Buy Law & Order: UK

DS Ronnie Brooks and DS Matt Devlin investigate the death of a ten month old child found in a sports bag in the parking lot of a local hospital. Their obvious first suspect is child's mother, but they learn that she had left the child at home by himself pending the arrival of the babysitter as she was concerned that she would be fired if she was late to work. The sitter was refused entry to the building and the child died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to a faulty central heating system. The Crown Prosecution Service focus their case on a fellow tenant who is obviously there to get as many of the tenants as possible to leave the building so that the owner can renovate and charge higher rents. When that fails, they decide to try and prosecute the building owner herself for gross neglect and corruption of public officials.
Hide description ▲

The police investigate the beating of a 13 year-old boy found in a poor area of London. Their initial assumption is that he is a runaway but the autopsy reveals that he was well fed and in good health. The police learn that the boy was in foster care as his mother is currently in a rehab facility. She had recently left her live-in boyfriend who denies ever touching the child and claims not to have seen him since he left his mother. When someone is finally charged, the defense argues that the accused had a genetic pre-disposition to commit crimes thereby absolving him of any conscious responsibility.
Hide description ▲

The police find the body of Frank McCallum, an ex-vice police officer, in the rear seat of his car. They trace his movements to a young prostitute who has McCallum's wallet in her purse, but forensics eliminates her as a suspect. As they look into their ex-colleague's background, they trace McCallum's company credit card expenditures to two high class prostitutes. They charge the women with murder and determine a motive for one of them to have killed the man. Their brilliant defense attorney, Phyllis Gladstone, argues that McCallum was blackmailing her client for free sex and attacked her when she tried to get out of the car. He subsequently tried to force her to have sex and she killed him in self-defense.
Hide description ▲

When a treasure hunter with a metal detector uncovers a body in a shallow grave, the police identify the remains as those of David Ackroyd who disappeared in 1999. His killer, Luke Slade, was convicted in the absence of a body but the evidence begins to cast a shadow over the reliability of the conviction. Evidence at the trial was that Ackroyd had his throat slit but the medical examiner finds that he was shot in the head. Slade soon files a writ to have his conviction overturned and the Crown prosecutors learn that Slade will represent himself at the appeal. James Steel was the original trial prosecutor as this was his first case with the Crown Prosecution Service. When a re-trial is ordered, Steel and the police have to build an entirely new case against him. Steel soon finds himself before his own hearing alleging misconduct in his pursuit of Slade.
Hide description ▲

The police re-open a dormant case when a construction crew uncover the remains of Thomas Keegan who disappeared 1983 at the age of 8. The boy had his skull crushed with a blunt object and his body was bricked into a wall. They meet with the retired policeman in charge of the original investigation and he was convinced that he knew the culprit but couldn't get - or beat - a confession out of him. They also meet a childhood friend of little Tommy Keegan who had seen him before the day before he died. They notice an anomaly in her statement and ask her to undergo hypnosis to see if they can retrieve any additional memories. What they learn is that she too was sexually abused as a child and is able to identify her molester. It's left to Crown Prosecutor James Steel however to get the man to admit it on the witness stand.
Hide description ▲

DS Brooks and DS Devlin investigate an arson attack which resulted in the death of 17 people, all undocumented unlawful immigrants. Using CCTV, they manage to trace a suspect to a nearby hospital. The man has something embedded in his leg but is refusing treatment. Crown Prosecutor James Steel's attempt to to force the man to undergo treatment is unsuccessful so the police just wait for the wound to fester and, with evidence finally in hand, charge him with murder. His information leads them to Ediz Kilic, one of the most prominent members of London's Turkish community. It also brings Steel into contact with an old school mate who resents being under suspicion.
Hide description ▲

When Alesha Phillip's gynecologist touches her inappropriately during a medical examination, she files a complaint with the police. Devlin and Brooks are soon investigating but are unable to find any former patients who may have made similar claims. They do however find that he did sleep with some patients, even if they won't accuse him of misconduct. After learning that they have insufficient evidence to proceed, Alesha returns for a follow-up exam and records their encounter. She is drugged and raped but his defense in court is that the sex was consensual and the apparent rape was in fact role-playing as agreed to by both of them. With no corroborating witness and a hidden secret which Alesha had not shared with anyone, it's left to James Steel to become creative.
Hide description ▲

When a police constable, Nick Bentley, is shot by drug dealers while on foot patrol it seems like a pretty straightforward case. Brooks and Devlin eventually locate a witness who identifies one of the parties to the drug transaction and he finally tells the police what really happened. The witness also tells them something else: she saw another police constable standing in the shadows while the injured policeman was calling for help. The dead man's partner, PC Ray Griffin, claims to have been several blocks away when his partner was shot and lay bleeding to death but Brooks and Devlin find an anomaly in his formal statement and they decide to investigate. What they learn is that Bentley's fellow constables had recently learned of his sexual orientation and that his partner Griffin is the head of a Christian group of officers that rejects gays. For the Crown prosecutors, the question is whether they can make an argument that Griffin had a duty of care and was obliged to help his dying partner.
Hide description ▲

Devlin and Brooks investigate the murder of a young girl, 10 year-old Jodie Gaines, who was kidnapped some two weeks before and has now been located, dead, in a rubbish bin. Witnesses on the day of the kidnapping reported seeing a white van in the area and they soon arrest Nick Carlton who is charged with murder. He is no sooner released on bail that he is killed by the dead girl's grieving mother, Kayleigh, a recovering drug addict who is separated from her husband who had formal custody of the child. Crown prosecutor James Steel seeks a murder conviction, even though he knows that Kayleigh will likely have the sympathy of the court. When it appears that Kayleigh is to be set free, Devlin and Brooks uncover a crucial piece of information.
Hide description ▲

The police investigate an attack on a homeless man who is found severely beaten in a neighborhood park. The investigation reveals that the CCTV cameras had been turned away indicating that the attack may not have been random. They also find that many in the neighborhood are tight-lipped about the incident or about anything that might have happened on the night in question. When they do make an arrest, it falls to James Steel to make the case. Given the homeless man's record of constantly interfering and threatening however, will he be able to convince a jury that the attacker was doing anything but a public service?
Hide description ▲

When a man is found lying on the ground with a kidney surgically removed, Brooks and Devlin have a case that they believed fell more into the category of urban myth than real-life crime. They quickly focus on finding the intended recipient of the stolen organ. Transplantation is highly controlled and centralized to prevent queue jumping but they soon find a recent transplantation that was completed from outside the system. They soon uncover a tale of a sick woman, a concerned parent and a greedy, disgruntled surgeon. For James Steel, the question becomes one of which of these to prosecute. When he makes his choice, he finds that his boss, George Castle, will defend the case.
Hide description ▲

When 18 year-old Debbie Powell dies from a heroin overdose just as she returns to the UK from a holiday in Thailand, the police learn that she was a drug mule with over 70 condoms of the drug in her stomach. With the dead girl far from being the usual drug mule the police try to understand why a young woman from a reasonably well-off family would get involved in drug smuggling. Her two traveling companions ran away after the girl died but they know she was to meet her boyfriend immediately on their return. When an arrest is made, James Steel and the Prosecution Service not only charge him drug importation but also with manslaughter, arguing that he had a duty of care with respect to the young woman. The man seems to have a history of seducing young women and using them as mules but in court, the Crown's principal witness recants his earlier statement saying the police coerced him. Steel pursues another strategy to ensure justice is done.
Hide description ▲

When an undercover drug buy goes wrong, DS Ronnie Brooks finds himself in a very difficult spot. Brooks and DS Jimmy Valentine are posing as drug dealers when Valentine shoots the dealer claiming the man pulled a gun on him. Brooks was behind their car at the time and saw nothing but has known Valentine for many years and has no reason to doubt him. DS Matt Devlin on the other hand did not see the dead man pull a gun or do anything threatening and is given 24 hours by DI Natalie Chandler to find evidence or shut up. When the Crown Prosecution Service charges Valentine, the dirty cop testifies that Brooks was in on a drug theft. Ronnie has to call on an old friend to testify on his behalf but at a great cost to herself.
Hide description ▲

Five-year-old Connor Reid is strangled and security cameras show the two little girls who baby-sit him, Paige and prostitute's daughter Rose, take him into the empty flat where his corpse was found. In interview Paige breaks down and names Rose as the killer though,in court, Rose's brief Kim Sharkey invites the court to accept Paige as the guilty party and forensics seem to implicate her as the murderess. Then Alesha finds evidence to nail Rose as the killer and the prosecution,pleading the girl's abusive upbringing as grounds for diminished responsibility, seek psychiatric care for her.However Sharkey,after professional glory,wants an all-or-nothing verdict. James puts Rose's vile mother in the witness box to prove the prosecution point and save Rose from a murder charge.
Hide description ▲

Convicted serial rapist Paul Darnell is released on parole and,three months later,young Ashanti Walker,who lives in the same area as Darnell, is killed after sex. He is the perfect parolee with a loyal girl-friend but he has no alibi and Steel is convinced he is the murderer. He is arrested but his barrister claims persecution and,at his trial, is credible and sympathetic whilst Steel does himself no favors with his bigotry and zeal,with obvious results. However,that is not the end of the matter.
Hide description ▲

The police investigate the murder of three people in a dress shop who were found by an employee on returning from lunch. The medical evidence indicates that they were killed with a sword. The investigation soon focuses on a street person who was seen nearby who is eventually identified by John Smith, a schizophrenic who hasn't taken his medication for several months. At trial, Smith is allowed to present his own defense - he has several law degrees - and proves to be a formidable opponent. Smith has a long history of mental illness and occasional violent behavior but as long as he remains on his medication, there's a high degree of normalcy about him. James Steele would like to get him to plead guilty to manslaughter as a finding of insanity will likely see him back on the street in short order.
Hide description ▲

DS Matt Devlin is shaken when he learns that a close friend, PS Pete Garvey is found dead in a park. Garvey was shot and Devlin refuses to accept the initial findings: that he had very likely taken his own life. The dead man's wife tells him that her husband had been out of sorts lately and had taken to visiting a former priest, Jonathan Nugent, for counseling. Devlin and Garvey were altar boys together and Garvey had always claimed that Nugent had molested him. Since it's confirmed that Garvey took his own life, it leaves the Crown Prosecutors with a dilemma as to just what to do. They finally decide to charge him, arguing it was his molestation that led Garvey to kill himself.
Hide description ▲

The police find a university student, Archie Rahman, dead on the floor of his flat. He was stabbed and bled to death and the only real clue they have is a book on Persian pottery. The book was checked out of the library by another university student who claims not to know him and who also claims to have been with her friend, Sally Douglas, studying in the library at the time the young man was killed. They soon focus on several inconsistencies in Sally's story and she finally admits that Archie, who she did not know, lured her to his flat where he raped her. The police are skeptical but when the media get hold of the story, the whole case takes on racial overtones with the press clearly taking Sally's view of the case. It's left to Ben Stone and Alesha Phillips to sort just what is the truth.
Hide description ▲

For two years Stephanie Blake has been pestered by a cyber-stalker who knows every detail of her private life. Conceited ladies' man Russell Lowry tried to contact her from prison but,after being pushed downstairs, Stephanie fails to recognize him - and then she is murdered. Lowry slowly moves into the frame on the discovery that Stephanie subscribed by standing order to an animal charity for which he worked,so he knows her purchasing details. A cell-mate also reveals that Lowry used a computer in prison. The prosecution case is,however, flimsy as Ronnie recorded his view that Stephanie faked the fall downstairs as a cry for help. He determines not to let her down again,bringing his evidence at Lowry's trial into conflict with Matt's view.Up against fearsome defending brief Evelyn Wyndham,James must discredit Matt for a result.
Hide description ▲

The police investigate the murder of Alice Cullin, a young doctor who is found dead in the car park at the hospital where she worked. She was also pregnant. Her fiancé, Joe Nash, works as a porter at the hospital and from all accounts, is a very nice fellow. They find that Joe has been seeing a woman who lives near the hospital and they assume that he was having an affair. The woman turns out to be Daniela Renzo, a psychiatric social worker who is responsible for assisting Joe with his reintegration into society. The police get Joe to confess to the murder but for Crown Prosecutor James Steel, the question quickly becomes just who Nash is when it's revealed he's living under an assumed identity given to him by the Home Office.
Hide description ▲

The police investigate the shooting of 54 year-old Rachel Callaghan, a well-known high court judge, during what seems to be a car-jacking. They retrieve the car fairly quickly from a dupe who bought the car on the cheap. When they arrest the middleman in the sale, he points to a man named Eddie as the thief. It quickly becomes obvious that this wasn't just a carjacking and that it's likely Eddie was hired to kill the woman. The evidence points to the victims husband Dan but the victim tells the Crown Prosecutors that she will testify on his behalf if they proceed with the case. When she orders her doctors to withdraw her medication, James Steele seeks the court's permission to question her before she dies but after she tries to commit suicide, he has to seek her to be declared mentally incompetent.
Hide description ▲

Devlin and Brooks investigate the death of a four month old baby, Alex. It's initially believed to be a cot death or SIDS. The pathologist finds serious injuries however that are consistent shaken baby syndrome. Four people had regular access to the child including the parents, Suzanne and Michael Rains, their nanny Layla Merton and Michael's ex-wife and business partner, Andrea. Their initial focus is on the nanny, who it turns out had been fired by a previous employer. The police also get evidence that her boyfriend Lloyd Benson had spent the evening with her, something she didn't disclose in her interview. The Crown pursues charges against both Layla and Lloyd but James Steel is afraid doubt about which of the two actually shook baby Alex may lead a jury to find them both innocent. A lie gives them the information they need to find who is responsible.
Hide description ▲

The police investigate a suspicious fire that resulted in the death of 13 year-old Ian Parnell. His mother Megan managed to escape but the pathologist confirms that Ian died of smoke inhalation. The boy was severely disabled and unable to care for himself. They follow several false leads including an absent father who is behind on his support payments and a couple of neighborhood lads who were known to have harassed the dead boy. In the end, the evidence points to the mother. In court James and Alesha come up against a barrister who refuses all reasonable offers to settle the case. His disdain for his client leads him to mount a series of increasingly ridiculous defenses. When the truth finally emerges, the Crown prosecutors face a moral dilemma.
Hide description ▲

The police investigate the murder of a former professional footballer, Robert Nichols, who is found lying beside his car bludgeoned to death. He was on his way to meet his sister and was apparently replacing a flat tire when the attack occurred. The only thing taken was his very expensive watch. They manage to trace a passerby, Mike Jones, who initially denies having seen anything but eventually admits he was helping Nichols fix his flat. The police are naturally suspicious and believe Jones may have been the perpetrator. In checking into Nichols's background however, they learn he was a big-time gambler and owed well-known mobster Don Marsh a quarter of a million pounds. Jones obviously has good reason to lie since he saw who killed Nichols but the mobster has made it clear that his life is in danger if he testifies.
Hide description ▲

DS Devlin and DS Brooks investigate the murder of a 13 year-old boy boy, Sean Monroe, the son of a fellow police officer who was killed and put down a storm drain. A note found on the body points to the work of Andrew Dillon, who was sentenced for an earlier racial murder and is serving his sentence. The racial motivation for the killing seems confirmed when a second boy, Dev Desai, is found strangled with the same note in his pocket. However, their investigation leads to a security guard, Marcus Wright, who admits to having encounters with both boys at the shops where he works. He says the boys deaths were God's will and he was simply doing God's work. If Wright is to be believed, it means that Dillon was wrongfully convicted. The case becomes personal when James Steel is accused of having purposely buried a witness statement that would have likely exonerated Dillon. He finds himself in dock but the judge allows him to conduct his own defense.
Hide description ▲

When single parent Kayla Stark reports her two-year old son Ryan missing suspicion falls on the child's estranged father Jimmy but Ronnie finds inconsistencies in Kayla's story and learns that her violent,controlling new boyfriend Rob Whitely resented Ryan and Jimmy. Would Kayla have killed her child for the sake of such a wastrel or did Whitely himself do away with the toddler? New senior prosecutor Jake is determined to try them both for murder.
Hide description ▲

Prostitute Katka Cizek is stabbed to death in her rented flat with four thousand pounds under her mattress. The porter may have tried to blackmail her but the DNA of history professor Gavin Williams is found in her finger-nails. Furthermore the murder weapon matches a knife missing from his kitchen,the money was drawn from his account and the prosecution allege Katka was about to expose his arrangement to his wife,Jane. Chosen to cross-examine Jane at Gavin's trial,Alesha is unhappy with certain aspects of Jane's evidence and draws her own conclusions.
Hide description ▲

After a girl and a boy in masks go on a killing spree,murdering clubbers and a shop-keeper,they are cornered at another robbery where the girl,Joanne Vickers,shoots the older,controlling boyfriend,deranged ex-soldier Andy Bishop. Joanne's lawyer Phyllis Gladstone argues that her client was bullied and coerced by Bishop into being his accomplice and Jake's boss Henry Sharpe feels he should prosecute Joanne for murder,not manslaughter,warning him that his future rests on the case's outcome. Helped by Alesha, Jake needs to dig into Joanne's past if he is to get his desired verdict.
Hide description ▲

New partner Sam Casey joins a grieving Ronnie to find out who shot Matt dead. Sam suspects an accomplice of the recently convicted Mark Ellis but the trail ultimately leads to Jamaal Clarkson,a youngster whose brother Kieran was murdered in 2003,though the police closed the case as a suicide. Jamaal believes they were not interested as Kieran was black and tells Ronnie he knows Ellis was the murderer. It was his intention to kill Ellis but,on discovering that he had been sentenced,shot Matt instead as an act of revenge against the apathetic police. Whilst Alesha and Jake prepare a case of murder against Jamaal,Doug Greer,his barrister argues that the boy is himself a victim,whose crime was motivated by desperation,not calculation.
Hide description ▲

Following an armed robbery at a takeaway a bystander is killed and Michael Coombs,who has a medical condition,is forced to drive the robbers when their car breaks down. Frank Donovan admits involvement with ex-cellmate Jamie Harper and agrees to divulge where Coombs was taken in exchange to a murder charge being reduced to manslaughter of the onlooker. However Coombs has died,a fact of which Donovan was surely aware and Jake aims to have the agreement annulled against opposition from Donovan's brief Miriam Pescatore. Then Harper's body is discovered buried in the woods and Jake gets his chance to prosecute Donovan for murder.
Hide description ▲

After being hit by a car dying burglar Jimmy O'Docherty confesses to killing teen-aged Amanda Bennett fourteen years earlier. At the time Ronnie arrested Simon,her father,who got life but was released on appeal after three years. Now three sources come forward to say that Jimmy's partner in crime Ricky Phelps admitted to the murder and he stands trial. His barrister Philip Nevins not only discredits the prosecution witnesses but points to the fact that,at the time of the original investigation Ronnie was an alcoholic and his colleague Bernard Rawlins hooked on prescription drugs,questioning the validity of the new accusation. Ronnie must draw on his past recollections to see that justice is done.
Hide description ▲

When janitor Jonathan Waldman is killed by a letter bomb early suspicions are off a race crime as he was Jewish until the police find out that he was blackmailing student Simon Wells for stealing drugs from Thameside University,where Jonathan was employed. Simon admits to making the letter bomb but his brief,Rachel Mathesson,pleads diminished responsibility as Simon as the boy has a mental condition. He was seeing psychiatrist Dr Middlebrook,who could be responsible for Simon's condition as he failed to continue his treatment in return for money from a German pharmaceutical firm. The revelation that Simon has a brain tumour leads to the doctor being tried for manslaughter,after which Jake visits his elderly mother in a care home.
Hide description ▲

Schoolgirl Anna Russo is lured to a flat and raped by three boys who film their crime and post it on the Internet. Anna cannot identify her assailants but DNA from the flat and a statement by Anna's friend Danny,who rang the police that night,leads to the criminals' arrest. However their barrister Renay Everett has the emotive video footage excluded as it does not demonstrate forced intercourse. Alesha,herself a rape victim,leans on Danny to provide evidence to show that Anna was not the boys' first victim.
Hide description ▲

Ronnie and Sam investigate the murder of philandering barman Derek Strachan shot dead in his car. Prime suspect is Roland Hextor,whose car was spotted at the murder scene and that of another slaying six months earlier but his gun is not the murder weapon and,when his mother provides an alibi for one murder it looks as if he cannot be charged. Meanwhile Abraham Roach is pleading guilty to murder after killing his brother in a fight. The prosecutors believe he is only guilty of manslaughter and do a little bargaining to effect this in exchange for Gareth Markham,a youth who says he only admitted to a wounding charge because Sam intimidated him,coming clean.
Hide description ▲

After forensic technician Kelly Mahon is stabbed to death her colleague Lucy Kennard is also attacked,claiming the assailant was taxi driver Carl Lucas who,it would seem,also killed Kelly. Lucy is nervous and seeks reassurance from Sam,eventually having a sexual relationship with him. However mounting evidence suggests that Lucy is the murderer who deliberately incriminated Carl. Furthermore she has a history of extorting money from men,including Kelly's boyfriend Tom. She is tried for murder but in court drops a bombshell that throws her sanity in doubt,claiming that the judge agreed to acquit her if she had sex with him.
Hide description ▲

A suicidal man drives his car across a railway causing a catastrophic train crash and killing 15 people, but he survives. DS Sam Casey struggles to cope after an occurrence at the scene of the incident, forcing DS Ronnie Brooks and new DI Wes Leyton, who is an old colleague of Ronnies and who is covering for DI Natalie Chandler, to keep a close eye on him. Crown Prosecutor Jake Thorne pursues the culprit with vigour whilst the mans defence barrister, Kate Barker, tries to prove his vulnerability and mental illness. Just as the case finishes, his boss, CPS Director Henry Sharpe, springs one more surprise on Jake. But before Jake has time to protest, the team receive some shocking news regarding the convicted.
Hide description ▲

Jake and Kate argue over the morality of prosecuting a mentally ill man like Tyler and indeed over most things but declare a truce over a broken coffee machine whilst Ronnie catches up with estranged daughter Emma. As the last person to apparently have seen Tyler alive Sam is suspended from duty pending a full investigation. He has a day out with his little boy, to his ex-wife's disapproval. Convinced of Sam's innocence Ronnie does some sleuthing of his own, discovering that CCTV footage of Tyler in his cell has gone missing. This in turn leads him to discover a pact made by the bereaved relatives of the train victims and to the real killer. Written by don @ minifie-1
Hide description ▲

Michael Trent is found shot dead in a hotel room and the money he had with him is missing. Not only was he dealing with the dangerous Kopecky brothers but had told his girlfriend Becky that he was an under-cover policeman, when he was actually car salesman Gary Tully. The police learn that, despite his hidden wealth, he owed thousands in maintenance to Lindsay, the mother of his son Joe, who has leukemia and was evasive about donating bone marrow to Joe. Suspicion falls on Lindsay's father Philip Donovan,who had been hiding some of the stolen money and he is charged with murder but his lawyer Eleanor Flint pleads self-defence when Philip claims that Tully pulled a gun on him. However a police interview with an associate of Philip suggests that both he and Lindsay had plotted to kill Tully. Kate is sympathetic but Jake wants a conviction. Written by don @ minifie-1
Hide description ▲

Property developer Charlotte Leigh's body is pulled from the Thames and, after suicide is ruled out, the main suspect is her abusive ex-husband Richard, with whom she was involved in a custody battle over their school-girl daughter Holly, but he has an alibi. Traces of Charlotte's blood are found at the flat she shared with her new man Sean and Holly. Each claim the other was pestering them sexually but Holly is charged with the murder and stands trial. However Ronnie discovers that Sean was also involved with a school-friend of Holly, which swings the case away from the accused. Written by don @ minifie-1
Hide description ▲

Elderly, frail Jenny Moran is found dead in her flat and police initially suspect a burglary gone wrong. Jenny's grand-daughter Connie tells Ronnie that Jenny's live-in carer Cecile has disappeared, having stolen a clock, but Cecile claims the clock was a present and accuses Connie of firing her because she would not obey her instructions and starve Jenny to death. She backs up her claim with written instructions. The police discover that Connie, a potential bankrupt, has inherited Jenny's flat and she is charged with murder. Her lawyer Vijay Prasad submits that the accusation is vague and that Connie could easily have smothered her grandma if she wanted. Then Connie gives evidence, stating that her grandmother was in great pain and killed herself for the release. She is very convincing and it seems likely that Jake will fail to secure a guilty verdict. Written by don @ minifie-1
Hide description ▲

Richard Peters is found bludgeoned to death outside his flat, Leo, the baby he adopted with his partner Gareth Wilks is missing. Ruth Pendle, Leo's mother and a former drug addict, is seen on CCTV leaving the murder scene with a man who proves to be Neil Jenkins, the baby's father - at whose home Leo is found. Jenkins admits to pushing Richard though he and Ruth both deny murder and the police charge them jointly. They have separate barristers, each accusing the other, but Kate believes Ruth should not be prosecuted and gets into trouble with Jake for colluding with Ruth's barrister Lydia Smythson by providing information to help her. Ronnie discovers that Kate's bias is due to her missing sister Beth's situation, similar to Ruth's. Ultimately Kate lets her head rule her heart in identifying the real killer, after which Ronnie has good news for her regarding her sister. Written by don @ minifie-1
Hide description ▲

Ronnie and new partner Joe Hawkins, who has come from the child protection unit, investigate a gruesome double murder where the victims' hands and teeth were removed. One of the dead men is jeweller Harry Bernstein and suspicion falls on his wife Lindsay and her lover David as well as business partner Micky Belker. However when a box containing Harry's missing hands is sent to his sister Rebecca the case takes a different turn as she is on the jury in the trial of Dale Horgan, a gangster and drug dealer whom Ronnie is desperate to see convicted after he was acquitted of shooting a little girl in the back and jury intimidation is now a clear motive. The prosecutors are afraid that an over-emotional Ronnie may be a bad witness in the face of Horgan's icy barrister Eleanor Richmond and coach him in staying objective. Jake applies to have Eleanor discharged from the jury and ultimately the whole case is to be tried by a single judge. It looks as id Ronnie is never going to nail Horgan but then Joe comes up with an unexpected witness.
Hide description ▲

When a car is pulled from a river with a skeleton in its boot the pathologist reckons both have been there for a quarter of a century and eventually the dead man is shown to be Taylor Kane, one of the first black undercover officers, who disappeared at the time of the Brixton riots. Despite no corpse being found at the time his end of service record was signed by his superior officer Alex Greene, declaring him dead. Soon afterwards the murder weapon is identified as a truncheon belonging to racist policeman Darren Grady. Emotions run high as Jake, against Henry's advice, promises Taylor's sister Nikki that she will get justice and prosecutes Grady for murder. To assist the case Ronnie approaches a former colleague in order to obtain the truth about Taylor's death.
Hide description ▲

Unemployed family man Neil Lester is battered to death with a paper-weight in his own home, having convinced his wife that he has been working for the past nine months. Sixteen thousand pounds were put into his bank account, apparently by pensioner Eddie Stewart, whose friend Felix pawned Neil's computer recently. Eddie's prints are also found at Neil's house and he is charged with murder. Eddie's daughter turns out to be Ronnie's old boss Natalie and, behind the prosecutors' backs, they try to gather evidence to prove his innocence, not helped by Natalie's filial outbursts in court. They find out that Neil impersonated Eddie to secure a loan, leading to a confrontation. But did that confrontation lead to murder?
Hide description ▲

The body of elderly businesswoman Ranya Habib is found at a suicide spot but foul play is suspected after a neighbour tells Ronnie he heard her arguing with somebody. Ranya was meeting Egyptian doctor Yafeu Elsayed, whom Ronnie suspects of terrorism though he claims to be Ranya's specialist. CCTV footage links Ranya's daughter-in-law Safia to the crime scene and she is arrested and charged with murder. However it transpires that Safia opposed Ranya's desire for Safia's little daughter Laila to be subject to genital mutilation by Elsayed and Kate tips off Sania's lawyer Madeline Morgan to this effect, as well as persuading Joe to prosecute Elsayed for causing actual bodily harm to women. This alters everything.
Hide description ▲

Maids find blood-stained sheets but no body in a hotel room, booked with a credit card stolen from businessman Charles Hutton by Rufus Barton, a school classmate and secret lover of Hutton's daughter Georgia. Georgia admits that she had a miscarriage in the room but evidence shows that the baby was born alive and the young couple are arrested for infanticide - despite the absence of a corpse. At their trial, where they are represented by smooth Maitland Cosby, a long-standing adversary of Jake, they claim to have no knowledge of what happened to the baby but its little body is later found and Charles Hutton admits to helping with its disposal. Cosby submits that the infant's death was accidental. The prosecutors hope that the jury will disagree.
Hide description ▲

Wes is shot at point blank range in his car by a biker and soon afterwards another policeman Archie Morris and women's refuge worker Susan Lewiston are slain in the same way. CCTV footage links the rider to one Patrick Benton but all the victims had played a part in arresting wife-killer Mark Glendon and Henry, who was prosecutor, is taken to a safe house. Glendon is in prison but the prosecutors press ahead with accusing him of organizing the murders from his cell, especially as it transpires that Benton is Glendon's son, now adopted and renamed. Benton is pulled in but gives the police nothing to help them. The case goes ahead and the jury gives its verdict but then something unexpected happens.
Hide description ▲