Original subtitles

- You really wanna make a difference,

you'd do something about him.

- Once they see I'm not scared of him, of anyone,

it'll be okay.

- I'm wanting to know about Patrick Coburn?

- Coburn is a villain and always will be.

- I need a new second in command, how are you fixed?

- I wasn't scared for me!

- Who were you scared for then?

Your friend?

- You might scare off little girls,

but you don't scare me.

- Hello.

My name's Louise, I'm from the Liverpool Mercury.

I'm writing a piece about the new Public Justice Centre.

Have you heard about it?

Did you know that the judge from there

was brought up in this house?

Hi, I'm Louise Scanlon,

I'm writing a story about Judge Coburn.

Hi, my name's Louise, I'm from the Liverpool Mercury.

- What?

The Prime Minister doesn't earn that much in a day.

At least Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a bloody mask.

- You wanna lay off the wacky backy, lad.

Bit early for you, innit?

- I couldn't sleep, I'm in court today, aren't I?

Then you've got nothing to worry about.

- They could send me down.

- 20 quid says the only place they'll be sending you

is down the canal picking up litter.

Oh, get a load of them.

- Bit young for you, aren't they?

- Trust me, lad, girls that age,

they're not interested in little boys, they want a real man.

- She looks like she could pop any second, poor cow!

- And I've heard the Dad doesn't wanna know.

They're all the same,

they have their wicked way

and then you don't see them for dust.

When'd you get that?

- It's on contract, I'm working now, aren't I?

- Paying glass collectors a lot these days?

- He got you it, didn't he? - No!

- No worries, thanks anyway.

Hello, I'm Louise.

- I know why you're here, you'd better come in.

Now I hope you're not in a hurry,

because I've got to get a lot off my chest.

Now, how would you like to see that,

when you look out of the window?

Sometimes I don't even bother to open the curtains.

Now, what are you going to do about it?

- Sorry?

- Well, you are from the council, aren't you?

- Peter Catley's solicitor is running late.

- Who's representing him?

- Indira Cave from Willis, Cave and Moses.

- Oh, I saw her in Asda on Saturday,

she introduced me to her husband,

I'd always had her down as a lesbian.

- I'd always had her down as more of a Sainsbury's type.

- What's he up for this time?

- Discovered to be carrying a grand's worth of cocaine

after an internal examination by police.

- Ooh, just say no.

- Delivery for Judge Coburn.

- Very nice.

- Would somebody like to explain this, please?

- It's only an educated guess,

but I'd say it was some kind of box.

- I'm really not in the mood.

- This must have cost a bob or two.

- That won't last five minutes around here.

- I just want the person who stole me Danish pastries

to have the guts to own up.

- Come on, it's hardly a matter of life or death, is it?

- Oh, actually it is,

'cause I'm borderline type two diabetic, okay.

- Borderline hypochondriac more like.

- You're really giving the Chelsea Tractor a rest?

- You don't expect me to connect with this community

from behind tinted windows, do you?

- Someone got out of the wrong side of bed this morning.

What's the matter with you?

- Boiler exploded, starting the day

with a freezing cold shower isn't my idea of fun.

Ooh!

- Oh, thank you.

- I never thought I'd see the day

I'd have a reporter from the Liverpool Mercury

sitting in my living room.

- So how long have you lived in the street for?

- Oh, our Betty was one year old when we moved in

and that was 1952,

so how long's that?

- It's coming up for 60 years.

So you must remember the Coburn family

living across the road?

- Well, my memory's not what it used to be,

but I'll never forget Paddy Coburn

swanning up and down the street with that daft hat of his.

- And how do you feel about him coming back

to work at the Public Justice Centre?

Do you think it'll benefit the local community?

- Let's be honest, Paddy Coburn turned his back on us

the first chance he got and he's never looked back.

- Terribly sorry.

- You wanna get some stabilisers for that thing.

- Yes, please?

Mind if I join you?

- No.

- Kelly, isn't it?

Peter's Mum?

I'm very disappointed he's back here so soon.

- Not as disappointed as me.

I really believed he'd started to turn his life around

and then about six months ago,

this girl started spreading rumours he'd got her pregnant,

she's only 16, he swears blind it's not his.

- And you believe him?

- I'm a single Mum myself, he knows how I've struggled.

There is no way he'd put another woman through that.

And then he started knocking around

with so called mates off the Glenfield Estate.

I've tried to stop him going down there, but he's 18,

what am I supposed to do, lock him in his room?

Does his Dad have any contact with him?

Don't even go there.

We've never had as much as that out of him.

- Could you stand up straight, please?

- Can you tell the Judge your name, date of birth

and address, please?

- Peter Catley, 29 Frensham Street, Dovefield, L5 3CC.

6th of June, 1993.

- Right, sit down then, Peter, thank you.

- Mr. Catley was brought into police custody

on the 15th of this month and was discovered

to be carrying a significant amount of cocaine.

Initially Mr. Catley claimed

that the drugs were for his own personal use,

but after further questioning

confessed his intention to supply.

Mr. Catley was also under a supervision order

at the time of his arrest due to a previous charge

of possession of a Class B drug.

- Yes, I remember.

- I would just like to add

that Mr. Catley has pleaded guilty to the charges

and is very remorseful.

He deeply regrets the embarrassment and suffering

he's caused to his family, in particular his mother,

who is here to support him today.

- It has to be said that those sentiments expressed

do have a whiff of deja vu about them.

- If I may, Your Honour, I'd like to point out

that my client's circumstances have changed

since he last appeared before you.

He has admitted to becoming increasingly dependent

on cocaine and marijuana in recent months

and claims he only resorted to selling drugs

to fund his own habit.

In light of this I would ask you to consider a DRR

as part of any sentence you may deem appropriate.

- Stand up, please.

Your solicitor mentioned a DRR,

do you understand what that means?

It's a Drug Rehabilitation Requirement,

do you feel that's something that might benefit you?

I have decided to temporarily adjourn proceedings

on condition that you agree to speak

to one of our drugs advisors today.

I can't see the problem

with us reconvening at the same time tomorrow.

Mr. Catley, you don't have to walk far around here

to see the misery that illegal drugs cause

in this community.

I must warn you that the maximum custodial sentence

is looking like the most likely option available to me.

- Really lovely meeting you, thank you so much.

- I felt really sorry for him when his Dad passed away.

- How old would he have been then?

- 15, 16, can't be sure.

- So he was living over there on his own?

- No, no, local priest took him in.

- Father Jim?

- Yeah, do you know him?

- We've met, yeah. - Oh.

Paddy was an altar boy from when he was knee high.

They were always very close.

- Well, it's been lovely, thank you.

- Alright.

Alright.

- You here to see the drugs advisor?

- I am the drugs advisor, do you wanna come through?

Have a seat.

Okay, first things first,

are you here 'cause you wanna be here

or 'cause you've got to be here?

- I haven't got a problem, if that's what you're asking.

- So you don't consider being up in court

twice in a month for drugs offences a problem?

- I smoke a bit of weed, big deal.

- Yeah, but that's not all you take, is it?

- No, but I could stop whenever I wanted.

- So why don't you then? - Because I don't need to,

I've just told you, I haven't got a problem.

What would you know anyway?

- Maybe not that much, I was a junkie for 12 years.

So you see, all this, I've been there, done it,

I've made my pact with the Devil.

- I'm not that bad.

- But you've admitted selling to support your own habit.

Look, I got a chance to turn my life around and I took it.

So are you ready to take yours?

- Excuse me, would you mind giving us a couple of minutes?

- Yep, sure, no probs.

- Thanks.

I had a chat with your Mum earlier,

she's out of her mind with worry.

She seems to think you only started going off the rails

about six months ago.

Can you think of any reason why that might be?

What about this girl she mentioned?

- What girl?

- The girl who claims she's having your baby.

- I can't believe she told you that.

- So is it true? - Of course it's not,

she's a complete psycho.

- Who, your Mum?

- No, this girl.

- What's her name?

- Jessica, Jessica Stewart.

I only had a one night stand with her

and she's going round telling everyone she's having my kid.

- Only takes a one night stand.

- Yeah, but I wasn't the only one,

she's been with nearly every lad on the Glenfield Estate,

ask anyone.

- Obviously didn't put you off.

- I don't even wanna talk about it,

it's got nothing to do with me.

- What's the penance for lying these days?

Three Hail Marys and an Our Father?

You told me you couldn't remember Paddy Coburn,

then I discovered he used to live with you.

It strikes me a bit odd,

you'd forget something so significant.

- It was 40 years ago.

- The church is hardly famed for its transparency,

but that's ridiculous.

- Listen,

I gave shelter to a young man, who'd lost both his parents.

Shock, horror, priest helps parishioner,

there's a headline that should fly off the shelves for you.

- Jessica?

Jessica Stewart?

- Pint of lager, please love?

So who are we gossiping about now then?

- Three guesses.

- Apparently he fled this area when he was a teenager,

never said goodbye to a single soul.

- Packed his bags in the small hours never to be seen again?

- Like a thief in the night.

- You know, spreading malicious gossip

about the Judge's private life

isn't gonna benefit any of us.

- But he plays his cards so close to his chest,

he leaves himself wide open to speculation.

Anyway I wonder why he never married.

- Maybe he bats for the other side.

- Now that opens up a whole new can of worms.

- Choir boy, never married, shacked up with priest.

- Doesn't take Carol Vorderman to do the maths, eh?

And no self respecting straight man

would ever be seen dead in a hat like that.

- So much for team spirit, eh?

So where did you get all this rubbish anyway?

I didn't know this was your local?

- I just happened to be in the area.

- So you thought you'd just turn up

and spread a bit of malicious gossip amongst my staff?

- Believe me, any stories about Judge Coburn

have been doing the rounds a long time.

- I'm sure you're determined to dredge them all up,

no matter how irrelevant they may be.

- How much do you actually know about him?

- Well, I know he's a decent, hard working man,

who cares passionately about this community.

What's so funny?

- You should try telling that to his old neighbours.

- Peter insists he's not the father.

- It must be an immaculate conception then.

- He said it was just a one night stand.

- So how do you explain that?

I was with him for nearly three months,

but once he found out I was pregnant, it all changed.

He wanted me to get rid of it,

but there was just no way I could do that!

That's when he started spreading all the rumours,

that I'd been sleeping around.

I swear on my family's life,

that he's the only person I've ever been with.

- I believe you.

Have your family been supportive?

- My Mum's been brilliant,

she said she'd help out with the baby,

so I can stay on at school.

- Good for you.

- Just because I'm gonna be a single Mum,

it doesn't mean I can't make something of my life!

As far as I'm concerned,

you can lock him up and throw away the key.

- Come in.

Everything alright?

- That reporter's been hanging round again.

Look, I need to know

that you've been completely straight with me.

I'm the one who's out there vouching for you,

if you've got anything to hide,

it's my credibility that's on the line.

- She'll get bored.

- I only wish I had your confidence.

You know, she's spent the entire morning

talking to your old neighbours?

She's running a story in the morning about some old woman,

whose life's been made a misery by fly-tipping.

- Is that really the best she can do?

- It doesn't look very good, does it,

if your old neighbours are portrayed

to be living in abject misery,

while you're here living the high life?

- So that's what you call all this, eh?

- Look,

I just think this one's really got it in for you,

so if you do have any skeletons lurking in the cupboard,

I suggest you bring them out now,

before she does it for you.

- Maybe you're right.

Maybe.

Ask her to meet me in my old street

tomorrow morning, eight o'clock sharp

and tell her to bring a photographer with her.

- A photographer, why?

- If she wants a bloody exclusive,

she can have one.

Sorry to interrupt, lads, any chance of a word?

I saw Jessica this afternoon.

See there's one thing I don't get,

what a nice girl like her would ever see

in a lying little toe rag like yourself.

She told me a very different version of events.

Being a real man isn't hanging about street corners

with your friends, acting hard,

it's about taking responsibility for your actions.

You can go to the ends of the Earth,

but this isn't going away.

It doesn't matter if you don't love Jessica,

that doesn't stop you loving your baby,

being a good Dad.

You see this is a chance to start again,

go to college, get yourself a trade,

be someone your child can look up to, be proud of.

You make the wrong choice now

and you'll have the rest of your life to regret it,

believe me.

Believe me.

Oh, oh!

Oh!

Oh!

Oh! Right, right.

Come on.

- Argh! - You're nearly there.

- Nearly there. - Oh, oh!

- Alright, hold on.

- Argh! - You're alright, darling.

What's going on?

- I'm going.

- Where? - Anywhere.

- I know how scared you must be about tomorrow,

but doing a bunk is just gonna make things

a million times worse.

- It's got nothing to do with that.

I've lied to you.

- About what?

- Jessica's baby,

it's mine.

I've just seen her,

she's in labour.

I'm sorry.

- You just thought you were gonna run away?

Like father, like son?

Don't let me stop you.

If you really think this is the right thing to do,

I'll even help you pack.

From the second you were born, I've struggled on my own,

I've even gone hungry so you could eat

and this is how you repay me?

Turn into a carbon copy of him!

All the trouble you've brought to this door,

I've never turned my back on you.

I could forgive you for almost anything, but not this.

So you go and have a nice life and leave that poor girl

to bring up your baby on her own,

I just hope she does a better job than I did!

So go on, what you waiting for?

Get out!

Go ask your Dad if you can live with him, if he'll have you!

You deserve each other!

- Pete? - Alright, Dad.

- Grab a stool, lad.

What's in the bag?

- You selling knock off? - No.

- What brings you here then?

- I just needed someone to talk to.

What about?

- There's this girl,

she's pregnant.

- Well, can't she get rid of it?

- No, it's too late for that.

- You still with her?

What are you worried about then?

- It's still my kid.

- Are you sure about that?

You'd better get used to all the birds

throwing themselves at you, you get your good looks from me.

Just don't get yourself tied down,

life's too short for all that, just fill your boots, lad.

- Like you did, you mean?

- Well, you've turned out alright, haven't you?

- Got ya, come on! - You jammy little stats.

- Oh, what? - Woo!

- Pete!

Pete, hang on, hang on.

Look, lad.

Any chance of lending us a tenner till tomorrow?

Come on.

- So I was right then?

- Adjourned until tomorrow.

I'm starting to think it'd be better off if I was sent down.

- Careful what you wish for.

- At least I'd have a roof over my head.

Me Ma's kicked me out, my Dad doesn't wanna know.

- But apart from that, things couldn't be better.

Look, I was in your shoes once, you know,

I started with nothing, look at me now.

Do me a couple of favours

and things could start looking up for you.

- What kind of favours?

- Get your head down here tonight.

Come and find me first thing in the morning

and smarten yourself up.

- Mrs. Roden, you haven't changed a bit.

You do remember me, don't you?

Paddy Coburn, I used to live across the street.

Please accept these with my heartfelt apologies,

I hear you've been having a spot of bother.

- Oh, that's putting it mildly!

Now how would you like to be faced.

- Well, do you think our crew has done a good job?

- I'm absolutely speechless.

- That's a first for you.

- Have you seen what this man's done?

It's nothing short of a miracle.

- I'm delighted you could make it.

I knew you'd be keen to witness community justice in action.

I couldn't be more proud than to come from this street,

like Mrs. Roden there, I remember how things used to be

and I'm determined to restore that sense of pride

to this community.

Right, I think we're ready for our close ups.

- You've done us proud, Paddy Coburn.

People should forgive and forget all that other business,

it's in the past now.

- Right, I think we've had enough excitement

for one morning, shall we?

Be careful, whoa!

There we are.

Thank you very much.

- Is that the right time?

Quarter past nine, yeah.

- I think Peter's done a runner.

I've been calling him all morning,

but his phone's switched off.

- Well, he'd better get a move on,

I can't put him back any further.

- Oh, this girl, the one who said she was having his baby,

she went into labour last night, he's admitted that it's his.

I lost my temper, I said things I shouldn't have

and I haven't seen him since.

- Well, if he's not here in five minutes,

I've no option but to issue a warrant for his arrest.

Any sign?

Right then, we'll have to issue the warrant.

- What's he doing here?

- Look, I was gonna tell you, I'm not coming in today.

- You're bunking off?

- We're going to town,

he's buying me some new clothes for work.

- Can't you see what he's doing?

- He's giving me a chance,

that's more than anyone else has ever done for me.

- Is there anything you'd like to add,

before I pass sentence?

- Yes, sir.

I know I've messed up and I'm not proud of myself,

but I had my reasons.

About six months ago I found out I'd made a girl pregnant.

I couldn't handle the thought of becoming a Dad.

She went into labour last night

and I could be a Dad now for all I know.

- How does that make you feel?

- Ashamed.

I just want a chance to prove to her that I can change.

- And how do you plan to do that?

I'm not addicted to drugs, but I do need help.

- Anything else?

- Yes, sir, this morning I went to the local college

and picked up some information on the courses.

- Doing what?

- Plumbing, sir.

- What would you say to people in this court,

who might suspect that all this is just a cynical ploy

to avoid a heavier sentence?

- It isn't, I swear.

I've never really known my own Dad,

he was never there for me,

I'd hate my kid to feel about me the way I feel about him.

- I'm sorry to hear that.

But I'm also pleased for you,

because I'm no longer speaking to you

just as a lad or a son, I'm speaking to you as a father.

I phoned the hospital earlier,

Jessica gave birth to a healthy baby girl

in the early hours of this morning, congratulations

and congratulations to you,

I must say you're probably the most glamorous granny

we've ever had in this court.

Drugs blight the lives of many people in this community

and this court could not be more committed

to punishing those who deal them in the most severe manner.

However, I have decided that a custodial sentence

would be counter productive in this instance.

I therefore give you a 12 month supervision order

and 300 hours of Community Payback.

As part of this order you will be obliged to attend

a compulsory drugs rehabilitation course.

I also impose an exclusion order

preventing you from going near

or associating with anyone from the Glenfield Estate.

If you find it so difficult to break away

from these so called friends of yours,

this should solve the problem.

Don't ever let me see you here again.

- All stand.

- Haley.

- Yeah?

- I'm sorry, I'm cursed with a sweet tooth

and an addictive personality.

- What are you like?

- With all due respect, sir,

what kind of a message is that sending out?

- I would have thought a positive one.

- To who, drug dealers?

- That lad has never had a father figure in his life,

he was about to repeat the pattern.

If we're gonna make an impact on this community,

we have to break that cycle, because, believe me,

it's the only way to make sure that the next generation

aren't coming through these doors in 16 years time.

- All very commendable, I only hope our friend at the press

- takes such a charitable view. - Stuff the press!

Do you really think I give a monkeys about them?

I know I've done the right thing

and that's all that matters to me.

- Fair enough, I know we can't always see eye to eye,

but at least I know you'll always be

completely straight with me.

- Joe.

I haven't been straight with you.

How could you?

- Jealous?

- He'll never change.

All this, buying you presents, paying you compliments,

can't you see it's all part of his plan?

- What are you on about, what plan?

- He'll have you hooked on drugs

and selling your body on street corners before you know it.

- I don't have to listen to this.

- Yeah, you do,

because I'm telling the truth.

- And how would you know?

- Because he did it to my Mum.

They don't come much worse than Jake Little.

- There you go. - Thank you, Vicky.

There we go.

Cheers.

- Come on then, you've kept me in suspense for long enough.

- You wanted to know about the skeletons in my cupboard.

I understand your frustration today,

but that lad, I had to give him another chance,

I couldn't just stand back

and watch him make the same mistakes as me.

There was a girl,

she got pregnant, I didn't do the decent thing.

I ran away to university, never looked back.

- You've got a kid?

- A daughter.

She would have been 40 this year.

I tried to trace her a few years back,

but too late, she died.

I never even got to meet her.

Nobody's fault, except my own.

- How did she die?

- Her Mum died when she was a teenager,

she got on to the drugs.

By all accounts there was nothing she wouldn't do

to feed her habit, years of abuse took their toll as ever.

- You do know this is all gonna come out?

- Hm.

You've done us proud,

Paddy Coburn,

people should forgive and forget all that other business.

People should forgive and forget all that other business.

- Hello, Mrs. Roden?

It's Louise again from the Mercury.

Sorry to call so late.

Oh, that's great, thank you so much.

You take care now, bye, bye.

Got ya.

- I haven't been exactly straight with you.

I think it's about time you paid your respects.

- There's a fine line between community spirit

and being a grass, you know.

- You owe me now and I charge a daily interest rate,

but we'll get to that later.

- Jake's right, just like your mother.

- I wanna speak to Louise Scanlon.

I haven't got an appointment,

just tell her it's about Judge Coburn.

- We have to up our game, get something on Jake Little.