, the blood was from the dead girl, Geri Lander.
We did DNA tests on the blood.
- Is there any doubt about that? - No.
Have you seen the report by the Home Office pathologist, Dr Vaughan? Yes.
I agree with his findings for the shoes, but not the blood on the jeans.
Will you tell the jury how it varies? - There are two separate bloods on the jeans.
- Are these from the same type? Yes, type O.
There wasn't much of either, but the preponderance of blood was from the defendant, Gary Patterson.
- And the victim's blood? - It was there, but only as trace.
Can you say how the blood might have got there? The defendant's blood was pushed into the fabric, as if wiped off something.
The trace of the girl's blood was almost certainly picked up from brushing a leaf with it on.
Gary.
Gary, can you hold up your hands? How did you cut your palm? It's just It's just from me sort of picking on it, and just from scratches.
I'm pretty sure the jury didn't quite hear that.
I do it sometimes with my nail.
- Then wipe it on your trousers? - Yeah, sometimes.
Yeah.
Thank you, Dr Markham.
- Did Tom say what happened? - Someone in a car forced him off the road.
And didn't stop? Didn't Row Colemore investigate it? - What's on your mind, John? - Nothing.
- I don't believe you.
- Nothing.
Look.
I got sent this from the prosecution file on Jimmy Darvall.
A third party's blood was on the murdered woman's dress? Mmm-hmm.
Prosecution didn't disclose it.
I intend asking my ex-father-in-law why.
I should go down and see Jimmy Darvall.
Maybe Row Colemore'll give you a lift.
Yes, John, he might.
The blood of a third party on the dead woman's dress means nothing in itself.
- It means that somebody else was there.
- Not necessarily.
The conviction is sound.
Peter Hargreaves, the senior partner in your firm of instructing solicitors, reviewed the prosecution's evidence and found it sound.
Hargreaves? Why didn't he tell me? Presumably he didn't think it important.
But then he must have seen the undisclosed evidence.
Whose side was he on? - He operated without prejudice.
- I'm gonna get this before the CCRC.
- Hello, it's Jo.
- Jo.
I think I know who killed Jimmy Darvall's wife.
No, I don't know, Jo.
I don't know who did it.
It was all such a long time ago.
You know exactly, Jimmy.
You came into the bedroom that night and there he was.
Someone so shocking to you that you cannot bear to remember.
You know who it was, Jimmy.
You know and you can see him.
You can.
I thought I'd invented him.
I started to dream about Marcus being there.
Your solicitor's younger brother.
- He was having an affair with your wife.
- She wanted it to stop.
That's what I kept dreaming about, her wanting Marcus to stop.
Oh, Jimmy.
- He doesn't want to do anything.
Are you serious? - Mmm-hmm.
- We can't stop now, Jo.
He could walk free.
- He's the client.
He didn't batter his wife to death.
Marcus Hargreaves did.
His brother Peter reviewed the evidence and ignored it.
Jimmy feels he's culpable.
He doesn't want us to go on.
He was stitched up.
Twelve years we've been picking away at this.
Hargreaves can't keep getting away with it.
John, Peter Hargreaves is dead.
Tell your friends all bets are off.
- I don't understand.
- You don't? You're trying two lawyers on a so-called victimless fraud, which like so many frauds that were tried and acquitted, tracks right back to Westwake Hargreaves.
The late Peter Hargreaves, that paragon of public accountability, masterminded the whole thing, drawing in chums from his club and his lodge.
That's you with Peter Hargreaves.
Tell your friends.
There's only one way to stop them, John.
Make it official.
Fine.
Just make sure you protect my people.
My lord, might you hear an argument out of the jury's hearing concerning ownership of the glasses? Perhaps I'd better hear it in chambers.
The glasses are a lens prescribed to Dominic Collins, the chemist.
Did the police question him on that? He said he often mislaid his glasses.
Geri Lander was always finding them.
- And the police believed him? - No reason to doubt him.
They'd have even less reason once Patterson was convicted.
The glasses are very strong circumstantial evidence, but that's all they are.
I am not going to allow you to introduce the ownership of the glasses.
That's prejudicial to my client's case.
No, it's been clearly established that he's not the owner of them.
My lord, you know how hard it is to expunge prejudicial information from the minds of jurors.
Deal with that in summing up.
You have before you a very difficult task.
A most onerous responsibility.
This is a young man charged with the most serious offence in law.
He will suffer the inevitable consequences of a conviction.
That is a very heavy burden for you.
Consider the facts carefully when coming to your decision about his guilt or otherwise.
The burden is on the Crown.
The Crown must satisfy you so that you are sure.
And if they have failed to do that, then you must acquit him.
I doubt if the jury will come back quickly.
If they do, I'll be in Judge Home's court.
Members of the jury, you have diligently and scrupulously examined all the reams of evidence the prosecution has placed before you.
Now we must consider what it amounts to.
Not a lot, I think you will agree.
There is no crime here.
What are you doing here? - Same as you, Dad.
What we have is a sin.
The sin of envy.
Envy of two highly successful lawyers who were making the most of their business acumen and a loophole in the law.
One which has now been plugged.
But at the time most of these mortgages were written, the law read very differently.
Who was being hurt by this so-called crime? No one.
Certainly there are no losers because there are no victims.
The plain truth is that there wasn't any crime.
You are such a perverse man.
You were warned about embarking upon this foolish course.
- Sometimes we have to do as conscience dictates.
- Uh-huh.
There will be consequences.
Oh.
I thought these were decent people who went to the right schools and clubs.
Yes.
Well, unfortunately, that is no longer the guarantee it once was.
Money has such a corroding effect upon people.
Do you want to give me the names of these people? Just be careful.
Oh, by the way, you may want these.
The relevant prosecution papers from the Darvall trial.
Thanks, Joe.
Do you think the jury will come back with a verdict before the end of the day? I doubt it, Judge.
- Row Colemore.
- Row, it's me.
What are the chances of opening an old murder case, do you think? Miss.
Excuse me, miss.
What do you want? Where's the usual friendly smile, then? Look, I've had a tough day at college.
You're cross with me.
Charlie did warn me about you.
I'll have to have a talk with Charlie.
How about some coffee when you get off? Please? - Row Colemore.
- Row, it's John.
I'm at Carol Hayman's.
9 Cooper's Yard.
Have you got that? Yep, 9 Cooper's Yard.
Get some of your people here as fast as you can.
We've had an uninvited visitor.
- What, you mean a thief? - No, I don't think he was a thief.
- We'll get someone over right away.
- Fast as you can, Row.
John, what's going on? - You had a burglar.
- But you just said he wasn't.
I said he wasn't a thief.
It's all right, love.
It's okay.
It's all right.
That was quick.
- Who are you? - Who are you? I'll ask the questions.
We have a warrant to search this flat.
Sure you do.
Get your hands off her.
- Let me see it.
- Are you the owner of the flat, sir? No, she is.
Can I see the warrant? - You better tell me who you are.
- Do you have some identification? - You're very confident for a dealer.
Skip.
What's this, then, eh? - John, what is that? - Drugs at a guess.
- These yours, sir? - Do you have the warrant? Oh, what a surprise.
Signed by Judge Home.
Hello? John, it's more police.
- Ask them where they're from.
- Just a moment.
On the first floor.
You better have a very good explanation as to where your information came from.
So had Judge Home.
Sergeant, I'm DS Branson from the Drug Squad.
You got a cell empty? - Who for? - Two suspected drug dealers.
Fine, where are they? Can I help you, my lord? Yes, call DAC Colemore and then your superintendent, in that order.
- You know him? - Is this a joke? That's Mr Justice Deed.
The cocaine found in the loo in Carol's flat was traced to a supply being held for evidence in a police store in London.
And the policeman? Well, their informant seemed sound.
We're questioning him now.
- You were lucky, John.
- I know.
"High Court judge caught in drugs raid.
" By the time anybody looked behind that headline, my reputation would be ruined, wouldn't it? The jury's coming back, Judge.
- Any feelings, Coop? - Not on this one, Judge.
Will the foreman rise? In respect of the defendant, Gary Patterson, on the count of murder, have you reached a verdict? We have.
How do you find? Guilty or not guilty? Not guilty.
- But I didn't kill Geri.
- That was the verdict, Gary.
But it does mean that somebody else killed her, doesn't it? You said that you wanted the police as your friends.
So why don't you trust them and tell them what you clearly saw? That's the only way we'll get justice for Geri, who I'm certain had a genuine fondness for you.
- You think about that, Gary.
- Yeah.
All right, off you go.
- Whose earring was it? - Dad's.
No, I'm No, well No, it Talk to the police, Gary.
All rise.
Did we have an appointment? We ought to have had long before this.
The Lord Chancellor's pleased you take such an interest in his judges, but he expressed a view that you should have come to the department about any concerns you may have had.
And what would the department have done about them? That is a hypothetical now, John.
Your interference has rendered any sort of legal action against Judge Home null and void.
You can stop the trial, change the judge.
What sort of signal would that send about the judiciary? Did you imagine we'd put him on trial? The Attorney General will do the only thing he can do in the circumstances.
He'll issue a nolle, no case to answer.
He'll walk away scot-free.
Come to us in future, John.
The department manages the judiciary, and has been doing it remarkably well for a very long time.
Let's have lunch quite soon.
Mrs Mills is here, my lord.
- Oh, ask her to come in.
- She's already in.
- Have you heard the news? - They don't have news in the Saturday papers.
Judge Home tried to kill himself.
- How? - In his car with a hosepipe.
Oh.
Poor man.
How is he? - Recovering.
- I feel entirely responsible.
Excuse me! No one is ever responsible for another person's actions? - Lf I hadn't confronted him - Someone else would have.
It's such total self-absorption to think otherwise.
Do you think I'm self-absorbed? You're straightaway looking to beat yourself up.
I know a cure for that.
Mark and Tom are outside in the car.
Ask them to come in, then.
We're on our way to see Brighton.
We thought you and Charlie might like to go.
Football.
- What if I get to like it better than sex? - Half the nation does, John.