1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,640 In the criminal justice system the people are represented by 2 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:05,200 two separate yet equally important groups - 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,400 the police, who investigate crime, 4 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:10,200 and the Crown Prosecutors who prosecute the offenders. 5 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:12,240 These are their stories. 6 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:16,600 Look, just ten minutes. 7 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:19,120 Babes, I need you see you. I'm going out of my mind here. 8 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:21,240 Yeah, I know, and I'm gonna tell her, I swear. 9 00:00:21,240 --> 00:00:23,480 Please! Your phone! What are you doing? 10 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:27,400 I need your phone! My son... 11 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:30,200 He... 12 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:36,560 Get the fire... There's a bloody building burning down! 13 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,040 Is there anyone else inside? My son. 14 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,040 My son's inside. 15 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:45,680 Yeah, a boy. Above the newsagents, Broadwater Estate, Tottenham. 16 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:47,520 I don't know how long it's been going. 17 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,680 Yeah, OK. All right. They're on their way. 18 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:54,320 I hesitate to use the word "lucky" 19 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:56,320 but it could have been a hell of a lot worse. 20 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,120 Right. Well, I tell you what, mate, it looks bad enough to me. 21 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,440 Yeah. The lad from the flat didn't make it. 22 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,520 CO asphyxiation. That's the lad there. 23 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:06,280 Looks like he never woke up. 24 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:07,960 We're talking suspicious origins? 25 00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:10,280 Yeah, the guys reckon an accelerant was used. 26 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:13,000 But I can't tell you any more until we get in there. 27 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,400 So, anyone else in the flat, mate? Just the mother. 28 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,720 There's a daughter, but she was at a sleepover. 29 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:19,640 And what about the mum? How's she doing? 30 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:22,000 Well, about how you'd expect. 31 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,360 Let me through! Sorry, sir, you can't park there. 32 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,680 I'm not moving my car. Sir, it's a crime scene. 33 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:32,680 Let me through! Seriously, man... What's the problem? 34 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,480 That's my shop! OK, just move your car, 35 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:37,760 but don't go anywhere - we need to talk to you. 36 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:39,200 Oh, man, I don't believe this! 37 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:41,360 Sir, your car is obstructing the ambulance. 38 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,160 I lost everything! There's a woman in that ambulance 39 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:47,680 who's just lost her son. So how about you shut up and move your car? 40 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:49,800 Seriously? Seriously. 41 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,320 Paint thinner. 42 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:58,440 They found the remains of the container 43 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,680 just in the entrance to the flats there. 44 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,000 Looks like that's your point of origin. 45 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,440 They'll run tests to confirm, but if it quacks like a duck... 46 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:10,160 Well, whoever did it wasn't worried about covering their tracks. 47 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:12,400 That's the great thing about arson - 48 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:14,440 equal opportunity crime. 49 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:16,480 Any moron can light a fire. 50 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,960 Poor Ian. Terrible what happened in that fire. 51 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,760 I'm afraid I can't offer you any tea, 52 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,520 only I'm having one of my bad days. 53 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,520 We're fine. Really. Are you sure? 54 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,000 It's beautiful, sweetheart. 55 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,120 You and your mum can stay here as long as you need to. 56 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:22,760 She's pretty, isn't she, Katie? 57 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:30,440 Er... Megan, 58 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:33,200 I understand Ian had learning difficulties. 59 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,000 Right. 60 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,120 And do you mind telling us what was the matter with him? 61 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,200 He had developmental problems. 62 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:52,480 He had trouble with his breathing. 63 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,040 And...he was... 64 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,400 ..he was slow with stuff and... 65 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:03,160 ..he didn't like noise. 66 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:05,720 I tried to get him out of there. I did, I tried. 67 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,440 The handle was too hot. 68 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:13,880 I shouldn't have left him in there. 69 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,920 How old was the boy that died? Just turned 13. 70 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,800 No chance of prints off the bottle of paint stripper? 71 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,320 No, it was too badly burnt. The DNA's a no-go as well. 72 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,920 And I'm guessing it's available at all good retailers. 73 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,040 Well, you wouldn't want to make it too easy. 74 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:33,320 Any sign of forced entry? Doesn't look like it. 75 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,040 The mum made her escape from a fire exit on the first floor, 76 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,240 but according to her statement, it was still locked when she got there. 77 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:40,960 So she wakes up, she smells smoke... 78 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,720 She tries to save her son, then she goes for help. 79 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:45,760 Do we know who owns the building? 80 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,880 Well, the flats are owned by a management company. 81 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,160 If it's an insurance scam, it's a pretty bad one. 82 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:53,320 They should have tried to fake a forced entry. 83 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:55,880 And as far as I can see, they've got nothing to gain by it. 84 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:58,200 The shop downstairs is another story, though. 85 00:04:58,200 --> 00:04:59,720 Owned by one Sanjit Chatterjee, 86 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:02,040 currently under investigation for unpaid VAT 87 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,080 and selling alcohol without a licence. 88 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:06,480 He's already got one failed business under his belt, 89 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:09,440 declared bankrupt in 2006 at the tender age of 25. 90 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:12,160 So, not exactly Young Entrepreneur of the Year. 91 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:14,160 And he's got a stupid beard. 92 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,560 That's enough for me. 93 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,520 So I see here you had a flood six months ago. 94 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:23,560 Yeah, a burst pipe. 95 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:26,160 Careful, man, uh? Sorry, boss. 96 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,080 You claimed ten grand's worth of damages. 97 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:31,120 Yeah, a lot of stock got damaged. 98 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:35,080 And the year before that, there was an electrical fire. 99 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,800 Another five grand claimed on the insurance. 100 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,320 So, fire, flood - all you need now is an act of God. 101 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:43,320 So what, you think I did this? 102 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:45,200 We know you've got cash flow problems, 103 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:46,840 as far as the VAT man's concerned, 104 00:05:46,840 --> 00:05:49,480 and it wouldn't be the first time you've cut your losses. 105 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:51,040 Oh, here we go. 106 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:53,080 Look, I was young. 107 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:55,320 Decided to try my hand at the music business. 108 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:57,040 It didn't work out. 109 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,280 As for the VAT, my accountant stuffed up. That was all. 110 00:06:00,280 --> 00:06:02,200 I'm getting it sorted. 111 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:04,600 But a nice big insurance claim should help a lot. 112 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:07,960 Yeah, it would. Trouble is, I couldn't afford the premiums. 113 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:10,000 You claim once, it's bad enough. 114 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,280 But claim twice, forget about it. 115 00:06:12,280 --> 00:06:16,600 You're saying you're not insured? I had to take a payment break. 116 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:19,400 Talk about timing 117 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:21,440 Devlin. 118 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:23,480 Seriously, man, 119 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,440 my grandparents put their savings into this place. 120 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:28,000 My whole family help out. 121 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,600 There is no way I'd torch it. 122 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:36,600 Yeah, sure, we'll head over there. 123 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:40,040 Megan Parnell, the woman from the flat, 124 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:42,920 she made several complaints to her Safe Neighbourhood team. 125 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,160 Some of the local lads were giving her a hard time 126 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,200 over her son having special needs. 127 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,240 Right. And how bad did it get? 128 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,360 Bad enough to get one of them an ASBO. 129 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:01,640 Yeah, what? 130 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:05,200 Simone Lewis? DS Brooks, DS Devlin. 131 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:07,240 We need talk to you about your sons. 132 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:10,400 Which ones? Aaron and Lee. 133 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:12,160 Oh, not this again! 134 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:14,480 Leave them alone, can't you? They're just kids. 135 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,840 We're investigating a fire at the home of Megan Parnell. 136 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:23,760 Oh, yeah? Yeah. 137 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:26,800 And we understand that your boys have been giving Megan and her kids 138 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,360 a bit of a hard time. Yeah. 139 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:30,680 So what? 140 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,560 So perhaps you wouldn't mind telling us where they were 141 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:35,320 at one o'clock this morning. 142 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:44,120 Just answer the question, Aaron. Sorry, did you say something? 143 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:45,920 You know what I reckon, Lee? 144 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:48,640 I just think you're playing with us, I really do. 145 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,400 I mean, how old are you? Nine? Ten? 146 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,880 11...wanker. 147 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,960 Wanker?! That's a bit harsh. 148 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,640 Where were you at one o'clock this morning? 149 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,200 Nah, sorry. I don't speak gay. 150 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:07,360 I'm quite a nice bloke when you get to know me. Or so I'm told. 151 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:10,400 It's not just your hair that looks gay. You've even got a gay face. 152 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,560 I mean, how old's Aaron? He's 13. 153 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:16,520 I think he reckons he's too cool 154 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:19,040 to be hanging around with his little brother any more. 155 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:20,400 No, he don't. 156 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,160 Did you always know you was a bender? 157 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:26,320 Is that why you became a copper? 158 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:28,360 Doesn't he think you're cramping his style? 159 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,800 He's acting the big "I am" with all his mates, 160 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,040 trying to impress them, meanwhile you're stuck at home, 161 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:36,480 cos he wants to be out with kids his own age. 162 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:38,520 He thinks you're a baby. 163 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:41,800 He couldn't even get in without me. The window's too small. 164 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:45,240 Right. I see it now. 165 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:48,040 So he's the brains and you're the brawn. 166 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:50,280 How small is this window, then? 167 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:52,760 They were at school in the middle of the night?! 168 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:54,600 Won't set foot in the place in daylight, 169 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,000 but spend their nights trashing school property. 170 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:58,440 We believe them? 171 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:00,960 Camera footage has them near the school gates at 12:10 172 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:02,720 and then again at 3:30 this morning. 173 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:04,520 What were they doing for three hours? 174 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,600 According to the head teacher, defecating in the Home Ec lab. 175 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,840 Amongst other things. For three hours?! 176 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:12,760 We can charge them with criminal damage, 177 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:14,760 and then we have to let them go. Why bother? 178 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:16,440 They'll only be back here next week. 179 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,560 Might be a little bit longer. I put the frighteners on the little one. 180 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:21,800 Impart some fatherly wisdom, did you, Ron? 181 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,880 Well, it wouldn't be the first young tearaway I've had to sort out. 182 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:26,320 Eh, Matty? 183 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:30,600 OK, so one of the neighbours thinks she saw a white, middle-aged man, 184 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:33,480 medium height, medium build, knock on the door late afternoon 185 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,080 and then walk away. Other than that, we've got nothing. 186 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,120 According to social services, the CSA have been after Megan's ex 187 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:41,560 for the past year for non-payment of maintenance. 188 00:09:41,560 --> 00:09:44,120 Apparently, Parnell's got a bit of a temper. 189 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:47,640 There's a note on here and it says "He is extremely abusive 190 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,040 and uncooperative." Hardly a first. 191 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:53,080 Yeah, but what are the odds he's white, middle-aged, medium height 192 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:55,120 and medium build? 193 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:58,080 Ian's what, 13? Yeah. 194 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,840 So that gives Craig another five years of payments. 195 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,320 For a son he wanted nothing to do with. Or so we're told. 196 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,200 So he kills his son to save money. 197 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:10,920 I've known people kill for less. 198 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:17,080 When did you last see your son? 199 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:19,120 Oh... I dunno. 200 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:20,800 A month ago, maybe two. 201 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:23,040 Really? 202 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:27,960 Yeah. Me and his mum, we don't get on. 203 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:31,520 I understand there's been problems regarding maintenance payments. 204 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,360 Megan been bending your ear, has she? 205 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:37,040 It must be an expensive business, supporting a family 206 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:38,960 and trying to start a new life yourself. 207 00:10:40,560 --> 00:10:42,160 Look, Ian belonged in a home. 208 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:44,640 Megan wouldn't have it, wanted to keep him with her. 209 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:46,360 He was her son. 210 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:47,880 And I was the one forking out. 211 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:51,320 He'd have been better off somewhere they could look after him properly. 212 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:52,960 Seems a bit extreme, doesn't it? 213 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,640 Residential care for a kid with learning difficulties? 214 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:57,680 Learning difficulties?! 215 00:10:57,680 --> 00:10:59,560 He was full-on retarded! 216 00:10:59,560 --> 00:11:02,720 He was 13 years old and still wearing nappies! 217 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:05,000 Is that why you and Megan split up? 218 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:08,400 I guess I wasn't cut out to be a dad. 219 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:10,440 Not for a kid like that. 220 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:12,760 So sue me. 221 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:16,120 So you weren't outside Megan's flat Monday afternoon? No. 222 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:18,920 Why, has someone said I was, like? 223 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:20,720 Would it change your story if they had? 224 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,480 OK, fine. Yeah, I went round there. 225 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:30,640 I'm just fed up with the hassle I'm getting from the CSA. 226 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:32,400 I wanted to talk to Megan face to face. 227 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:34,720 And what happened? Nothing. She wasn't there. 228 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:38,120 Why lie about it? I don't need more...hassle! 229 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:41,840 Or maybe you went round there later, say 1:00am. 230 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:45,520 Just forget it. I was with my girlfriend. Went out for dinner, 231 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:47,360 afterwards we went back to her place. 232 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:50,920 Parnell's girlfriend has confirmed his alibi. 233 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:55,920 She also said that his son, Ian, had a thing about playing with matches, 234 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:59,760 and if anyone was gonna start a fire, it would probably have been him. 235 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,640 Well, neither Mum nor Dad mentioned this obsession with fire. 236 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:04,680 No, funny that. 237 00:12:04,680 --> 00:12:08,080 So, what? This girl's going the extra mile to stand by her man? 238 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:10,880 Which probably makes her man even more of a likely suspect. 239 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:13,640 Still, it wouldn't hurt to rule the boy out altogether. 240 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:16,200 Is there any way he could have got hold of paint thinner? 241 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:19,640 We can check, but whether he knew what it was is another matter. 242 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:26,720 No, not possible. I keep everything locked up in the cupboard. 243 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:29,840 Where do you keep the keys? On the ledge above the door. 244 00:12:31,560 --> 00:12:34,520 That's not the most original place to hide it, is it? 245 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:36,440 Who's gonna be looking? 246 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:41,400 Did Ian know you kept it up there? 247 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:44,280 Maybe. 248 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,400 I come here, what, two, three times a month. 249 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:50,560 I do all the maintenance for the building. 250 00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:53,600 Ian - he didn't like noise. 251 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:56,000 But if it was a quiet job, you know, 252 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,080 like changing light bulbs or something, 253 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:01,040 sometimes he'd sit and watch. It gave his mum a break, you know. 254 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:04,920 Mm-hm. And where do you normally keep the paint thinner? 255 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:06,200 In there with the paint. 256 00:13:08,560 --> 00:13:10,600 Well, I can't see any. 257 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:17,360 Well, it was there. 258 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:26,280 Ian had a rare condition known as Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. 259 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:28,960 It's sometimes known as Heller's Syndrome. 260 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,920 Sometimes the condition plateaus. 261 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,800 But sadly, with Ian he continued to deteriorate. 262 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,000 And when you say deteriorate, to what extent are we talking about? 263 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,120 He required constant monitoring 264 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:42,840 for his respiratory and digestive functions. 265 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:47,560 He also became increasingly aggressive and violent. 266 00:13:47,560 --> 00:13:50,760 And there was a marked deterioration in his motor skills. 267 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:54,240 Would he have been able to unlock a door? 268 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:57,360 What about climbing up onto something, 269 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:00,440 getting a key off a ledge? No. Not Ian. 270 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:03,520 By the time he left here, 271 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:06,040 he couldn't get a spoon to his mouth. 272 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:10,120 Right, well, thanks very much for your time. 273 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:14,840 You know, Ian used to be a sweet, happy boy. 274 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:18,240 His mother wanted so badly to believe he would get better. 275 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:21,600 When she finally understood he was only going to get worse, 276 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,320 I watched it sink in. 277 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:26,000 And to be honest... 278 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:29,280 ..I thought it would kill her. 279 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:33,000 She wouldn't be the first. I know. 280 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:37,000 She was at the scene, she had access to the accelerant. 281 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,040 I know. 282 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:43,440 Why do people ever decide to have kids 283 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:47,080 when you've got no idea of what you're letting yourself in for? 284 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:50,240 Well, you've just got to love them and hope for the best. 285 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:53,440 What if there is no hope? 286 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:56,480 OK, this is Megan's bedroom. 287 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:00,560 What am I looking at? According to her statement, 288 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:03,520 Megan said she woke up, smelt smoke and then ran out of the room. 289 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:05,560 Does that bed look slept in to you? 290 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:09,200 Plus, the bedroom door was shut. 291 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:11,600 That's why there's so little fire damage in there. 292 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:13,640 And then there's this. 293 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:16,840 She told us that she tried to get Ian out, but she couldn't 294 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:18,920 because the door handle was too hot to touch. 295 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:21,920 Except Ian's door was already open. 296 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:24,320 She wouldn't have had to touch the handle. 297 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:27,240 Look, it was dark, she was surrounded by flames and smoke, 298 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:29,440 she was disorientated. Guv, it's not... 299 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:33,000 I'm serious. Before I accuse a mother of killing her child... Guv, 300 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,920 I'm sorry, that's the lab. 301 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,800 They've finished testing items from the scene. 302 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:41,880 Megan Parnell's sweatshirt. 303 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:44,320 It's got paint thinner on it. 304 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:49,480 Bring her in. 305 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:51,520 I don't understand. 306 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:54,840 Well, Megan, you told us that you woke up 307 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:57,160 and then you went to save Ian. 308 00:15:57,160 --> 00:15:59,200 That's right. 309 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:01,240 I tried to get him out. 310 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:04,680 Well, we think that you never went to bed in the first place. 311 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:07,680 What? Your bed was still made. 312 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,120 And the door to your bedroom was shut tight. 313 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:17,080 That's what slowed the fire down. 314 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:21,240 I don't know what you're talking about. 315 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,200 Well, you see, Megan... 316 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:31,840 ..we think you waited till Ian fell asleep... 317 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,000 ..then you went down and got the paint thinner, 318 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:38,080 you poured it on the stairs, 319 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:39,720 you lit it, 320 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,680 and then you made your escape through the fire exit. 321 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:46,000 No. That's not what happened. 322 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,400 Well, you see, Megan, 323 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:51,520 we know that things got really desperate for you. 324 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:57,200 Maybe...maybe you didn't mean for Ian to die, 325 00:16:57,200 --> 00:16:59,520 maybe you were just trying to let someone know 326 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:01,560 that you really needed help. 327 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:04,600 No, it...it wasn't like that, I swear. 328 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:10,080 You see, all this evidence... 329 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:13,080 ..it leads to one conclusion, Megan. 330 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:16,840 That you started that fire, 331 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:19,040 and you left your son to die. 332 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:27,080 My lady, my client has already had to endure 333 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:29,080 the untimely death of one child. 334 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:32,160 I would ask that she not be separated from her remaining child 335 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,160 pending the resolution of this matter. 336 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:37,400 Miss Phillips. We believe the defendant 337 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,400 to be responsible for the untimely death of her child. 338 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:43,440 Given the nature of the crime, we maintain bail should be refused. 339 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:47,840 My Lady, this will only compound a grieving mother's suffering. 340 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:49,400 And based on what? 341 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:51,280 The defendant is charged with murder. 342 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,960 The Crown would not have undertaken this prosecution without evidence. 343 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:57,040 I believe that is yet to be demonstrated. 344 00:17:57,040 --> 00:17:59,760 That is why we have trials, Mr Peck. 345 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:05,760 Hey. 346 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:08,400 I hope you didn't take that personally. Sorry? 347 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:10,360 I thought I should bring out the big guns, 348 00:18:10,360 --> 00:18:13,320 seeing as the poor woman's innocent. Are you sure about that? 349 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:16,040 Absolutely. As long as she doesn't tell me any different. 350 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:18,520 It's Alesha, right? Dominic. 351 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:20,960 I'm glad to have an excuse to get to know you at last. 352 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:24,720 Your average female barrister looks like a pig in a wig. 353 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:27,440 Excuse me? Come on, you know it's true. 354 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:30,480 I think we're gonna have a lot of fun, you and I. 355 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:33,120 I mean, I'm not saying it won't be a challenge, 356 00:18:33,120 --> 00:18:36,200 selling the lovely Mrs Parnell to a jury. 357 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:38,360 But hey, it's all in the presentation. 358 00:18:38,360 --> 00:18:41,920 And as far as I can remember, being fat and stupid isn't a crime. 359 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:43,360 More's the pity. 360 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:46,800 Now, Mrs Parnell, where were we? 361 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:48,840 I thought the evidence was conclusive? 362 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:51,880 Yeah, it is. So why plead not guilty? 363 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,520 Does her lawyer know something that we don't? 364 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:56,200 Doubt it. The guy's an idiot. 365 00:18:56,200 --> 00:19:00,760 He's just hoping that the jury will find her too sympathetic to convict. 366 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:02,800 And is she? Hardly. 367 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:05,960 This wasn't some kind of compassionate mercy killing. 368 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:09,360 She set fire to a building with her disabled son trapped inside 369 00:19:09,360 --> 00:19:11,960 and she didn't care how many other lives she put in danger. 370 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:13,960 Still, it's a highly emotive situation. 371 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:16,440 She'd cared for a severely disabled child for years 372 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:18,400 with little or no support. 373 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:20,400 They're bound to use his condition 374 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:22,680 to cultivate sympathy for the defendant. 375 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:25,200 Fair enough, we're not saying she wasn't struggling, 376 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:27,000 but it's no justification for murder. 377 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:30,160 They could go down the route of diminished responsibility. 378 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,240 You said she was on antidepressants for the last couple of years. 379 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:36,120 No, they don't have grounds for diminished responsibility. 380 00:19:36,120 --> 00:19:38,640 She had a full psych assessment when she was in custody 381 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:40,280 and nothing was flagged up? Mm-mm. 382 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:44,000 It would be good to establish state of mind before the event. 383 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,560 You said that Megan visited the emergency department with Ian 384 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:49,640 two days prior to the fire. Mm-hm. 385 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:53,240 OK, so we talk to the doctor that saw them - 386 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:56,760 get a professional opinion. Very good. Good. 387 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:59,120 Go forth and prosecute. 388 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:03,120 No, there was no abuse involved. 389 00:20:03,120 --> 00:20:06,720 The skull fracture came from autistic type head-banging. 390 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:10,120 The broken wrist was sustained during epileptic seizure, 391 00:20:10,120 --> 00:20:12,360 and the broken ribs came from a fall. 392 00:20:12,360 --> 00:20:14,680 We also treated his mother on several occasions. 393 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:15,880 What for? 394 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:18,160 The last time was when she tried to hold him down 395 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:20,440 to protect him during a seizure. He threw her off 396 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:22,040 and she chipped a bone in her elbow. 397 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:23,720 Was it deliberate? No. 398 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:25,840 No, he wouldn't have known what he was doing, 399 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:29,000 but the situation was obviously becoming impossible. 400 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:32,000 The last time we spoke, I... 401 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:35,720 ..suggested she rethink the idea of residential care. 402 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:37,160 And what did she say? 403 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:40,320 She said if it came to that, he'd be better off dead. 404 00:20:46,120 --> 00:20:48,000 It is also the contention of the defence 405 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,720 that the evidence given by Dr Schreiber should be excluded 406 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:52,280 under Section 78 of PACE. 407 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:54,320 11. Not to mention the fact that 408 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:58,080 it falls squarely under the heading of patient-doctor privilege. 409 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:00,120 Er... My Lady, 410 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:04,360 it was, in fact, Mrs Parnell's son who was the patient 411 00:21:04,360 --> 00:21:07,440 at the time she made the statement. Then privilege is irrelevant - 412 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:09,960 as are your other objections, Mr Peck. 413 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:13,160 In that case, I also wish to apply to exclude the sweatshirt 414 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:16,480 worn by Mrs Parnell on the night of the fire, under Section 78 of PACE. 415 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:17,880 12. 416 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:22,440 How can the prosecution claim that it is the exact same paint thinner 417 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:24,240 that was used to start the fire? 418 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:28,320 I believe that's a question for our expert witness, My Lady. 419 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:31,320 But there's also the manner in which the sweatshirt was obtained. 420 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:33,240 Mr Peck, please stop! 421 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:36,360 The sweatshirt stays in. 422 00:21:36,360 --> 00:21:38,920 I suggest you quit while you're... 423 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:41,760 Well, I suggest you quit anyway. 424 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,480 Trial is listed for 10:00am tomorrow. 425 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:46,920 I see no reason to delay any further. 426 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:53,200 Do you think he's read anything other than Section 78 of PACE? 427 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:55,240 I doubt he's even read that. 428 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:00,080 Dominic Peck, OK? 429 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:03,680 No, I won't be able to do it within the hour. 430 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:05,720 Well, I'll try. 431 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,200 Excuse me, 432 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:10,840 do you know what time we're meant to go back in? 433 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:13,440 We'll be starting again at 2:00. 434 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:18,760 Oh. It's just they said I could see my little girl today. 435 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:20,440 Really? Who told you that? 436 00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:24,320 Now, now, Mrs Parnell, no fraternising with the enemy. 437 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:26,600 Come on. 438 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,880 Have you ever come across someone waking up with their home on fire 439 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:38,840 taking time to make the bed before leaving the building? 440 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:41,000 Not in my experience. 441 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,360 Thank you. No further questions. 442 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:50,680 Mr Harris, in warm weather I'm sure most of us tend to sleep 443 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:52,160 on top of the covers. 444 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:54,720 The night of the fire, it was below freezing. 445 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:58,440 But still, if someone were reading a book or a magazine, 446 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:00,560 they might fall asleep on top of the covers, 447 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:03,040 regardless of the temperature, mightn't they? 448 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:04,640 Well, they might. 449 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:09,000 Thank you. But no books or magazines 450 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,200 were found by the defendant's bed. 451 00:23:15,120 --> 00:23:19,520 I told her she should consider placing him in residential care. 452 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:20,960 And what was her response? 453 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:25,640 She was worried that other people wouldn't look after him properly. 454 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:29,520 I know there had been difficulties when they had tried respite care. 455 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:32,520 But I told her it would be different if he was found a permanent place 456 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:34,040 in a suitable institution. 457 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:36,360 But she was still unconvinced? 458 00:23:36,360 --> 00:23:38,400 She became very upset. 459 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:42,640 She said if it came to putting him in a home, 460 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:45,120 he'd be better off dead. 461 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:49,680 Thank you, Doctor. 462 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:53,920 Dr Schreiber, 463 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,880 I'm sure you're aware that people exaggerate sometimes for effect. 464 00:23:57,880 --> 00:23:59,000 Of course. 465 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:01,560 Did you think he wanted him dead? My Lady... 466 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:05,160 Let's avoid speculation, Mr Peck. My Lady. 467 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:08,120 Did she say she wanted him dead? No. 468 00:24:08,120 --> 00:24:11,680 In fact, did she not ask you about alternative treatments for her son? 469 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:12,800 Yes, she did. 470 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:15,880 She told you that she'd try anything, anything at all, 471 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:18,200 if it meant getting her little boy back. 472 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:22,200 Yes, she did. She desperately wanted to improve his quality of life. 473 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:25,840 Quite the opposite to wanting to end his life, wouldn't you say? 474 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:29,920 Thank you, Doctor. I have nothing further. 475 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:35,080 Did you see the look on the jury's faces? 476 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:37,520 He has them seeing it as an act of mercy. 477 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:39,640 There's a risk of a "not guilty" here, 478 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:41,640 even with an idiot like Peck. 479 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:45,880 Simply because they're feeling that poor woman's pain. 480 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:49,120 I think George could be right. 481 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:52,960 I know that, given the facts, the charge had to be murder 482 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:54,640 but it just doesn't feel right. 483 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:57,560 I just don't understand why Peck didn't go for manslaughter, 484 00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:59,680 using the doctor's statement as evidence 485 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:01,280 of severe emotional distress. 486 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:03,640 It's what any other defence lawyer would have done. 487 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:06,800 Well, sadly, we can't guarantee the quality of opposing counsel. 488 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:09,400 Maybe... 489 00:25:10,360 --> 00:25:13,640 ..we can force this particular counsel to do the right thing. 490 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:15,920 And what do you have in mind? 491 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:17,960 I'll talk to him. 492 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:20,520 Tell him we'll accept a plea to manslaughter 493 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:23,720 and hope he's got sense enough to agree. 494 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:26,920 Interesting. 495 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:30,400 I think you'll agree it's in the best interests of your client. 496 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:32,800 Well, I think that's for me to decide. 497 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:34,600 No, it's for Megan to decide. 498 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:36,560 You know, the woman you're representing? 499 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:38,600 Manslaughter. 500 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:43,360 That'd mean a definite prison sentence, though, wouldn't it? 501 00:25:43,360 --> 00:25:45,400 Yup. Usually does. 502 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,000 All Megan wants to do is stay with little Kayleigh. 503 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,040 It's Katie. Exactly. 504 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:53,280 And I promised her I'd do my damndest to make that happen. 505 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:55,240 You shouldn't have promised her anything. 506 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:58,440 Hey, it's always good to give the ladies hope. 507 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:04,280 As predicted, 508 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:07,720 my client wishes to proceed with the "not guilty" plea. 509 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:09,920 You have explained that a murder conviction 510 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:12,000 carries a mandatory life sentence? 511 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:14,520 That's not really the issue here. 512 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:18,280 I disagree. 513 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:21,080 Mrs Parnell, I must stress that if you are found guilty, 514 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:23,120 you could be sentenced to 25 years in... 515 00:26:23,120 --> 00:26:26,640 Yes, thank you, Mr Steel! And given the evidence against you, 516 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:30,640 you should know that that is a very real possibility. 517 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:35,160 But I thought you said if I pleaded "not guilty"... That's enough! 518 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:37,200 OK, I think we're done here. 519 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,120 Megan, is there anything YOU want to say? 520 00:26:39,120 --> 00:26:42,080 I don't appreciate the scare tactics, Mr Steel! 521 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:44,280 It's OK, he's just trying to confuse you. 522 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:47,200 Your client has the right to know what she's risking. 523 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:49,920 I assure you, my client is fully informed. 524 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:55,880 Well, at least she is now. 525 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:57,920 Makes you wonder what he's gonna do next. 526 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:01,360 I know, but I bet Megan Parnell is as in the dark as we are. 527 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:06,160 Absolutely. Why wouldn't you? James! 528 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:08,200 Peck's entered a new plea. 529 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:09,880 Diminished responsibility? 530 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:12,960 Not guilty by reason of insanity. Based on what?! 531 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:16,320 He's found an expert who will say Megan Parnell was legally insane 532 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:18,640 when she set the fire. So first she didn't do it, 533 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:21,760 and now she did it but she didn't know what she was doing. 534 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:23,520 He's lost the plot. He must realise 535 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:25,160 what this could mean. If it works, 536 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:28,080 Megan could end up institutionalised for the rest of her life. 537 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,920 She wouldn't just lose her daughter, she'd lose everything. 538 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:38,600 You know the jury will see this for the cynical ploy that it is 539 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:40,960 and all you'll have done is discredit your client. 540 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:45,280 Perhaps. Or perhaps they'll be too busy crying into their hankies 541 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:47,920 over poor, misunderstood Megan. 542 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:51,640 You shouldn't overestimate your average prole, James. 543 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:56,160 It's all about emotion, not the truth. 544 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:05,480 They told us about win-at-any-cost barristers at law school. 545 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:07,520 First time I've seen one in action, though. 546 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:08,960 Yeah, Peck's a prime example - 547 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:12,120 raging ego, limited ability and absolutely no ethics. 548 00:28:12,120 --> 00:28:14,320 He really doesn't care what happens to Megan. 549 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:16,560 It's like she's just a pawn in his game. 550 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:18,600 Maybe, maybe not. 551 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:20,920 She's still the one who chose to please not guilty. 552 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:23,360 If Peck's playing a game, she's going along with it. 553 00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:26,000 Don't think of her as the innocent victim here. 554 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:32,200 Megan, 555 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,240 by pleading insanity 556 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:37,960 you understand that you're saying that when you started the fire 557 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:40,000 you didn't know it was wrong? 558 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:45,320 Yeah. I didn't know what I was doing. 559 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:47,720 You were upset about Ian? 560 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:51,320 Yeah. But I wasn't thinking properly. 561 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:53,800 I-I was upset and confused. 562 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:59,120 Can you tell me what it was like when your son first got ill? 563 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:01,480 I mean, it must have been very difficult. 564 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:07,320 Yeah, it was really hard. 565 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:10,560 I understand that Ian changed quite quickly. 566 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:18,800 It was around the time of his fourth birthday. 567 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:23,000 His favourite song was Old MacDonald. 568 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:25,040 He was always singing it. 569 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:29,240 Then he forgot that pigs go "oink." 570 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:37,280 He started saying there was a... a bad mouse in his head. 571 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:44,280 A few months later, he... he stopped talking, 572 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:46,520 and using the toilet. 573 00:29:52,440 --> 00:29:54,480 He wouldn't even let me hold him. 574 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:58,040 He couldn't bear to be touched. 575 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:04,520 she's not insane. 576 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:06,960 Not now, and not the night she started the fire. 577 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:08,640 But there's a long version? 578 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:10,960 She has significant mental health problems. 579 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:14,400 Depression, acute anxiety, chronic sleep deprivation. 580 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:17,800 Her son rarely let her sleep more than two hours at a time. 581 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:20,680 And that's every night for 13 years. 582 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:22,720 You could argue that was her choice. 583 00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:25,680 She repeatedly refused to have him placed in a home. 584 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:28,120 Has anyone bothered to ask her why? 585 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:30,160 Probably not the defence. 586 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:32,440 Megan's mother had recurring health problems. 587 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:33,960 Her father was an alcoholic. 588 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:36,880 Her only other relative was an aunt in a wheelchair. 589 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:41,480 So Megan spent several long periods in children's homes. 590 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:43,160 Not happy times? 591 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:46,320 The standard of care in the early '80s was variable, to say the least. 592 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:50,600 Megan was an awkward, unattractive child with zero confidence. 593 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:53,400 We all know how cruel children can be. 594 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:55,960 But she wasn't insane? 595 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:58,680 No, she wasn't. 596 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:00,800 So who's he found to say that she was? 597 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:05,640 In your opinion, Doctor, 598 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:09,080 was the defendant severely stressed at the time of the fire? 599 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:11,560 Based on my interviews with Megan, 600 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:13,040 I believe that her stress level 601 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:16,520 had risen to the clinical designation ACSS. 602 00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:18,640 And what is that? 603 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:20,680 Acute Caretaker Stress Syndrome. 604 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:23,760 ACSS is characterised by irrational behaviour, 605 00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:27,520 radical emotional dissonance, and cognitive malfunction. 606 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:30,280 Was she able to tell the difference between right and wrong? 607 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:34,080 In my opinion, no. Thank you, Doctor. 608 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:41,280 Which medical school did you attend, Dr Arlberg? 609 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:44,160 My doctorate is in psychoanalytic studies. 610 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:45,760 I didn't go to medical school. 611 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:48,160 So you're not a qualified psychiatrist? 612 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:49,920 No, I'm not. 613 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:53,280 Then are you affiliated with any particular hospital or clinic? 614 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:55,400 Not currently. For the past few years, 615 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:57,440 I've been lecturing extensively, 616 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:01,040 mainly in the States, where I also have a syndicated radio programme. 617 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:04,200 In other words, you're not a psychologist 618 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:07,480 but you play one on the radio. My Lady! He's mocking the witness! 619 00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:09,280 My Lady. 620 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:16,600 This...disorder you've been talking about, Dr Arlberg, um... 621 00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:20,000 Ah, yes, ACSS. 622 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:22,600 You see, I am really confused. 623 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:25,480 I have been looking through a large number of reference books 624 00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:27,480 and I can't find a single mention of it. 625 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:29,760 It's a relatively new diagnosis. 626 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:33,280 That explains it. Invented by whom? 627 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:36,360 It was first identified by myself. Oh, I see. 628 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:40,160 And has it been recognised by The Royal College of Psychiatrists? 629 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:41,400 Not yet. 630 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:44,200 My, my, we really are out there on the cutting edge, aren't we? 631 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:46,280 My Lady! My Lady, the evidence of this witness 632 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:49,680 could be instrumental in placing the defendant in a mental institution 633 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:51,840 possibly for the rest of her life! 634 00:32:54,240 --> 00:32:57,720 I think the jury need to understand the extent of her expertise - 635 00:32:57,720 --> 00:32:59,800 or the lack of it. 636 00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:02,800 No further questions. 637 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:08,360 OK, here's the thing. 638 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:10,800 My client has dropped a bit of a bombshell. 639 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:15,000 Well, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure how to proceed. 640 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:18,640 Well, discussing defence strategy with the prosecution 641 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:21,400 probably isn't the best way to go. Fair point. 642 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:23,600 But we're not really talking defence any more, 643 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:25,760 because Mrs Parnell has confessed. 644 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:30,160 She admits to starting the fire that killed her son? 645 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:33,280 Yes. And no. She admits to starting the fire, 646 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:36,720 and she certainly feels responsibility for her son's death, 647 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:40,200 but he didn't actually die in the fire. 648 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:43,600 He didn't? 649 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:46,000 Apparently not. Um... 650 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:48,520 As I understand it, my client... I'm sorry - 651 00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:53,520 Megan, perhaps if you just tell us what happened? 652 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:57,640 Ian was having a seizure, 653 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:00,200 and he started having convulsions. 654 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:05,280 I had the syringe for his injection in my hand. 655 00:34:09,160 --> 00:34:11,200 But I couldn't do it. 656 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:18,280 I was watching him and his...face was all twisted up in pain. 657 00:34:20,200 --> 00:34:22,360 I just wanted it to stop. 658 00:34:25,240 --> 00:34:28,400 So I...held him and I waited. 659 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:33,360 When the convulsions ended, 660 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:35,400 I knew he'd gone. 661 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:44,920 As you can imagine, she was distraught, racked with guilt. 662 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:48,040 And in the emotion of the moment, decided to end it all. 663 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:49,480 Hence the fire. 664 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:52,800 And your client didn't think to mention this before? 665 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:54,840 Unfortunately not. 666 00:34:54,840 --> 00:34:57,840 It would have made life a lot easier all around if she had. 667 00:34:58,920 --> 00:35:01,800 But, well, as you can see, this changes everything. 668 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:04,680 Right. So... 669 00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:06,720 you're thinking what? 670 00:35:06,720 --> 00:35:08,800 We abandon the charges, 671 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:12,240 the judge discharges the jury, and we start again? 672 00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:14,280 Well, ideally, yes. 673 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:16,280 I mean, you could charge her with arson, 674 00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:21,600 but failing to give an injection? I wouldn't fancy your chances. 675 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:24,120 I've heard enough. Now, look! 676 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:28,040 I didn't have to come here. I could have just blindsided you in court. 677 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:30,040 I felt, in the interest of justice... 678 00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:32,000 You can see yourselves out. 679 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:34,680 Fine. We'll leave it to the jury. 680 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:36,720 Just don't say I didn't warn you. 681 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:43,560 You didn't believe that, did you? I don't know. 682 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:46,880 It sounds like she's finally telling the truth. 683 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:49,680 The post-mortem report categorically states 684 00:35:49,680 --> 00:35:52,000 smoke inhalation as cause of death. 685 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:54,640 The medical evidence means that she's lying, 686 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,560 or, more likely, he's told her what to say. 687 00:35:58,520 --> 00:36:02,200 But why would Peck even try this? He must have seen the post-mortem. 688 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:05,360 Why bother about truth when you can go with emotion? 689 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:17,320 It was CO asphyxiation. Absolutely, no doubt about it. 690 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:19,360 Why the renewed interest? 691 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:23,240 Well, his mother's claiming that he died from an epileptic seizure. 692 00:36:23,240 --> 00:36:25,520 That he was already dead when the fire started. 693 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:28,600 You've got to be breathing to get smoke in your lungs, 694 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:31,320 there's no two ways about it. Thanks, Heather. 695 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:36,520 Of course it is possible that a particularly violent seizure 696 00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:38,560 could result in a coma. 697 00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:41,800 In which case, the victim would be breathing just enough 698 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:45,360 to get smoke in his lungs, but to a lay person he might appear dead. 699 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:49,600 She said it was a possibility, that's all. 700 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:51,680 It means Megan must have believed Ian was dead 701 00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:53,120 when she started the fire. 702 00:36:53,120 --> 00:36:55,520 Then why didn't she plead guilty from the start? 703 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:58,040 All Megan cares about is staying with her daughter. 704 00:36:58,040 --> 00:37:00,000 Peck's promised he can make that happen. 705 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:03,000 This is a woman who's been at the mercy of the system her whole life. 706 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:06,040 Her barrister tells her what to say, she's not gonna argue with him. 707 00:37:06,040 --> 00:37:08,880 Chances are he wouldn't have listened to her anyway. Exactly. 708 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:11,200 For all we know, she tried to tell him, he panicked 709 00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:12,840 and changed the plea to insanity. 710 00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:17,160 If she really did think Ian was dead, then there's no intention to kill. 711 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,920 She should never have been charged with murder. 712 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:27,200 So, just to clarify for the jury, 713 00:37:27,200 --> 00:37:29,840 you didn't put Ian in a residential home, did you, 714 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:33,040 because you're his mother and you cared for him? 715 00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:34,640 I couldn't. 716 00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:39,160 He was my baby, I loved him so much. 717 00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:42,800 No further questions, My Lady. 718 00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:50,640 Mrs Parnell, 719 00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:54,440 you described to the court how after Ian died, 720 00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:56,560 you took his pills and you started the fire 721 00:37:56,560 --> 00:37:58,600 so that you could go together. 722 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:00,720 Yeah, that's right. 723 00:38:00,720 --> 00:38:04,720 The trouble is, it's very difficult for us to believe you 724 00:38:04,720 --> 00:38:08,520 when you've lied over and over again about the events of that night. 725 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:10,960 I didn't mean to lie. But the fact is you did. 726 00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:14,920 The only thing we know for certain is that you went downstairs, 727 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:17,040 you unlocked the maintenance cupboard, 728 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:19,840 you poured paint thinner over the stairs and you set it alight - 729 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:22,040 leaving your young son to die in that fire. 730 00:38:22,040 --> 00:38:25,920 No, I wouldn't do that. But that's exactly what you did. 731 00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:27,960 No, I didn't. 732 00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:30,920 Because he was already dead. I told you. 733 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:33,160 I know you'd like us to believe that... 734 00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:36,800 ..but I'm afraid it's simply not true. 735 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:44,000 I refer the court to the post-mortem report on Ian Parnell, 736 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:46,040 dated March 19th. 737 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:52,800 It clearly states the cause of death 738 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:55,320 was smoke inhalation. 739 00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:57,360 Well, that's not right. 740 00:38:57,360 --> 00:39:00,800 Megan, the pathologist found smoke in Ian's lungs. 741 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:04,600 It could have only got there if he was still breathing 742 00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:06,800 when you started the fire. They've got it wrong. 743 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:11,120 I was there. He stopped breathing. Megan, it is physically impossible. 744 00:39:11,120 --> 00:39:13,480 It can't be. 745 00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:17,080 It can't be. 746 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:20,480 I-I-I thought it was a mistake. 747 00:39:22,080 --> 00:39:24,200 Megan, I'm so sorry but it wasn't a mistake. 748 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:29,560 Ian didn't die as a result of the seizure. No. 749 00:39:29,560 --> 00:39:32,400 It may have looked like he had stopped breathing - 750 00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:34,920 in fact, he could have slipped into a coma 751 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:36,920 and you couldn't tell the difference. No. 752 00:39:36,920 --> 00:39:39,440 But I'm afraid the fact is Ian was still alive 753 00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:41,160 when you started the fire. 754 00:39:43,200 --> 00:39:47,200 No. 755 00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:51,400 I...I would never have done that. 756 00:39:52,720 --> 00:39:54,760 I would never have left him to... 757 00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:58,040 Oh, my God, no. 758 00:39:59,880 --> 00:40:01,920 Not my little boy! 759 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:05,520 I...I wouldn't have... 760 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:09,240 Not my Ian. 761 00:40:10,760 --> 00:40:13,120 No... 762 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:23,240 Peck should be struck off. 763 00:40:23,240 --> 00:40:26,200 To put her up there without explaining the post-mortem results - 764 00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:27,600 that is unforgivable. 765 00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:30,680 I take it that we all believe she was telling the truth. 766 00:40:33,120 --> 00:40:34,880 Then now what? 767 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:36,920 Judge Hall's called us in. 768 00:40:36,920 --> 00:40:40,760 I presume she'll want to discharge the jury, start again. 769 00:40:40,760 --> 00:40:42,800 With what charge? 770 00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:44,840 It'll still be manslaughter. 771 00:40:46,520 --> 00:40:49,560 She started the fire that ultimately killed her son. 772 00:40:49,560 --> 00:40:52,320 And she withheld an injection 773 00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:56,280 that could have prevented him from going into a coma in the first place. 774 00:40:58,720 --> 00:41:00,760 Mercy killing is still killing. 775 00:41:00,760 --> 00:41:02,680 And it's still illegal. 776 00:41:03,600 --> 00:41:07,480 So Megan Parnell has to spend the next six months in limbo, 777 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:10,840 then go through this all over again because her lawyer let her down. 778 00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:13,880 But we can hardly continue the current trial. 779 00:41:13,880 --> 00:41:15,920 Even if the judge and defence agree, 780 00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:18,200 then Megan could appeal any conviction 781 00:41:18,200 --> 00:41:20,760 on the grounds that she was wrongly advised. 782 00:41:22,960 --> 00:41:27,960 Which means...her barrister would be accused of negligence. 783 00:41:27,960 --> 00:41:32,600 So with decent representation, she could be out within six months. 784 00:41:34,280 --> 00:41:37,200 We take defence out of Peck's hands. 785 00:41:40,720 --> 00:41:42,560 I don't understand. 786 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:45,200 You want to just carry on? 787 00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:47,120 Having weighed up the options, 788 00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:49,480 the prosecution would still be prepared 789 00:41:49,480 --> 00:41:51,200 to accept a plea to manslaughter. 790 00:41:51,200 --> 00:41:53,960 I'm sure you realise the implications of continuing. 791 00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:58,160 It would spare Megan the trauma of a second trial. 792 00:41:58,160 --> 00:42:01,560 And whatever sentence you choose to pass 793 00:42:01,560 --> 00:42:03,360 could take into account 794 00:42:03,360 --> 00:42:06,680 the circumstances surrounding Ian's death. 795 00:42:11,160 --> 00:42:13,200 That's certainly true. 796 00:42:15,360 --> 00:42:17,400 All right, 797 00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:19,720 I am prepared to continue. 798 00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:24,280 Provided we all understand each other. 799 00:42:24,280 --> 00:42:26,320 OK, great. 800 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:29,960 So what do we do now? 801 00:42:35,120 --> 00:42:37,880 Megan Parnell, you have pleaded guilty 802 00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:39,480 to the charge of manslaughter 803 00:42:39,480 --> 00:42:43,360 and admitted to causing the death of your son, Ian Parnell, 804 00:42:43,360 --> 00:42:45,400 in a fire at your home. 805 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:48,080 The seriousness of this crime 806 00:42:48,080 --> 00:42:52,840 leaves me no option but to impose a custodial sentence. 807 00:42:54,360 --> 00:42:58,800 However, given your previous good character 808 00:42:58,800 --> 00:43:03,720 and your sadly mistaken belief that your son was already dead 809 00:43:03,720 --> 00:43:05,560 when you started the fire, 810 00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:08,200 the court wishes to show a degree of leniency. 811 00:43:10,160 --> 00:43:13,560 I hereby sentence you to three years in prison. 812 00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:18,840 With the recommendation that you be fully psychologically assessed 813 00:43:18,840 --> 00:43:21,480 prior to the commencement of the sentence. 814 00:43:23,520 --> 00:43:26,200 You may take the prisoner down. 815 00:44:40,960 --> 00:44:43,400 itfc subtitles