Original subtitles

This is the state of man.

Today he puts forth the tender leaves of hope.

Tomorrow blossoms and bears his blushing honours thick upon him.

Third day comes a frost.

A killing frost.

Nips his root and then he falls.

On to you.

Hi there, Governor.

You can't have played that piano for a while. This was inside.

Ex -wife, is it?

Alimony. I'm late.

I've been there, mate.

Do you know what you need?

A good lawyer.

What are the odds on Sargato?

11 to 10?

It's only got three legs.

I'll do 100.

And a pony on lovely bear.

On a beater.

Small domestic crisis.

Mr Griffiths said you'd be late for your own funeral, so he won't mind you being

late for his.

Once a year is like a game, Mum.

If Cleo gets head of chambers, I'm retiring.

Don't kiss me I didn't know you were coming I have to

go

And on the first count, Liam Walsh, you are charged that on Sunday, September

the 22nd, 2002, you murdered Graham Walsh.

And on the second count, that you murdered Emma Walsh.

How do you plead?

Guilty or not guilty?

Not guilty.

And on the first count, Sheila Coombs, you were charged that on Sunday,

September the 22nd, 2002, you murdered Graham Walsh. And on the second count,

that you murdered Emma Walsh.

How do you plead?

Guilty or not guilty?

Guilty.

Thank you.

Where are you today?

Landing next to you.

Really?

Are you for Sheila Coombs?

Sorry, I was only instructed last night.

I'm her sister Nancy.

She didn't do this. She would never.

That crossed my mind.

Read this.

She changed her story and her QC got cold feet.

Understandable.

How are the stamps, Jacko? It's your hobby, isn't it? It's a good memory,

Philately will get you nowhere.

Sheila.

She's got to see a doctor. She's all right.

It may be a cry for help, but have you read the indictment?

They can only prove the children were murdered if Sheila meant to take her own

life.

It won't be good for her defence if we draw her attention to the fact she's

lumps on a plastic spoon.

What's that?

Fine.

Do you mind?

I'm Henry Farmer.

Okay.

Liam and you are driving, going along by the lake.

Kids are in the back seat.

We'd better get an adjournment. She's not in a fit state.

When you and Liam gave statements to the police, you both said it was an

accident. Why did you retract your statement?

The car's in a terrible state. You've got a ready -made defence of accident.

Guilty.

You can't change a guilty plea five minutes before hearing.

Henry Farmer?

Since when did you start following people to work?

We've called a number of times at your home, sir.

Not bad news, are you?

Did you tell the Revenue where to find me? I was joking. I said, why not try

old Bailey? I didn't think they'd come looking for you.

What are you doing here, anyway?

I've got you a nice little extra earner, like you wanted, but it's a bit urgent.

We need your silver tongue and a plea for mitigation, sir.

Not Charlie Volland.

Mr. Volland still remembers how you got him off in that bullion trial.

I've got this in

Instagram.

You're the one with the gambling debt, sir.

Don't worry about it.

Plenty of potatoes.

I don't want to be a pet barrister for Ben's solicitors.

Well, fit this in easy.

You're not guilty with this one, are you?

I just can't think of any reason why you'd do this deliberately.

Kill yourself, kill Liam, kill Liam's kids.

It doesn't make any sense.

I had a brainstorm.

Okay.

The picnic.

They fished a whole lot of stuff out the car.

Biscuits, cakes, homemade sandwiches, ice creams.

Why go to all that trouble if you're just going to drive into the lake and

it all?

You'd rather not plead anything, just... To hell with it.

You're doing this for Liam, aren't you?

Because you think the police are out to get him.

That's quite a sacrifice, Sheena. You sure he's worth it?

Dead certain?

Would you write this?

To your sister, about what you feared Liam might do.

This guilty plea is crap, isn't it?

What happened?

I don't know.

It was so quick.

You want to vacate a guilty plea in a murder trial?

This is a very serious matter.

My lord, the defendant insisted to the police that it was an accident.

She then enters the plea of guilty.

Now she wants to change back again.

My client spent two months in hospital being treated for the physical and

psychological effects of this accident.

She seems to have confused her own guilty feelings about the deaths of

children with actual guilt.

Your lordship's seen the coverage in the media.

No doubt my learning friend will want more time.

Or has he perhaps got another lucrative case on the go? Thank you, Mr Richards.

I submit my client's right to be tried by jury is a basic human right.

I could be ready in three days.

Three days? Are you trying to... Go for it otherwise.

All right, Mr Farmer. We'll meet again here in three days.

You understand that now you and Sheila will be tried together.

And now she may give evidence that might affect us.

I didn't want her to plead guilty.

If I plead not guilty, you mustn't use that. It says you're worried about Liam

with the kids.

I'm defending you, Sheila, not prosecuting your boyfriend.

That's what happens, you see.

Circuit judge, a golf, a bit of leisure, title, respective years.

You peg out.

Like that.

All for nothing.

Zilch.

George Middleton for head of chambers.

Not taking any more bets.

I wish I had your confidence.

No doubt we shall all get behind madam and recognise her sterling qualities.

And her husband's millions.

Any work, then?

If the chief clerk doesn't rate you, what can you do?

A gift for you because you are working all hours on my case. That's very kind

you, Mr. Siminski, but I can't. I have not heard anything.

How long for?

Two days?

My solicitor tells me nothing. Do we have a date for the appeal?

I don't know.

I have to ask my clerk.

What is this?

Do you think we could talk about this tomorrow?

A funeral?

Oh, do forgive me, please.

He's had a sale in his shop for the last 30 years.

Someone reported him and he got two years suspended for obtaining by

Lost all his posh customers.

Sorry about court today.

Oh, don't affect me at all.

I'm only surprised the case has come this far, aren't you?

Hello.

We can't go on meeting like this.

There's a constituency due after this and he wants me there. He's being an

about it.

But I can stay tomorrow.

He's away for a week.

I thought we had an understanding about... in public.

I saw you talking to Polly Graham.

Didn't know you knew them.

All this Head of Chambers nonsense.

I don't want it.

The Baron doesn't see enough of me as it is.

What's that?

You better see it.

Sheila Coombs wrote it to her sister.

She says Liam's depressed and she's worried he might harm himself and the

if he doesn't get custody.

That's the last for you today, sir.

Tomorrow morning.

Arvind Patel, Snares book.

You can't lose.

Are you going to use it?

No, I don't think I am.

Is this why you persuaded her to change her plea?

No, I had my doubts before.

Don't worry.

What defence are you going to run?

Simple accident.

I had someone take a quick look at the car. The right front suspension's

It wasn't in the police report, so I'm getting another expert.

It's fine by me.

This is a malicious charge, and my client wasn't driving anyway.

We don't want to cut each other's throats, do we?

Are you going to use that letter?

Put Liam's defence in the log travel.

What did he get her off?

Tell me about their relationship.

It was all about his ex.

Estelle this, Estelle that.

She controlled him through access to the kids.

I told her to leave him.

Not that she ever listens to me.

How bad was it with Estelle?

As bad as it gets.

They fought for custody over the kids when they split up.

He was unlucky not to get them Estelle drinks, but she charmed the social

workers and he didn't.

So we lost.

You've got to use that letter.

Liam's council won't take it without a fight.

Two people say they didn't do it, then start tearing each other apart. What are

the jury to think?

Liam goes down, he pulls your sister with it.

He's got a volunteer bail here in Exhope.

Are those the rent records?

Everybody up to date? More or less.

I see Henry Farmer hasn't paid his chambers fees this year.

I hope whoever's head of chambers will be tougher than Jeremy.

Morning. Mr Bolland's bail hearing is at two, sir.

Will you be lobbying for George Middleton?

It would have been you, Cleo, but you're not standing it.

Aren't you?

What happened?

It was Snaresbrook. I was late.

The client was called Arvind Patel.

I went to the clerk. They said you were in number two.

The solicitor seemed pleased to see me. He only defended the wrong.

Arvind Patel.

And lost, and then got the right one convicted as well. What a star.

Never mind.

Have you got paid, Twy?

You sure you're in the right job, Mr Halliwell?

Be nice to the ex -pupils, or I'll cut your balls off.

Dolan computers in the booth of your Merc.

I suppose you must have fitted up, Charlie.

He's a joker, this one.

My driver was off, so I took the car to the airport.

I was in a rush, so I had my bag next to me on the front seat.

I never looked in the boot.

How did the police find the stuff?

Somebody tried to break into Mr. Volland's car in the long -stay car park

Stansted, but they were disturbed and ran off.

So the police waited for Mr. Volland's to get back and asked him to open up.

Anybody else here would be sorry, sir. Somebody's been at your car.

Same story. Always on his back.

If I could try and get the indictment changed to receiving, if you fight the

theft charge and lose, you could get two years.

That's what I said, Dad.

I didn't, Nick. Two dozen crappy little palm chops, Michael.

You shouldn't go to jail for receiving if you plead guilty.

I'm not going to plead guilty to receiving crap.

What does it matter as long as you stay out?

I don't want you to go to prison.

Look.

You're too old to risk it. You like your creature comforts.

You see this boy, Henry?

London Business School.

Distinction in his first year.

I'm not going to jail.

I'm going to win.

I do not know what they were doing in my car.

That's final.

The truth.

I will take your advice, but the wife's adamant. It's your decision.

If we go to a trial, I may have a clash.

A bail will be around when I can't be.

You're kidding me.

I'll see you all right. How much do you owe the bookies this month?

My fee's my fee, Charlie.

I can't corrupt you, can I?

You know I still don't know how you got me off in that bullying trial.

Neither do I.

Any idea how this palm top's got there?

Johnny Perez, my driver. We're looking for Perez, but I'm not holding my

Anyway, you managed to scrape bail together.

It's a joke.

Okay.

Hang on.

I'll be there.

When I got him in the cab, he says he's forgotten where he lives.

Then he had some sort of panic attack.

He says he's called Gillespie. Yes, that's his name.

Long time no see.

I don't normally take him in that state.

He keeps going on about someone called NASA.

Has he been watching too much cricket?

He's in Suez.

Wanted to say something.

You're drunk.

How do you know my number?

Your clerk.

Very helpful.

Oh, dear.

Happen often?

Once or twice a year.

You're very kind.

You old silly, come on.

Shall I come in?

No, you'll be all right, love.

Can I have your name?

Bye.

Come on, sir.

Mr Farmer, sir.

Bad night, sir. What is it?

The Zielinski appeal, Bunker Zielinski.

Three weeks before the death of Emma and Graham Walsh, their mother sought a

court order restraining Liam Walsh from seeing his children.

Walsh was already angry at losing a custody battle with Estelle Walsh.

The prosecution will allege that Walsh intended to kill his children and

himself.

in a suicide pact with a corporation of Sheila Coombs, who was driving the car.

Sheila Coombs was vulnerable and easily manipulated by Walsh.

Walsh convinced her that death was the best way of escaping her own problems

with her life.

We maintain that she was clear about her intentions, and she drove the

car into the lake.

were the children in the back seat.

A bit off, Henry?

I've got to earn 20 grand by the end of the month or I'm bankrupt.

Oh, these bookmakers.

They're all city types these days.

Time was they just broke your legs.

What are you doing with Charlie Barnes?

I got him off a robbery charge a few years back.

I still don't know how.

And not with the jury.

Good thing he did and all.

Because his barrister was a right play.

Want a tip?

Give up the nags.

Back on the football.

For example, Orient got a big, thick centre -half called Gary Duff. Now,

laugh, but he ain't scored a goal for seven years.

Well, it's not his job, is it?

But regularly you can get odds of 40 to 1 on him scoring his first goal.

And sooner or later, he's going to pop one in.

Abdul, drink for Mr Farmer.

When did you see Liam Walsh last?

The week before, I went to the pub for a drink and the landlord says Liam was

looking for me.

What happened then?

I met Liam on the way home.

He started shouting at me.

What did he say?

He said, if you try that, meaning the court order, you won't be going

or them.

And what did you think then?

I was scared out of my wits.

You took this to be a threat to you and the children?

I know it was.

Henry?

Henry?

You've heard what the wife's saying. If you bring in that letter, my client's

sunk. You can see that, can't you?

I'm not going to bring it in, I told you. You promise?

I'm not playing dirty if you don't.

Accident, okay?

She wouldn't do that to me. You know her better than I do. All I can say is her

barrister has the letter.

Now, it would help me.

If you could tell me as much as you know about Sheila.

Just in case.

I don't get it.

What do you mean?

What the bloody hell have you been doing to upset Charlie Rollins?

Mr Halliwell, sir.

We could lose the Rollins brief.

Don't you worry, Mr Halliwell.

I just asked him a few questions.

Who had the keys last?

Why, he thought his chauffeur would store stolen goods in his boss's car?

gone mental.

Were you calling him a liar?

Sorry, it wasn't that bad.

They sound like good questions to make.

Have you thought about journalism, sir?

What?

Here's one for you, Henry. Bank to right, 3 .30, new market.

Would you give us a moment, Paul?

Oh, sure.

Still got the bed.

Desk.

Is it her?

And the odd poorish investment.

Four -footed sort.

Doctor's drink, barrister's gamble.

Why don't you give me something to save for?

How much do you owe?

How much?

Get rid of this place.

Um... It's rented.

Fiverr says mine beats yours.

You wish you never met me.

No.

I love your eyelashes.

Hairs under your arms.

Broken toenail.

But it's missing from your tooth.

Flat feet.

The keys are always under the mat.

Go on, my son.

See? You won't.

Don't be daft. No, no. Fair's fair.

How are you doing, love?

Keeping your spirits up?

Not too bad.

People forget about their growing parents.

Not that we kiss.

It's not going too well for my son.

I felt lying about what he said.

Liam said things, but he doesn't do like he talks.

You know that.

You love him.

Our brief.

So you wrote a letter to your sister.

About Liam.

And all of us is not going to use it.

I told him not to.

I hope not.

Because like I said, Liam hasn't said all he knows.

About you.

About what you told him.

Because a lot of things might get missing.

What do you mean?

Didn't find out everything, did they?

That's it.

What did he want, Sheila? He knows about the letter.

He thinks I've used it.

What was your impression of Liam's relationship with Sheila Coombs?

I thought it was all right, sir.

She was nice to the kids.

But she was so quiet.

I started to think she wasn't right in the head.

She gave me the creeps.

It was like she was dragging him down.

In the end, I didn't want him near my kids.

And now it's too late.

Mrs Walsh, hasn't it ever crossed your mind for one minute that this was a

tragic accident?

No.

I know what he said.

You won't be going anywhere or them.

Those were his words, weren't they? Yes.

And you understood that to mean that he would kill you and them?

Yes.

Liam thought you were going to take the children to live in Pakistan with Rashid

Latif, didn't he?

He was wrong.

You won't be going anywhere or them means something different now, doesn't

Well, it's still a threat, and my kids are dead.

Mrs Walsh, have you ever been treated for alcoholism?

Yes.

I'm better.

Mr Walsh left you because of your drinking.

That's what he said in the custody hearing.

Yeah, but he lost, didn't he?

Because nobody believes him.

I mean, he left me with the two kids.

Liam Walsh's family are putting pressure on my client.

I didn't ask them to. I told you about that letter in confidence.

I think that letter constitutes a threat, don't you?

You may be tempted to cut corners.

After all, you've had so little time.

I don't cut corners.

Or throats.

They've got a weak case.

I'm not sure it is now.

I think the ex -wife was pretty bad for us. Because you kept lobbying her the

ammunition.

Actually, I'm more concerned about what my client has just told me about yours.

What's he said?

Come on, Cleo, don't play games.

Maybe you should get your client to be more open with you.

How are we today, sir?

Yeah, glad to see you.

Johnny Perez, Dad's driver, and I had a thing.

But it turns out I was one of many.

Do you know where he is?

Yes. If I tell the solicitor, Dad'll just break his leg, so I thought I'd

to you first.

You're right.

We'd better make sure he can walk to court.

What was in your mind when you set off?

Just giving the kids a decent time and a nice picnic.

Were the kids happy?

Yeah. They were excited about getting away with the country.

What was Sheila's state of mind?

I don't know.

Quiet, I'd say.

Was she often quiet?

Yeah.

She had moods. What sort of moods?

Moods that affected her judgment?

I don't like this.

She got depressed.

Suffers from depression.

Did she talk about that?

Yeah. She told me she'd been in hospital for it.

Did she say anything that made you worry

about her?

She once said we'd both be happier dead.

What did you think about that?

I told her not to be so daft.

Cleo.

I have to be the best for my client. Meanwhile, the prosecution are off to

research my client's medical history.

Which you seem to be the last to know about.

I tried to warn you.

Well, perhaps I can help you.

Are you putting Coombs in the witness box?

I'm going to arrive the fence of accident.

Why didn't you tell me you'd been in a psychiatric hospital?

It was a long time ago.

You were at Michael's for four months.

I was depressed, that's all.

I told you, you can't use that letter. I ducked my neck out for you because I

believe you didn't do this.

Did Liam get his hand on the wheel?

Did he trick you off the road somehow?

Did he shout at you to turn left?

What the hell happened?

I can't remember.

Then why the hell did you try and plead guilty?

He was good to me.

Kind.

Nobody's been that kind.

Okay.

We'll have to do the best for you with what we've got.

personal stuff as you can.

Anything of Sheila's that might contradict suicide.

Purchases, letters, bank statements, anything that sounds positive.

I thought you better see it for yourself.

Wouldn't have passed the demo team.

Faulty brake light.

Faulty indicator.

Iffy brakes.

But the brakes were marginal.

Legal. Just.

What about the suspension?

It's well gone.

Could that have caused the accident?

Not this one.

Why not?

Suspension's gone on the right side.

It wouldn't have gone off the road to the left.

In other words, it's most likely the car was deliberately driven off the road.

So where does this leave us?

Up the creek without defence.

This is your Bondi Beach boy calling.

Long time no hear.

That's a hint.

So how's it hanging?

I don't know how long I can talk.

This ringing you is stripping out in this household.

I guess you're not there.

By the way, I'm still mad at you, but I love you. Who's that on the phone, Zach?

Hang on.

Nobody, okay?

Bye, Dad.

You've changed your story, haven't you?

No.

Weren't your original statements all about not remembering the events of the

accident? Now it's all about Sheila Coombs' being quiet, in a mood.

Are you trying to sacrifice Sheila Coombs to save yourself?

No.

Nobody asked me about Sheila before.

Did you pull the wheel, Mr Walsh?

No. Did you trick Sheila Coombs?

Did you tell her it was safe to turn when it wasn't? No.

Got yourself a butler then, eh, Dad?

Dreadful character.

Faith always likes me to get the last train in case he corrupts me.

How did you manage to get stuck in the criminal bar?

What do you want, Judge?

In a few years' time, you'll be getting to the age where you'll be expected to

apply for silk.

I can tell you now.

You'll be turned down.

Look.

I know this is the wrong end of the law for you, but I don't need the gown and

bands to get the work.

I'm talking about your private life, buggering up your career.

Come on.

Every barrister who gambled was blackballed. There wouldn't be any

Anyway, you started that. You took me to Cheltenham when I was seven and gave me

50 quid to spend.

This... Journalist woman.

Being an MP, her husband's got a lot of friends.

Okay.

My advice to you.

Not worth it for a woman.

How many times have we seen each other in the last 20 years?

Four?

Five?

I didn't think you'd amount to anything.

I always keep your best interests in mind.

You're not sending me away to school and forgetting I existed.

I distinctly remember coming at weekends.

Once. To take me to tea, and you picked up the wrong boy.

Yes, yes.

Drop the girl, and I'll put in a word.

Know why I won't?

Oh, love.

He's gay, isn't he, my husband?

Bisexual.

Why hasn't she left him?

Sorry.

I'm in the middle of a murder trial.

Don't waste yourself.

Take more water with it.

Why did you involve Sheila Coombs in this picnic?

Because... I don't know, she wanted to come.

Because you'd arranged to carry out this appalling act together, hadn't you? No.

She was in love with the idea of death, and you wanted to punish your wife for

stopping you seeing the children. No.

It wasn't a surprise to you when she suddenly turned the wheel, was it? You

knew what you were going to do, didn't you? It's not true. I loved my kids.

Love makes people do terrible things, Mr Walsh. And fear and cowardice makes

them want other people to take the blame.

Do you want Sheila Coombs to take the blame alone for killing your children?

Look, I don't know why the car went off the road.

We'd both be happier dead.

Isn't that what she said?

Yeah. I never meant that, Liam!

Be quiet and sit down.

I think you should pay your chambers rent, Henry. It lets the side down.

Angry with me, Cleo?

I don't know what you mean.

Let's keep it out of chambers.

I don't want to look a fool in court this week of all weeks.

Standard for election, after all.

I was persuaded.

I can't let people down.

One of the things I want to do is get rid of Ray Scanlon.

He's bringing up the wrong kind of client.

Criminals, you mean.

I want to go over the route from the house to the lake while it's still

But can you wait a minute? I've got a quick meeting.

Sir. We've got a problem, sir. Big problem. What is it? Clash.

Monster clash.

You can't have an extra day for Sheila Coombs. I must.

Sorted. No, he's... You're supposed to be in three courts at the same time.

Bolland's in Southwark, Zielinski in the Court of Appeal, and Sheila Coombs up

the Bailey, unless you can finish her by next Tuesday.

Do something for me.

Find me a cell phone that works in Australia.

One with pictures. Two, at the same time, I can deal with. Three,

You're staring at misconduct in the Brighton beanie, sir.

We found Perez, the chauffeur. I don't believe this story. He says in his

statement that he was back before Vollons went away and handed over all

to his son, Michael.

Interesting. And... I'm not suggesting Michael had anything to do with this. Go

on, then. I had a look at...

I basically want Sheila Coombs pleading guilty.

Look, tell Cleo I screwed up. She'll love it. She can't wait to get back in

there. I pushed you into it.

I'm going to be examining Sheila Coombs tomorrow, then I don't have a junior,

and if I did, it's too important anyway.

What do we do?

So I drop Zinitsky.

You're going to be bankrupt if you do, and it's too short notice, and you've

still got Volenstein on the same day, and you need a check for that too. All

right, Ben does Volenstein. You can't leave him in a trial with that lot.

ruin it. Coombs comes first.

Excuse me.

Both defendants changed their stories.

You and Cleo have been biting lumps out of each other. You're screwed.

I'm just retargeting.

Henry, the people who the police interviewed at the store where the

were stolen, one of them is a trainee manager on secondment from the London

Business School, same year as Charlie Vaughan's son Michael. They check.

Sir.

What are you going to do? Try and get the carpet man and adjournment.

Zielinski. You don't get one, you'll have to drop it. Drop Zielinski, you

your switch card.

I don't care.

Coons comes first.

30 minutes at 30 miles an hour.

Took them 14.

Hang on.

Slow down.

Pull in.

She'll get me her bank statement.

I need a copy of that laugh check.

She bought the kids ice cream.

How far back do your CCTV tapes go?

Sorry, I'm against you today, but you have the star role.

Presided over by the usual commercial superstar, dirtying his hands with

My Lord.

I don't think you've ever come before me, have you, Mr.

Farmer?

I'm sure I'd remember it, my lord.

We have considered your request for an adjournment, and it seems to me a very

impertinent application indeed.

Murder or treason, the Court of Appeal will not defer to a lower court.

And I'm afraid you may have gotten that is what the Central Criminal Court is.

Therefore, your request is refused.

If you're not ready tomorrow, then Mr. Zielinski will have to engage another

council.

I'll post your package for you.

Thanks.

Out tonight?

Yeah.

Not the same without my old hubby, but still.

Of course, you were a national champion.

Formation. Damn it.

You look great.

By the way...

I think the young lady is beautiful, and I hope one day you'll be very happy.

Thank you.

It is cancer, isn't it, that her husband's got?

Yeah.

She was going to leave him.

Then it happened, and she couldn't.

Well, if she's decent to him, then you'll be all right.

You're a good Mr. Farmer.

But tomorrow, Mo, I'm going to be bad.

This is a military operation.

Anything goes wrong, this is me.

Toast.

Crumpet.

See ya.

Bloody hell.

I don't gamble.

I'll do it this way then.

Put that on Gary Duff to score the first goal for Orient. You must be joking!

I'll pull your fingernails out if you screw me again.

There you go.

I don't know. You blokes get away with it. Don't worry.

Whatever he says, I wrote.

By the way, your check might be a bit late. We've just had to sack our

bookkeeper.

On the count of receiving, how do you plead?

Guilty or not guilty?

This is Miss Coombs's counsellor's clerk.

My buddy's had an accident on the way to court.

Well, this is the old Bailey, isn't it?

Switchboards down.

Get me to the appeal court.

You've cut a bit of wine.

People are my satisfied clients and they will speak up for me. How long have we

got? You don't understand. I came to this country. I have been good for this

country. It's not a retrial, Mr. Zelinsky. It's just about a point of

But I am paying a lot of money.

It's a good point of law.

But if I were you, I'd come back on your own this afternoon for the verdict.

This is a very complex issue, and the law on this needs some elucidation.

Are you all right, Mr. Palmer?

I'm afraid I've been... taken ill, sir.

Oh, dear.

May I... Come out and find me.

Give him a progress report.

I'll get it adjourned.

Can you tell me what happened in the car at the lake, in your own words?

Do you remember what happened?

Not very well.

Can you try?

One minute I was on the road, the next I wasn't.

Did the steering wheel jerk violently?

Please, delete.

I don't remember.

Can you describe what happened?

One minute I was on the road, the next I wasn't.

Sheila.

That's all I want to say.

Can I get down now?

Have you finished, Mr Farmer?

She's not in a fit state.

You owe me this.

My client's clearly not fit.

Oh, come now.

I hope my lonely friend has some compassion.

Half an hour.

Come on.

Now.

Okay.

In the last 20 years, My client has led a blameless life as a prominent jeweler

in Hatton Garden.

But, as Shakespeare said in Measure for Measure, we must not make a scarecrow

out of justice.

Ever tried to kill yourself?

No.

When you were in a psychiatric hospital, a lady you were close to hanged

herself, didn't she?

Yes. Remember her name?

Mary Kelly.

You and Mary Kelly were friends, weren't you?

Yes, sort of.

You had a suicide pact with Mary Kelly, didn't you?

A suicide pact that was well known to all doctors in the hospital.

That's right, isn't it?

Well, look.

It wasn't true.

What wasn't true?

Well, one of the nurses didn't like me. She bad -mouthed me to the doctor. He

just believed what she told him.

Not a very competent doctor, then.

My Lord, this is intolerable. My friend is introducing gossip and hearsay,

waving around reports that he can't introduce his evidence.

This? This is my council tax.

Quiet, please.

The Suicide Pact was a story invented by the nurse, was it, Miss Coons?

I was 19 years old.

I didn't want Mary to harm herself. I told her not to, but she kept going on

me. She said we'd be better off dead.

Is that what she said?

It has a familiar ring.

I wish I was dead now.

I wish it all...

No more questions.

We'll adjourn for lunch and then closing speeches.

I would like to re -examine them all.

Very well.

I've yet to see any semblance of a defence farmer.

No, Judge. Do you think three days was enough?

Mr Farmer?

Sheila, I want to take you through those last minutes in the car again.

The children were in the back seat.

Were they quiet or noisy?

What were they doing?

Singing?

Fighting?

Eating sweets, perhaps?

There's something in the inventory from the car.

Ice cream wrappers.

Ice cream.

When did you stop for ice creams?

The ice creams.

Remember you said the children were eating ice creams. Where did you get

from? When I stopped to... What?

Fill up with petrol.

You filled up with petrol?

How did you pay for it?

With a cheque. I don't have a credit card.

Please look at this and tell me what it is.

It's the cheque I wrote.

Payable to the James Road Garage, September 22nd.

Yes. How much is it for?

£9 .30.

How much did you have in the bank that day?

I don't know.

Was it a lot more than that or not much?

Not much.

May I exhibit the defendant's bank statement for that day, showing the

withdrawal and the balance after that transaction?

Was that almost all you had in the world?

Yes.

Is my learned friend trying to show his client didn't care about her finances

because of what she planned to do? Please sit down, Mr Richards.

In fact, your balance after that transaction was just under a pound.

You bought eight pounds worth of petrol, exactly, and the ice creams.

Why that amount of petrol?

I didn't want to be overdrawn when they charged you.

And this transaction took place about four minutes before...

The prosecution alleges you attempted suicide.

And you were worrying about your overdraft? I object.

Yes, this should not be a cross -examination, Mr Farmer.

So, to continue the journey up the hill, there's a postbox,

barrier fence.

Then the road begins to swing to the right and goes downhill.

So the car was turning, and you were going how fast?

20, 30, 40, 50, which?

30 -ish.

As little as 30. So if Liam had turned the wheel the other way, it wouldn't

gone into the water.

No, it didn't. He just lost control.

Liam was driving the car, was he?

I strongly object.

This has gone from re -examination to cross -examination and now it's

Nevertheless, I would like Miss Coombs to answer the question as if I had asked

it.

You are under oath.

He wasn't driving.

Did anyone ever show you CCTV footage of the garage forecourt?

Am I and the jury going to see it?

No objection.

Due course.

Who was driving the car, Sheila?

Liam.

We changed over at the petrol station.

After I bought the kids ice creams.

You miserable bastard.

They had all their lives.

Be quiet.

It wasn't like that.

It wasn't planned.

Did he tell you what he was going to do?

You don't understand.

He came to see me in hospital.

He'd lost his children.

He didn't remember anything.

He thought he'd been driving, but he wasn't sure.

And I knew that there were people that saw me start off, so I said no.

No, it was me driving all the time.

Why did you tell him that?

Go on.

We were supposed to be going to the country.

Liam wanted to picnic at the lake.

I knew that's where he took them with the stow.

And I was shouting at him.

And he was gripping the wheel and telling me to leave him alone.

And the kids were telling us not to argue. And then he just turned the wheel

if he couldn't take anymore.

It was my fault.

It was.

I'm sorry Liam.

I'm sorry.

Mr. Farmer.

Back at last.

Are we to be honoured with your presence, or is this just a flying

Ready when you are, my lord.

A search of the lavatories proved fruitless.

The local hospitals drew a blank. We were on the point of trying the Central

Criminal Court.

Well, then, we have studied the law on this matter, and the point you make is

interesting and intelligent.

Surprisingly so.

When is a carpet sale not a sale, but obtaining by deception?

Now, I shall give the court's reasons for refusing this appeal.

Have the jury reached a verdict on which you are all agreed?

We have.

On the count of murder, do you find the defendant, Liam Walsh, guilty or not

guilty?

Not guilty.

But guilty of manslaughter.

On the count of murder, do you find the defendant... Sheila Coombs, guilty or

not guilty?

Not guilty.

Sheila Coombs, you're discharged.

Mrs Dean, I'll put your client's case back four weeks of pre -sentencing

In custody, I'm afraid.

Certainly, I didn't find the CCTV much help.

Couldn't see who was driving.

Well, you know.

Now, why does winning feel like losing?

To our new head of chambers. And all who sign it.

I really thought you were going to bring up that letter.

I'm not a complicated bloke, Keanu. I usually say what I mean.

I was distracted, as you said.

A just result.

Ken Prettyman's cheque seems a bit large, so you should scrape by, sir.

You're the devil, right?

Thank you, sir.

So that's why I said... So you got Charlie off with Mr

Spender, did you? Well, if you know the judge is partial to Shakespeare, quote

Shakespeare, I say.

The real point is that Charlie has this woman.

Nita persuaded him to plead not guilty because she thought he'd go down.

She thought if Charlie was out of circulation for a while, the girl would

off with someone else.

By the way...

Did you hear about Gary Duff?

Gary Duff? What happened?

I had money on him to score.

50 -1 on him scoring the first goal today.

Crap game.

He did a hamstring.

But they'd used up all their subs, so he had to stay on.

0 -0 at 90 minutes.

OK. Who's behind?

Yeah, but the referee gave seven minutes extra time.

Last minute, Orient got a corner.

Duffy hobbles into the box, ball comes over, ricochets off his backside, hits

the inside of the near post.

Ball doesn't go in.

Hits the offside post, and in it goes. Crowd go mad.

1 -0.

Yay!

Disallowed for a push.

Tell me one question.

Do you like your job, Henry?

Yeah.

Yeah, I do.

Didn't have a lot on, did you?

That's great, I can see you.

How's it hanging?