Original subtitles

- Jessie!

The question is what he's not got.

Gout, arthritis of the left paw,

cancer in the testicle, which means we've removed them.

- You hadn't before?

- Couldn't put him through it.

He's got lockjaw, or some word for lockjaw,

which means he's not eating properly.

He farts like a trooper.

- Don't we all?

- According to the vet he's got low-level depression.

- Has he now?

- Yeah, like I said to the vet, low level?

With all that it's a miracle he's not suicidal.

If it was me I'd be sitting in the middle of the road.

- He's got a lovely coat though, hasn't he?

- Oh, I have to keep him with me all the time.

Otherwise I get visions of coming in

and finding him bleeding out on the rug.

- Ah.

- Always involve blood, my visions.

Never a nice, clean, soft death.

Still, I keep him with me.

Now, you look far less trouble.

Just passing through.

I bought you those sausages you like.

- Okay.

Coming in?

- No, I'd better not.

He's gone nuclear and I'm due in 30.

- Oh, huh.

Bit of a mess anyway.

- Clinic working out okay? - So far.

- Yeah, good girl.

Never met someone who likes sausages as much as you.

The others, I took to McDonald's.

You, I took for hot dogs at this German place.

- Yeah, I like sausages.

- Remember to cook them this time.

How does the other guy look?

- Girl.

- Oh, you're kidding me.

- No, I'm not.

We had to take her to hospital.

Suspected arm fracture.

- Police coming in? - Yes.

I'm sorry to contact you, but this is the third time

we've had to bring the foster lot in,

and they're a piece of shit.

- It's the Peters family.

Not our finest lot, but they cover the basics.

Oh, Patrick.

I thought you were a gentleman.

What did you do?

- She called me a prick.

- What, so you put her in hospital?

How does that work?

Okay, so, the police are coming in.

You are entitled to an appropriate adult to sit with you.

I would like to be that--

- I don't want you.

I want my dad, my birth dad.

- Not going to happen.

- I don't anyone if I can't have him.

- I know you're a good kid, Patrick, okay,

try and remember that, eh?

I know, but I'm not allowed to take you in a school.

Oh, Jesus Christ, Jessie.

- Miriam, this is Malcolm.

He'll be joining us for the next few weeks.

- Welcome, Malcolm.

- He's brought some cake.

- Oh, then you are very welcome.

What kind?

- Coffee and walnut.

- Oh, shame, can't do nuts.

Flares up my rash.

Fine, I'll take it back.

I'll just eat the icing.

Everyone's got a rash here Malcolm, everyone.

Morning, Frances, how's things?

- She called 'cause he was out til 2:00 a.m. last night

for the third time this week.

She's tried dealing with him,

but every rule that she sets--

- Malcolm's agency right?

- Um, right.

- What's he on an hour?

- Don't know, better than us.

- How's she setting the rules?

- Last week she called

'cause she's missing a watch her mum gave her.

Today she tells me she's missing some underwear.

- Fuck.

Is she hot?

- Yes. - See, it's MILFs.

We shouldn't give kids to MILFs.

Does something weird to their heads.

Does he look at you?

- You mean sexually?

- Yes.

- A bit.

- Yeah, but everyone looks at you a bit sexy.

Okay, I'd take it up.

- Take it up? - Yeah, it's a tough one.

You're newly qualified.

I'd take it up.

- I'm two years qualified.

- That's still new, up.

Sounds like she's in sexual risk and that we can't have.

Take it up.

- But Julie always looks at me like I'm wasting her time.

- Not my case, not getting involved, I'm sorry.

I'm telling you, take it up.

- You look like Audrey Hepburn.

- Who?

- You look great.

- Who's Audrey Hepburn?

- She was an actress.

She had a long, slender neck, just like you.

- Do I need to wear a scarf?

- No.

- Does my neck look silly? - No.

- This girl, Naomi Travers, called me Stretch the other day.

- Well, we know what we say to Naomi Travers.

- Sticks and stones may break my bones

but words will only make me angry.

- And you don't want to see me angry.

- Aren't you supposed to be in school?

- Free period.

- What's one of them?

- Haven't got any lessons.

- Then why aren't you in the library?

- Library's full.

- Hi.

Hi, any news on our court date?

- Oh, no small talk, Jim.

Just get to the point, why don't you?

- Sorry, how are you?

Good day, big day.

- Yeah, it doesn't have to feel like that.

- And he is meant to be in the library.

He signs in and comes home.

We're harbouring educational fugitives.

- I'll send it up the chain.

See what I can do about the court date.

- You having coffee?

- Oh, you know how to please a girl, Jim.

- Hi.

- Hi!

Oh, you're all around except for the princess.

I like your kimono, Alice.

- Oh, I wouldn't call it, it is a dressing gown.

- Of course it is.

So, where is the princess?

- Oh, she's upstairs.

We've been arguing about scarves.

- Oh.

- She's nervous.

- Yeah, it doesn't have to be,

doesn't have to be a big thing.

- I've said the same.

- Well, I need to get past you if I'm going up.

Or you can call her down.

- They're ready, right?

Everything is ready for her?

- Oh, it's just a day, Alice, barely that.

Six hours, half a day, nothing at all.

Hello, kid.

He likes you.

- He's farted.

- And that's his way of telling you that he likes you.

He's a very affectionate farter.

- Meh, I don't mind.

- I like your scarf.

- Alice said I had a long neck, so I thought I'd try it.

- I'd love a long neck.

- Yeah, well.

- That scarf's good.

It's nice, it's strong, strong choice, makes your eyes pop.

That's what all the young people say nowadays.

I've been watching MTV.

- You're so funny.

- But you're not laughing.

Oh.

- What?

- It's nothing.

You know, today's gonna be nice.

- I know.

- I think it's important

that you get time with them at their home.

But you've never hung out on your own with them before

and there might be things that are a bit unusual to you.

- I'm black.

I need to find out how black people live.

I get it.

- Darling, if this was just about race,

it would be much more straightforward.

People are weird.

Your grandparents don't seem particularly weird,

but they might be a little bit,

and if they are that can take adjusting to.

- I'll tell them you called them weird.

- Then I might tell Alice what you called her.

- Oh.

- Problem?

- It'll pass. - Yeah.

There's tissues in the back pocket of the seat

and wet wipes.

- She asked me to call her Mum.

- Well, that's up to you.

- I know.

- Anyway, you have my number and your phone.

So, anytime you want to leave,

pretend to go to the toilet and phone me.

- But I won't want to leave.

- No, of course you won't.

But it reassures me that you know there's a plan.

All set?

- Yes, of course.

Will you come in?

- I would love to but I can't leave my dog.

- He farts all the time.

- He does.

- Uh, Rochelle has something for you.

- In you go.

- Hi, Rochelle.

- Ah, Kiri.

- Thank you for making this happen.

- Oh, she's excited.

Maybe too excited and she won't show it,

but just be aware it's there, okay?

She don't show much.

Oh, listen to me teaching you about your own grandkid.

I'm so sorry.

- We don't know her well enough.

- I'll be back at four to pick her up.

Oh, don't you start.

It'll be fine.

- Yes, yes, come on!

I got off!

Miss, miss!

- Craig, Christ, I haven't seen you in years.

- I got off Miss.

- That's fantastic!

- Rape.

And he did it.

- Yeah!

- The court understands the desire to remove the child

from what is clearly a very tempestuous home atmosphere.

But, in a case where the child's right to a family life

has to be given appropriate weight,

I cannot find in favour of removal unless I'm satisfied

that the welfare of the child demands it.

That said, this is not the first time this family,

and these parents in particular.

- Where's she gone?

Yeah, because I was in court, The Telford case.

Oh, shit.

The stupid kid.

They've asked for me, why?

So, you can't tell me where she's gone?

- Can we wait until we're somewhere more discreet?

- Yeah, of course, Doug.

- Uh, probably better if you don't use my first name.

- You don't seem very concerned.

- Well, I'm worried, but I don't think panic helps anyone.

You know, Kiri's resilient, she'll turn up.

- We have some witnesses who have placed her at the Downs.

- Okay, and what's your hunch telling you?

You must have a hunch.

- So, let's try and do this formally, shall we?

You drove her from her foster parents

to her biological grandparents.

- If we're going to do this formally, we call it birth.

Biological makes them sound like washing powder.

- Birth grandparents.

- It was an arranged visit.

I told her to call me if she got concerned.

She clearly did, but she didn't call me.

She just scarpered, instead.

Stupid girl.

- You have her phone number? - And she has mine.

You see, why is that interesting?

That's standard practise.

Look, she's just run away.

She gets scared by stuff.

But she'll come home.

Doug, what's going on?

- How was this meeting arranged?

- Between them and us.

Kiri is about to be adopted.

We thought it important to make unsupervised visits work

before the adoption went through.

- And prior to this, all visits had been supervised?

- Yes, this is the first, yes.

- Tell me about Kiri.

- Well, she's nice, she's a good kid.

She gets freaked out and has the occasional nosebleed.

- Nosebleed? - Yeah, it's her thing.

But, compared to a lot of the kids I look after,

she has her head on straight.

Wasn't quite expecting this, but.

- And her foster parents, Jim and Alice?

- Yeah, they've been good.

We have very little trouble, everyone gets on.

It's why we supported the adoption.

- Despite Kiri being black and Jim and Alice being white?

- Transracial adoptions are fully supported by legislation

and increasingly necessary.

Am I under investigation?

- Tell me about Tobi and Rochelle.

- Well, they're good people.

What else is there to say?

- Tobi's the father of Nathaniel.

- That's right.

Yes, that's Kiri's birth father.

- He's an ex-offender.

Drug dealing and GBH.

He's been out a year and was denied access to Kiri.

- He's a chaotic personality and was not seen as someone

who could have a positive impact on Kiri.

- And would you be aware

of any physical contact between them?

- Well, there hasn't been any.

Not since she was taken into care.

Look, what's going on?

You're scaring me.

- The assumption was that Tobi would not try to affect

a meeting between his son and his granddaughter,

is that right?

- What?

- That was your assumption?

- No, they're basically estranged.

Are you telling me that this is an abduction case?

Are you telling me that Nathaniel abducted her, he took her?

Has he taken her and you have no idea where she is?

Fuck.

- So let's go back to what you did and heard

when you dropped her off.

- Okay.

- I could take Jessie if you're--

- Sure.

- I also, I've got one of those flapjacks you like from M&S,

no nuts.

- No, I'm okay.

- I'm so sorry to hear about--

- Yeah, it's okay, Lucy.

Let's just keep things calm, shall we?

- Close the door.

I'm gonna need to know everything, Miriam.

- Her dad, with the grandparents,

do you think they were complicit?

- Did you know, did you have any sense--

- No, of course I fucking didn't.

Course I didn't.

- You got every consent? - Yeah.

- You got every check?

- You supervise my paperwork, Julie.

I thought she'd done a runner, but this?

- Even just any sense.

Did Kiri ever even really talk about him?

- No, no, not really, not to me.

His letters were pretty bland to be honest.

- You do know how much this could fuck us, don't you?

- Oh, Christ.

That poor girl.

- Poor us.

Poor you.

They'd better fucking find her.

I need to read everything.

I need to understand everything.

- I didn't do anything wrong, Julie.

- I really hope you're right

'cause this just went full blown

We're running on the six o'clock news.

- The search for the missing schoolgirl,

Kiri Akindele, has ended its second day.

Late last night, her foster mother, Alice Warner,

spoke to reporters.

- We implore anyone who knows anything

to please tell the police.

Kiri is such a special girl, so full of life and joy.

We just, please.

We just want her home again.

- Local volunteers will today

join the police search of Bristol Downs.

This is where nine-year-old Kiri was last seen

with her birth father, Nathaniel Akindele.

Akindele is from Pekham in South London,

and a police spokesperson confirmed this morning

that their inquiries have now extended to the capital.

They are warning that Akindele is a violent man

and not safe to approach.

This morning, will see the search expand

as the wider community works with the police

and the harbour authority to find the girl.

- Children being fostered

are normally placed with families

from the same cultural background.

But a shortage of foster carers means

- Oh, I know. - that doesn't always happen.

In a moment, I'll be talking to--

- I know.

- It's impressive, right?

A sense of community.

There's over 100 people been enlisted to look.

I thought that kind of stuff

only happened in working class places.

But, you know, my neighbours, it turns out,

are nice and friendly.

- Yeah, it's good.

- But you're not over there.

- Snap.

I'm gonna join in a bit.

- No, you're not,

'cause you're afraid of what people would say

if you did spin up.

Smoke?

- I'm slightly outraged, Simon.

- I think I'd smoke if I was you now.

- Do you now?

- Mum and Dad had a visit

from one of your bosses this morning.

I listened at the door

and they were spitting blood about you.

Said you should've known not to trust the grandparents.

Said they didn't.

- What did my boss say? - Not a lot.

Just that he was sure that they'd find them both

and that he was sure that we'd get Kiri back, which we will.

- It was a he was it? - Yeah, bald guy.

Shit bald as well, all tufty.

Do you know him?

- Management.

Would you like a sandwich?

- Instead of a fag?

- They're cheese and pickle.

I'm guessing you haven't had breakfast.

They will find her, safe and sound.

You doing okay?

- You're not my social worker.

- I worry about you.

- Well, I don't worry about anyone.

- You remind me of my son, do you know that?

- You never said about a son before.

- No.

- He kill himself or something?

- No, cancer, he was 13.

- What?

Shit, I'm sorry.

- You said something flippantly.

I don't take offence at flippancy.

If I did, I'd be in another job.

Please don't think anymore about it.

Yeah, no, you're right.

I'm not gonna join them, am I, but you should.

- Yeah, but-- - No, you should, Si.

I'll go to my meeting.

- Mum's already said, on Radio 4.

I think she was trying to make a point.

She said that biology doesn't make a difference

in how much you love your kids.

She said in some ways she loves Kiri more than me.

I think she was trying to make a point.

- Well, you know not to listen to it.

- Yeah, well, they chose her and they got me,

it's different.

- Hey, over here!

Over here!

- What's happening?

What's happening?

- Over here!

- Let me see.

- Let me see.

Let me see.

I just want to see what they found.

- Stay back.

- You look tired.

- You following the case of the missing kid?

- I knew that was you.

- They found her body.

It's gonna be announced.

- What?

- They found her body, Mum.

My kid.

They found her body.

I didn't know where to come so I came here.

- You're puffy.

I can always tell when you're not taking care of yourself.

I don't expect you to look great,

but do your best with what you've got.

That's always been our way.

And you're not doing your best.

- No.

Got an update from the nurses.

They say you're being abusive.

- They're stealing from me. - They're not.

- It's the black ones you need to watch.

- You really don't. - Fuck 'em.

- They work very hard-- - Fuck 'em.

- Okay, okay, okay.

- Why do you come here?

- I don't know.

- Kiri, right?

- Yeah.

- Nice girl, was she?

- Yeah.

- Have you got anything to drink?

Don't bring me chocolates anymore.

They play havoc with my dentures.

Oh, and that Denise.

- What, your best friend?

- Oh, she always takes the best ones.

- Maybe I'll bring chocolates for Denise,

thank her for staying friends with you.

I took a kid to see his mother's grave few weeks back.

He sat in the car all sorry for himself, quiet.

I got him to the grave, he looked at it,

no expression on his face, three or four minutes.

Then he spat on it and walked away.

- What did you do? - I took him home.

What I wish I had said is, don't feel ashamed of doing that.

When you look back, don't feel ashamed.

If that's what you need,

that's good with me and it should be fucking good with her.

She's your mum and she fucked it.

I'm in quite a lot of shit, Mum.

I'm in quite a serious amount of shit.

- Hey, that's it. - That's it!

- Miriam! - Miriam!

- Do you have any comment to make

on Kiri's death?

- Miriam, did you allow unsupervised contact

because she was black?

- Has this been racially motivated?

- Miriam!

- So, as you've probably ascertained,

the media has discovered your identity.

But the leak did not come from this office, I hasten to add.

- Do you know where it did come from?

- It is being investigated, but that's for another time.

Now, I understand that you've waived Union representation

for this meeting.

- I'm a closet Tory, I despise the Unions.

No, I didn't think at this point it was,

just thought I'd find out where I stood first.

- Well, in my judgement ,

it's probably worth contacting them after this.

- Feeding me to the wolves are you?

- No, but our primary duty of care

is towards Kiri, of course.

Eh, the decision to allow the grandparents

unsupervised contact does seem, certainly, on the surface,

a bold one.

- Does it?

- And your interviews with them to establish the boundaries,

the notes certainly don't reflect the gravity

of what you've allowed for.

- I try to keep my notes positive.

- And studying your past record, there are a few instances

where it appears you've made bold decisions,

occasionally with mixed results.

- I don't think that's fair.

- Oh, Miriam.

- Oh, now she gets involved.

- Seamus Trent, mm?

Ngozi Graham.

- All were investigated.

- 99% of the time you are exceptional,

but there are times when you follow your own judgement .

- Because early intervention saves lives.

- No, no one's disputing that you care about the children,

but let's just try and have an honest conversation here.

- Okay.

Okay, I can do honesty. - Hm.

- You're my line manager.

If you felt this was in any way unsafe,

you should've done something.

How honest is that, Julie?

- The papers are claiming that we prioritised

her cultural needs over her safety needs.

They're claiming that we allowed her into an unsafe home,

in order to, uh, tick our lefty boxes.

Think that's fair?

- No.

- You weren't influenced by her cultural needs?

- Yeah, of course I was.

It's part of my job, isn't it?

- Yeah, it's also part of the job to assess

whether a home is safe.

- Nathaniel and Tobi were estranged.

- Well, they obviously weren't.

You made a judgement and in so doing, you returned a girl

into the hands of a chaotic and dangerous parent.

- I didn't know.

I would never knowingly have put Kiri in danger.

I recognise I can push the envelope sometimes,

but Julie will tell you--

- I have told him that 99% of the time

your judgement is usually impeccable.

- Like that percentage, don't you?

Stick a flake in it before you try and sell it

to the tabloids, why don't you?

- Okay, okay, okay, look, look, the question is, or will be,

how much you've pushed the envelope.

The foster parents are claiming

that you pressured them into supporting your decision.

Hinted that it would help their adoption process.

And that, I'm afraid, does need investigation.

And so, and hopefully, this is just a short-term measure,

you are on suspension.

- I didn't pressure them.

- Very pleased to hear that.

Let's hope that's what the investigation decides.

We'll all have to accept culpability in this case, I expect.

- Everything was done properly, I made sure.

Julie, you know I wouldn't pressure anyone.

- They found his car, Nathaniel's car.

Hopefully that means that we'll discover

what actually happened that day

and we can put this whole sorry business behind us.

- Thank you for your time.

Fuck.

Oh, fuck.

Come here, Jessie, come here.

- I'm sorry to bother you so early.

- You found him?

- Nathaniel, no.

- I've answered all the questions you have for me.

- It's not about that, either.

I'm afraid we need you

to identify the body of your granddaughter.

- Why is it not them?

- Sorry?

- Why is it me identifying her and not the other people?

- You are next of kin, Tobi.

- My son is next of kin.

- Your son's whereabouts are currently unknown to us.

- You have children?

- No.

- Where are you from?

- Here.

When we get to the morgue, I'll take you both--

- Rochelle will stay in the car.

They wanted to see her too?

- We're just trying to do what's best for all sides.

Are you ready, Tobi?

- Yes.

- Tobi, is this your granddaughter?

You can positively identify this is Kiri Akindele?

- Her throat, it doesn't look.

- I need you to positively identify her for our records.

- Am I allowed to, can I go to her?

- Not while the investigation is still active, sorry.

- Can they hear me in there?

- Yes.

- I think if I was with the body I would sing to her,

but I will spare you that.

- Tobi, I do need you to formally identify her.

- My name is Mr. Akindele,

and yes, this is my granddaughter.

You may let the other family in now.

Sir, are you okay?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

What are you doing?

Calm down.

- We let him touch her.

- You mean I did.

- Her neck.

Her neck.

To do that to her neck.

I need to find him.

- Sorry, sorry.

- Police in Bristol are searching for a man

following the discovery of his daughter's body

on the Downs in Bristol.

Nine-year-old Kiri Akindele had been missing

from her grandparents' home since Wednesday.

Her foster parents, Jim and Alice Warner,

have described her as a precious gift, and said the world

will be poorer without her.

A social worker, Miriam Grayson, has been suspended

- Hi.

- and an internal investigation's been launched

into possible misconduct. - I can't.

- The police are appealing for information

of the whereabouts - I've been suspended.

- of Nathaniel Akindele, that's Kiri's birth father, who--

- I'm on my way.

- I'm not reporting it.

- That's the first thing you're saying to me?

You need to report this.

- I don't think it's fair on him.

He just got angry,

and I don't think I handled it very well to be honest.

I think if I'd handled it better then,

I'm sorry, sorry.

I know, I know things are worse for you right now--

- Lucy, you were assaulted by a boy in your care.

- If I say anything, it goes on my record too, another one.

- Yeah, but if you don't report and things escalate.

- I needed someone I could trust to not say anything.

- So, now I'm part of the conspiracy of silence, thanks.

- I just wanted someone to be here for me, you know?

And I know you've always cared about me.

Some people, in the office, they say you're in love with me

or you fancy me or something.

- You know, Social Services is full of people

who look after children who behave like children.

I don't.

I'm straight, actually.

I was even married at one point.

- I wouldn't mind.

I'd quite like it.

- Well, then, that's a fucking pity, innit?

They giving you pain killers?

- Quite strong ones.

- Truth drugs. - Maybe.

- Not too much.

Won't mix well with the truth drugs.

- I'm straight too, most of the time.

Where's Jessie?

- In the car.

Asphyxiating himself, no doubt.

- I hate what they're saying about you.

- It's gonna get worse yet, love.

- Miriam! - Miriam!

- Do you blame yourself Miriam?

- Do you know where Nathaniel Akindele is?

- I bought some sausages.

- You drove here?

- Yeah.

- In that state?

Come in.

- No, I just bought you some sausages

so you can eat. - They see you like this,

they'll crucify you.

I haven't tidied.

- I've brought you sausages.

Maybe I should cook 'em for you.

- Okay, but can I be honest with you, though?

- Yeah.

- I fucking hate sausages.

Can you make beans or something instead?

- Sure.

- Ignore that, just haven't tidied, ignore that.

- Okay.

I hoped things would be different.

Okay.

- Yeah.

- It's work.

- Well, I wouldn't answer it.

Let it go to voicemail.

- No, I should.

- Miriam, listen to me.

They can't hear you like this.

- Oh, shit.

I ruined your rug.

- It doesn't matter.

I've done worse in here and you know I have.

- Oh, shit.

Oh, shit.

- Okay, let's get you sat down.

- We're joined now by Jim and Alice Warner.

- This is about finding Nathaniel Akindele.

- How hard is it to find one man

whose face in on the front of every newspaper?

- He said he had changed, I trusted him.

- Why?

- Because I hoped he had.

- I am on your side, you know?

- Do you think I can swap sides,

because I hate this fucking side.

It scares the shit out of me.

Everyone keeps looking at me.

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do anymore.

- There are those who would question my right

to call Kiri my daughter.

- I understand your pain.

- You saw her once a month.

- I saw her every day.

I loved her every day.

- Well, we're planning a re-enactment.

- The details of Kiri's day are becoming more complicated.

He initially said he was at school

but we've discovered that he wasn't.

You allowed illegal contact

between your son and his daughter.

- Rochelle! - That is a crime!

- Then why did you stay married to him?

- Because we were parents.

- I've done bad things.

I'm not a nice man.

- I did the right thing by a little girl

who deserved to know where she came from.