Thursday, July 28, 2011

Law & Order UK “Tick Tock” Episode Information

Here are the details for the next new episode of Law & Order UK, “Tick Tock”:


Law & Order UK “Tick Tock” Air Date July 31, 2011 (9PM Sunday ITV1)

A night club peppered with bullets. Two victims bleeding out on the floor. The start of a deadly gun rampage through the streets of London. With the media swarming all over the case and a hostage to find, DS Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber) and DS Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) are up against the clock as they try to track down the Bonnie and Clyde duo wreaking havoc on the city streets.


Capture is far from closure when defence barrister, Phyllis Gladstone (Lesley Manville), takes the case on, arguing that one of the pair was more innocent victim than violent killer. Did the defendant act out of fear - beaten and bullied into submission by her partner-in-crime, too terrified to escape and alert the police? With two sides to every story, the team are under pressure to make sure someone is held responsible for a murderous spree that cost five lives. Guest starring Louise Brealey.


My recap and review of Law & Order UK "Tick Tock" can be found at this link.

Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Law & Order UK “Crush” Recap & Review


Law & Order UK “Crush” was based on the original Law & Order episode “Humiliation” from season 7, and the UK version was an improvement. In “Crush,” it appears that a man has killed an escort because of blackmail and fear of being exposed, but it all turns out to be a premeditated set up by his wife. The case wasn’t as suspenseful as I would like, but the crisp writing helped to redeem the episode. Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) and Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber) are becoming masters at delivering the witty comebacks, and even Natalie Chandler (Harriet Walter) gets in on the action. The dialog seems very natural and this helps to make Ronnie and Matt seem like real people doing the tough yet sometime tedious job of detective work.

The episode also featured a bonus for Doctor Who fans; besides Peter Davison and Freema Agyeman, we also got Adjoa Andoh, who played Martha Jones’ mother (Freema's Doctor Who character). It only gives me hope that my wish will someday come true and we will see David Tennant on Law & Order UK.

We also got to see Alesha taking charge in the case AND also having to don the wig. Jake Thorne (Dominic Rowan) voiced what has been on my mind since day 1 of the series: Alesha without a wig makes her look like an assistant. It was nice to see Alesha take the lead and assert herself with Jake and Henry when she felt there was something that was not quite right with the case.

The only complaint that I have – and it’s a minor one – is that the chemistry between Jake and Alesha - and Jake any anybody else for that matter - seems lacking. I don’t mean a romantic chemistry, I mean chemistry in general. It’s quite the change from James Steel (Ben Daniels) who seemed to have an obvious passion for his work, and there was a “spark” between him and Alesha. In fact, Alesha has more chemistry with Henry Sharpe than with Jake. But this may be how they want to play it – Jake seems more guarded and controlled. I went back and read the background information that ITV released for Jacob Thorne (see “Law & Order UK: Dominic Rowan on Jake Thorne, Senior Crown Prosecutor”) and realize that Rowan is playing the character exactly as he was profiled. So I’m going to put my complaint aside and let the character develop.


Here is the recap:

At Burlington Cloisters, a man complains that water is dripping into his room from a room upstairs. When the porter, Michael Hunter (Dominic Coleman) opens the door of that room, they find the bathtub has overflowed and a woman is found dead in the room. Later, DS Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) and DS Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber) investigate the scene. The dead woman is Katarina Cizek and it appears there is no sign of forced entry. There were sex toys in the bedside cabinet and also a wad of money in the mattress.

The speak with the porter, who knew Katarina was an “escort”. Her friend Suzana was also an escort working out of the building. Both were eastern European. The detectives speak with Suzana (May Lubinsky) who worked for a different escort agency. Katarina - “Katka” - moved agencies a short while ago, and she thought a rich man would carry her away. The men pay the agencies direct for the service. She seems surprised Katka had £4,000 in her flat. She tells them the agencies make sure the men are nice. After Suzana leaves, the detectives wonder why Katka stuffed the money in her mattress, as she had a bank account.

Back at M.I.U., they discuss this with DI Natalie Chandler (Harriet Walter) and wonder if this was blackmail money. She says it is a bit “spaghetti against the wall” and wonders if Katka was moonlighting. Devlin wonders if this is motive.

At the forensic pathology lab, Ronnie and Matt speak with Lilly (Adjoa Andoh) who tells them Katka had sex but there is no sign of rape, and adds that the sex was energetic but not violent. Ronnie comments that he remembers that – and when Matt says “heavens sakes”, Ronnie clarifies he meant being energetic. She also has evidence of having STIs in the past like Chlamydia, herpes, etc. but no HIV. A knife hit a rib on the way in but in this case the blade went in and under.

Back at headquarters, Ronnie tells Natalie the knife was flexible, like a knife for filleting. Katka had food in her stomach from about an hour before. Forensics is working up the DNA on the crime scene. There is nothing yet on the SIM card and the porter has nothing much to day. Angela (Jessica Gunning ) enters and tells them they went through Katka’s laptop and found Katka wrote a blog.

Later, Ronnie is reading the blog and asks whatever happened to keeping things private and there is stuff on there he wouldn’t even tell himself. Natalie tells him no one is listening. He did find a name mentioned “Lotra Lovich” [not sure if I got that right] who wouldn’t leave her alone. Matt finds a complex list of companies involved in the flat’s rental which ends at Kensington Belles.

At Kensington Belles, they speak with the owner to get a list of clients or credit card details. When he balks and says his girls are not coerced, then insists on a warrant, Ronnie threatens the crawl all over his business with real forensic detail, affecting his business for months and make it look like coercion.

After leaving the office, Matt and Ronnie look over the list of names from Kensington Belles. Matt complains about the whole premise of the service, saying it looks like a date, feels like a date, and Ronnie calls it a simulacrum, which Matt thinks is a “madey-uppie” word. Ronnie says it means an unsatisfactory substitute. Matt says one had to be pretty sad, and Ronnie says not sad, just lonely.

At the home of Barry Blunstone, the detectives hear that he loved Katka. She was a present from his mates so he could lose his….”you know.” He was working in a pub to save up to see her again. Later, and Magdalen College, the detectives speak with Gavin Williams (Greg Wise) about a charge on his credit card for Katka from September and he says his credit card had been cloned and charges made by someone else. He says he has a book, the second part of his history on the Crusades. When Ronnie admits he hasn’t read the book, Matt says he did, and when they looks surprised, he asks did they think he was some kind of Neanderthal? Ronnie says Matt is a never-ending source of wonderment. Matt asks Greg for a DNA sample and he says whatever they want.

Back at headquarters, Matt tells Ronnie they got the numbers off the SIM card and Katka called the same number 4 times the day she died but Ronnie correctly guesses it is from an unregistered, pay as you go number. Natalie enters and tells Ronnie there is someone to see him, Angela calls Matt aside and says she found Lotra Lovich.

In the conference room, Ronnie speaks with Suzana who is asking for protection who says someone threatened to report her to immigration and the man tried the same thing with Katka and Katka thought it was a joke. Meanwhile, Angela explains to Matt thinks the name Lotra Lovich is a simple displacement code, like in the movie 2001, where “HAL” was derived from “IBM” but that didn’t work and looked for a Czech word since Katka was Czech. The word Lotra is from a Czech fairy tales meaning villain or bad. When Matt tells Ronnie that Lotra Lovich means "bad hunter" they think it points to  Michael Hunter – the porter.

At headquarters in the interview room, Ronnie and Matt question Hunter who said he was out in the back smoking at the time she was killed. The accuse him of threatening the girls but he said he just wanted to be noticed.

Later, Ronnie tells Natalie that Hunter denies it and they don’t have the murder weapon. Hunter did admit threatening her. Ronnie thinks he is a lying weasel but not a killer. Matt enters and says they have a match on the DNA swab.

At the home of Gavin Williams, the detectives get an admission from Gavin that he saw Katka, in September and the other night. He was on his way to talk to his agent about his book publication date and all he needed was a friendly face. He said they had sex and she scratched his back at that time and denies killer her, swearing on his son’s life. Gavin’s wife come home and he asks them not to say anything. Matt smiles and continues to question him about where Gavin went after he left.

At Penshaw & Cole Literary Agency, the detectives speak with Gavin’s agent who said Gavin seemed distracted. They discussed a TV show, and also that Gavin turns down many gigs because of his son, who has cerebral palsy and Gavin won’t leave his wife Jane to cope on her own.

Back at headquarters, Natalie tells Ronnie that Hunter’s alibi checks out. Gavin looks most likely but only if he was being blackmailed and they don’t know that anyone was being blackmailed. Angela enters and tells them Teddy found something. Teddy (Tariq Joran) tells Matt and Ronnie that a bit of the blade broke off in Katka and if they find the blade they can match it. Angela also tells them Gavin made cash withdrawals totaling £4,000 in the last 14 days, the amount is exactly what Katka had.

The detectives speak again with Gavin about blackmail. He asks why would he pay her then kill her, or kill her and leave the money? He denies having a second phone. He denies withdrawing any money, saying his wife likely did as they have a shared account and she also has a design business and she buys antiques with cash.

At the home of Gavin Williams, they speak with Jane Williams (Charlotte Emerson) who is busy feeding the baby. She thinks the accusations against Gavin are ridiculous. She says she took out the money for her business and buys a lot of things with cash. She says she bought some antiques from a place in Kingston and bristles when Matt asks if she can prove it. She asks if they are arresting her and when Matt says no, she says to excuse her as her son has to eat. Matt notices the nice collection of knives that she has and that one is missing. She thinks one went missing when the kitchen was redone.

AT CPS, Matt comments to Alesha Phillips (Freema Agyeman) that the missing knife at the Williams household was a filleting blade which matches the depth and width of the penetration wound. Ronnie adds that it also flexes. The withdrawn money matches the amount in Katka’s mattress and it could be blackmail - the motive. Matt thinks they have means, motive, and opportunity. When Alesha comments this is circumstantial and asks what else have they got, Jake Thorne (Dominic Rowan) enters and answers “preponderance of probability” adding, “in other words, what are the chances?” He tells them to pick him up.

At Magdalen College Library, Gavin is having a book signing and Matt and Ronnie cut in line and arrest him.

At Crown Prosecution Service, Jake and Alesha meet with Gavin and his lawyer Rachel Matheson (Penny Downie) who says they have nothing, saying he is guilty of seeing a prostitute and lying about it to his wife. Gavin comments that he is ruined and he didn’t do anything. Matheson says they do not deny he was there, but the CPS has no murder weapon and the rest is coincidence. Jane will give evidence that she withdrew the money. She walks out, saying they can’t prove anything and asks if they really want to do this.

Afterwards, they speak with CPS Director Henry Sharpe (Peter Davison) who agrees they can only prove infidelity. They discuss the infidelity issue and Alesha says it is not about the sex, it is the dishonesty. Jake argues that Gavin was worried about losing his professional standing. Henry asks how do they know Katka was blackmailing Gavin.

At Russell Square, Alesha speaks with Suzana about the money. Suzana said there was one guy who saw Katka a lot who said he had a crush on Katka. He kept buying her stuff, he gave her books and what good are they? She gave them to a charity shop around the corner. She was embarrassed and saw him only because he paid her. Suzana wanted her to end it but Katka just laughed, and said she knew what she was doing, thinking she could get more out of him than just books,

At Oxfam, Matt and Ronnie look through books and they discuss digital vs. printed books. Ronnie finds one signed to Katka, with the saying “Katka, for everything, always, G.” It was the History of the Crusades, Part , by Gavin Williams. Ronnie comments "Vanity, thy name is Gavin.”

Later, Jake and Alesha discuss the next steps. Jake says they need to break the wife’s story.

At Kingston Antiques Emporium, Alesha speaks with the shop owner who says Jane bought an Eames chair and a matching footstool for £3,500.

Later, in an interview room with Jane and Matheson, Alesha asks Jane to account for the difference. When she gets no cooperation, Alesha asks her if she knows Gavin bough Katka gifts and that he had feelings for her. Her brief cuts things short, but as she and Jane move to leave, Alesha continues to press and Jane says all she wanted was to be a wife and mother. The night he was with Katka she worried for him and how his career was going. She has to live with the knowledge that this person meant something to Gavin. This is her family and she won’t help Alesha destroy it.

Later, Alesha discusses this with Jake who do some role playing with Jake asking the questions and Alesha answering. She thinks his approach is too harsh and Jane will come across as sympathetic and she will look like she is protecting her family. Jake asks Alesha if she admires her, and she responds a little bit, because Jane has been betrayed and humiliated but is holding up with spit and willpower. They agree they still have to break her.

At Crown v Williams, Lilly is testifying about the forensics and the blade used for the murder. But under cross examination she must admit that there is a possibility that it could have happened with a rigid blade.

With Suzana testifying, Matheson questions her about blackmail, and Suzana admits Katka did not mention blackmail or Gavin by name. Matheson tries to bring out how many clients with the initial G that Katka could have had and using Suzana’s own client experience there could have been more than one.

Afterwards, Jake and Alesha discuss the strategy for the next day, and Jake tells Alesha he wants her to handle Jane Williams because she interviewed her and she understands Jane. Jake says he won’t be there, he has to be out of town on personal business. When she makes a comment implying a rat leaving a sinking ship, he stops her and says no. He also tells her to wear a wig, saying juries like it, god knows why, think it is a bit of gravitas. When she begins to protest, he adds that without one, she looks like his PA.

At Crown v Williams, Alesha, wearing a wig, questions Jane about the withdrawals of money while Henry Sharpe enters the courtroom to watch. Jane says it was for buying antiques for cash. Alesha brings out the cost of the antique chair and footstool for £3,500 and asks what happened to the other 500. She thinks she spent it somewhere else, and said it was for two Tiffany lamps. Alesha says the store doesn’t recall selling them and Jane tries to explain it was another day or store. But Alesha continues to press, suggesting it was Gavin who withdraw the money for blackmail. And brings doubt that Jane really used the cash for antiques.

Afterwards, Matheson complains that Jane was prepped and that it’s not like they didn’t see Alesha coming.

Back at CPS, Henry congratulates Alesha and says Jake was right, it was better coming from her. Alesha thinks Jake dropped her in it, but Henry tells her that Jake’s mother is not well and he had to go see her and will be back for closing. Henry tells her she should be pleased with herself. But she has a second thought and follows Henry into his office to tell him she wasn’t that good. She thinks Jane fell apart and made the case for them, asking why Jane would do that?

Later, the verdict comes in, and Gavin is found guilty of murder. She is shocked and he looks over to Jane.

Back at CPS, Alesha discusses her second thoughts on the case with Jake and Henry. Alesha thinks maybe Jane was not that loyal and maybe Jane got what she wanted. Jake is confused, asking to be reminded that they won the case. Alesha wants to dig around further and Henry gives the OK, adding she should do it on her own time.

At the home of Vanessa Marsh (Evie Dawnay), Jane’s friend, Alesha finds that Jane had her eye to snag Gavin and Jane always gets what she wants. Jane doesn’t confide in others and one day she cried, and says for Jane that is Krakatoa. Jane was having a bad time with Sam who was 6 months old at the time and Vanessa told Jane to go out and see a movie or something and she would watch Sam. She said that’s where Jane was when Gavin bumped off his “euro-tart.”

Afterwards, Alesha explains this new news to Jake and she tells Jake that Jane told her that she was home that night, fretting. In the weeks up to the murder, Jane was distracted and stressed and Alesha wonders if Jane knew about Katka then. Alesha wonders if Jane has been manipulating them. She thinks Jane wanted her husband to pay for what he did – motive. The knife matches theirs – means. She followed him to Katka’s and after he’s gone she rings the bell and says she is Gavin’s wife and can we talk – opportunity. Jake wonders why she would not have just produced the knife, Alesha thinks that Gavin would know it was her. Jake thinks it is quite leap and asks if she was ever taught that when you hear hooves, think horses – and Alesha finished “not zebras”. She adds all along Jane presents evidence that seems to exonerate him while at the same time, condemning him – sometimes it is zebras. Jake comments that maybe Jane is sly, but adds, “so am I.”

In the legal visits room at Wardingly Prison, Jake and Alesha speak with Gavin, Jane, and Matheson and state that the DNA samples were compromised which could change the time of death. Gavin thinks this may clear him and is happy. He embraces Jane but she seems less than happy.

At CPS, Henry asks Jake and Alesha if Jane bit, and Jake says to wait and see. Alesha says Rachel Matheson was very convincing. Jake’s phone rings, and Henry calls them hot shots and wonders what if they are wrong. They colluded with Gavin’s lawyer and offered false hope of exoneration as bait and asks how she thinks that will play out there. Jake tells them the call is from Rachel, Jane wants to meet with them tomorrow – she bit.

Back at the legal visits room, Jane says she recalled leaving some boxes at her mothers and found the knife in there. She got it from her mother’s last night. Alesha shows her sworn statements from DS Brooks and DS Devlin saying they followed Jane after she left there yesterday and she went to Vanessa Marsh’s home, got a bottle of wine and went home and didn’t leave until she came there this morning. Jane tells them to test the knife and it will prove Gavin is innocent. But Alesha says it will prove it matches the sliver of knife found in Katka’s body and that it is the murder weapon. Gavin seems clueless and then Alesha asks how long Jane knew about Katka. She and Jake press her about the planning the money withdrawals and killing Katka. Gavin is shocked. Jane admits she found Gavin’s other phone that he used for Katka and read the texts and found out how long he had been lying. Gavin said it was as stupid crush and he would never do anything to hurt her and Sam. He thought he could help her. Jane says even now he doesn’t know what he did, and explains that Gavin gave her herpes and he laughs. She cries, and then goes on to say that she was pregnant and Katka gave it to him and he gave it to her, and all that time he knew. She had no symptoms so she never had it treated and then Sam was born and it went to his brain. She was infected and who knows if he will ever walk and talk and she blames Gavin. Gavin seems devastated.

Later, at the pub, Jake is having a beer and Alesha enters and Jake tells her Jane pleaded guilty and Alesha said Gavin is left to look after his son, which Jake calls a daily reminder. They talk about who was the bigger villain in this case. Alesha said her son got handed a life sentence Jane just wanted to make Gavin pay and was defending her kid, asking isn’t that what mothers are supposed to do. Jake says yeah, that’s what they do. Alesha says she was sorry to hear about his mother, and he asks if Henry told her. She nods yes, and adds she thought Jake dropped her in it. Jake says he would never do that. She asks if he is OK, and he says he is fine, and thanks her for asking. When she asks about his mum, he only says, “thanks for asking.” Jake walks off, leaving Alesha at the bar with her vodka tonic, as we fade to black.



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Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

SVU on Location with Mariska Hargitay, Danny Pino

Here are a few photos taken last week of Mariska Hargitay and Danny Pino in New York City filming an episode of Law & Order SVU. Danny Pino will play Detective Nick Amaro.














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Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Kyle MacLachlan to Guest Star on Law & Order SVU

TV Guide reports that Kyle MacLachlan will guest star on Law & Order SVU,  in a ripped from the headlines story line,  to “play a powerful politician whose family is embroiled in a scandal.”

You can read the full story on TV Guide here: Law & Order: SVU Collars Kyle MacLachlan for Guest Role

SVU fans will recall that MacLachlan already appeared on SVU in the season 6 episode “Conscience” where he literally gets away with murder.

No other information is available on the episode at this time.



Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Law & Order UK “Crush” Episode Information

Here is the episode information for the next new episode of Law & Order UK, “Crush.”

Law & Order UK “Crush” Air Date July 24, 2011 (9PM Sunday ITV1)

When call girl Katka Cizek is found dead in a pool of blood in an upmarket apartment, the evidence seems to point to one of her admirers. The man was with her on the night of her death, does not have an alibi and has everything to lose if his secret obsession with her were to be revealed. When the case comes to court, crown prosecutor Alesha Phillips is given the reins to lead the cross-examination. But as she digs deeper, she begins to suspect that someone has reason to frame the accused - and she uncovers a shattering betrayal. Starring Freema Agyeman, Bradley Walsh, Jamie Bamber, Harriet Walter, Dominic Rowan. Davison and guest starring Greg Wise.

My recap and review of Law & Order UK "Crush" can be found at this link.



Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Law & Order UK “Safe” Recap & Review

Law & Order UK delivered another fine episode with “Safe,” which was based on the original Law & Order episode “Angel” from season 6. (Coincidentally, TNT aired “Angel” in the U.S. the same day that “Safe” aired in the UK.) We learn that Ronnie is estranged from his daughters, and that Jake apparently can’t recall the women that he’s slept with. (He eventually recalled her tattoo, but only after she earlier jogged his memory about having an “encounter” with him). Jake Thorne is clearly a different prosecutor than his predecessor Ben Steel (Ben Daniels), with Jake being more subdued and almost clinical about his job. Even Alesha (Freema Agyeman) seems to notice, when she can’t believe that Jake doesn’t seem to care as to the reasons why a boy was killed. But Jake proves that he really does care at the end, even telling Ronnie (Bradley Walsh) that they did the right thing.

The case may have been sloppily handled by the detectives and/or the CPS, though. It is apparent that they never spoke with the caseworker to get her story before the defense put her on the stand. The caseworker commented about being in Spain at one point, but I would think the detectives or CPS should have had the opportunity to question her before she stepped into the dock. Had they done so, they may have never made a deal with Kayla. Also, why did Jake take Kayla’s word for what happened that night and cut a deal with her, when clearly she had lied before? I also was a little surprised that Jake got away with asking Kayla to trust him – it seemed like an inappropriate request for a prosecutor.  By the way, Amy Strange did an excellent job at playing the lying, murdering mom who seemed to think that killing her son was better than putting him into care.

Slightly distracting was what seemed to be a new hairstyle for Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber). At first I thought his hair was just windblown but then the style carried through the episode. It’s a silly thing I know but I’m not sure I liked the look.


Here is the recap:
While at a street merry-go-round, Kayla Stark (Amy Strange) screams that her son Ryan has been taken. Later,  DS Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) and DS Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber) check out the scene. The ride operator’s son, who was running the ride, doesn’t recall seeing Ryan on the ride – or seeing Kayla. They speak with Kayla and she said her ex Jimmy was supposed to meet them there but he did not show. She has Ryan’s dinosaur toy and Ronnie asks to use it to help police dogs track Ryan’s scent. Ronnie asks that Kayla be taken home to get a few things and then they would meet her at the station. Matt thinks the person who snatched Ryan has balls, and Ronnie says he knows what he’d like to do with them.

At M.I.U., Ronnie and Matt bring DI Natalie Chandler (Harriet Walter) up to speed. Angela is going through the CCTV footage with her team. They wonder if this is a custody issue and if Ryan’s dad showed up and they never saw him. Kayla is waiting in another room, and Natalie tells them that Ryan’s toothbrush was collected for DNA, asking that they rule out the dad first.

Ronnie and Matt enter the room and speak with Kayla about Jimmy. She says he has never missed a visit before and says he would not take Ryan. Ronnie asks if she has a boyfriend and she says no. She says Jimmy visits once a month. She has a photo of Ryan on her phone from a week ago and when she gives the phone to Ronnie she begins to cry.

Afterwards, the detectives talk with Natalie about Jimmy Burton and that they are searching for him. Natalie suggests they speak with Jimmy’s grandmother

At the home of Gemma Burton (Heather Bleasdale), she tells Ronnie and Matt that Jimmy loves Ryan and that 6 months ago Kayla cut Jimmy’s access to Ryan. He wanted it sorted out and got a solicitor to get custody. She swears Jimmy would not do anything to mess up his chances to get Jimmy for good.

While Ronnie and Matt walk down the street and Matt eats a sandwich, they talk about the possibility of Jimmy taking Ryan. Ronnie tells Matt that Matt doesn’t know what it’s like not to see your kids. Matt asks if Sarah is still not returning his calls, and Ronnie says no. Matt comments that she is probably busy.

At M.I.U., Angela (Jessica Gunning) shows them the CCTV video of the merry-go-round, but Ryan cannot be seen. There is also no sign of Jimmy. Natalie enters and tell them that social service had been contacted about bruises on Ryan which Kayla had claimed he got falling off a slide at the park.

At South London Social Services, the Ronnie and Matt speak with Martyn Burns (Jonathan Jaynes) and find Ryan’s caseworker Bernie Bradley is on holiday and she has not completed her last report. They think Ryan’s bruising was accidental but Kayla is still on their list as she has no family support and they think she needed some help. They got her some parenting classes and she is doing well.

At M.I.U., Natalie wonders why Kayla did not mention social services and Ronnie reminds her they need to focus on getting Ryan back. There is no sign of Jimmy but co-workers think he is a decent bloke. Ronnie wonders if Jimmy has Ryan, maybe they can make an appeal to get Jimmy to bring Ryan in. Natalie says she will get a psychologist to phrase the appeal in a way that will compel Jimmy to bring Ryan in.

Later, at a news conference as camera flashes strobe constantly, Kayla reads the appeal. Natalie tells them there will be no questions but makes a plea of her own. Afterwards, Kayla speaks with Ronnie and when she asks if she looked OK, Ronnie pauses briefly and says yes.

Back at headquarters, they find Jimmy Burton (George Rainsford) is waiting there and is worried about his son and asks to please tell him they found his son. Ronnie and Matt speak with him and he says he was supposed to meet Kayla today. They day Ryan went missing he was with Dan Tyler who runs a father’s right’s group and he was going to help Jimmy with his case. Kayla wanted Ryan out of the way every time there was a new bloke. Six months ago she stopped returning his calls and since they are not married he has no rights to Ryan.

Afterwards, Ronnie watches Kayla on the video camera from the room where she is waiting, and wonders about the dinosaur toy that Kayla said Ryan was very attached to. Matt and Ronnie speak again with Kayla and when they question her about the toy and that no one recalls her or Ryan at the ride, and they don’t see Ryan on the CCTV, she gets rattled. She thinks Jimmy is lying. Matt says the only scent at the ride they found was hers. She says she washed the toy the night before, and also the sheets that he slept on the night before. She asks Ronnie to take her back there and maybe she will remember something and she is highly agitated.

Afterwards, Angela shows Ronnie, Matt, and Natalie the photos on Kayla’s phone card and there are photos of another man on them. It’s clear she lied about not having a boyfriend. Kayla also visited a web site about adoptions and she messaged some of the forum members saying she has a two year old boy who she can’t look after anymore. Matt wonders why, if she did not want Ryan, shy she didn’t give the boy to Jimmy, and Ronnie thinks maybe it was spite. Matt wonders if she made up the abductions story and when Natalie says they have to get Kayla taking, Ronnie says Kayla wanted him to go back out there with her. Natalie seems reluctant but Matt thinks if there was a hand over, maybe somebody saw something. Natalie wants Ronnie on a wire to cover their asses.

While Natalie and Matt sit in a nearby car and listen, Ronnie walks along with Kayla. He comments that a pretty girl like her should have them lining up around the block. She says she wishes she had a dad like him and he replies that his daughters may not agree. He comments that his daughter Sarah is going to have a baby but she is not returning his calls because as a dad, he chose a bottle of whiskey over her and her sister. He continues to walk along with her and make her feel relaxed by speaking of his own family.

As they stop to sit on a bench, she leans into him and he hesitatingly puts his arm around her to console her. He asks her to trust him. She admits she has a boyfriend and that they had a row about Jimmy. He doesn’t like her seeing Jimmy and he got her to stop the visits. Sometimes she let Jimmy see him in secret. Her boyfriend’s name is Rob and he doesn’t like when a baby cries and Rob said he could not think straight with all the noise. Meanwhile, Natalie and Matt continue to listen they find that Rob and Kayla are both living in another location in Morden Rise which is Rob’s place and her mate still lives in her flat which is under Kayla’s name. Ronnie comments that the pillowcases and toothbrush they took from the flat aren’t even Ryan’s. She admits she lied. Natalie calls immediately for the police to go to Morden Rise and they also race to the location.

At the home of Rob Whitely (Robin Berry), Kayla lets the detectives and police in, and she tells Rob she is sorry she had to tell them what he’d done. Natalie orders the flat searched and Rob cuffed. Matt makes a quick search of the flat and finds nothing. Ronnie asks what Kayla has done with Ryan, and she takes him upstairs and she opens a closet door and seeing a black trash bag on the floor, she says Ryan is in heaven with the angels.

At M.I.U. headquarters, Rob is in interrogation and he reads a statement saying he was with his mate and they had a few drinks at his place and went clubbing and did not return until the next day. Alesha Phillips (Freema Agyeman) watches the video feed. Rob's answer to any question is "no comment" and only when Ronnie really presses does Rob say he never went anywhere near him until his brief shuts him up.

Later, at CPS, Matt and Ronnie confer with Alesha and Jacob “Jake” Thorne about the social services plan and that Kayla had been living with Rob and they were running a benefit scam living in two flats at once. All the social service visits happened at Kayla’s flat and social services had no idea Rob was involved. Ryan’s was suffocated and had three cracked ribs and there was bruising on his back. They think Ron presses his full weight on Ryan. They matched marks on Ryan’s body to Rob’s ring. Whitley did give them an alibi but they think he had time to get back and kill Ryan. Ronnie is adamant this is murder.

At CPS, Jake and Alesha speak with Jimmy and his mother and Jake says he can’t guarantee a murder conviction but he will do his best to make sure Kayla and Jimmy both go to prison. Jimmy says journalists are banging his door down day and night to hear his story now, but no one wanted to help him in the last six months and now his son is dead. He should have kept him safe.

While walking down the street, Jake speaks with CPS Director Henry Sharpe (Peter Davison) about the case and Henry complains about an expensive trial. Jake does not want to drop the murder charge and Henry cautions him to make sure they don’t get bail.

Back at CPS, Jake and Alesha hear Kayla’s brief Yvette Dyer (Patricia Potter) explain that Kayla was also abused by her father and removed from the home, and she developed a narcissistic attitude about her son and viewed him as an extension of herself. She says Kayla’s norms are different. Jake comments that a history of abuse has no bearing on a fitness to plead. Yvette adds that Kayla may be sane but has severe learning difficulties and has the IQ of a 10 year old child. Jake replies that 10 is the age of criminal responsibility and says they are good to go. When Yvette gets up to leave, she asks Jake that he really does not remember her. He doesn’t seem to understand, and she adds that a phone number on the bedside table would have been nice.

Later, Alesha and Jake discuss with Henry what to do next.  He thinks these are the wrong defendants to get touchy-feely over. Alesha thinks they need to order their own psych evaluation to be one step ahead of defense and asks Jake - doesn’t he want to know why they killed Ryan? Jake thinks if they substitute psychology for morality their jobs become obsolete, adding if you deny they had a choice you deny they had responsibility and in this case no, he does not care why. All he cares about is convicting one of them for the murder of a child. Alesha reminds him if he pushes for a murder charge, they could lose and there isn’t enough evidence to prove which one of them killed Ryan. Henry agrees with Alesha. Jake gets notification that Whitely and Stark’s briefs have joined forces and they have applied for a fitness to plead hearing.

At Crown v Stark & Whitely fitness to plead hearing, the judge tells Gregor Browning (John Bowler) that Whitely is fit to plead but does have concerns about Kayla. Jake says they’ve tried 10 year old children for murder before without regard and the judge says he is not concerned with debating the age of criminal responsibility he wants to understand if Kayla understands what she is pleading to. Yvette makes her case for Kayla but Jake says that Kayla was capable of concocting a story that her child was abducted. The judge agrees with Jake and says the trial will proceed.

As Jake and Alesha walk outside in the rain, Jake thinks it will take 10 minutes before one of them caves, but Alesha thinks it’s 15 minutes if they have any self respect and it will be Yvette. She thinks Yvette cares about her client, and, as Yvette calls out to Jake and runs toward them, Alesha adds that Yvette fancies him. Yvette says Kayla will plead guilty for allowing the death of a child if Jake drops the murder charge and if he accepts the plea, she will give him Whitely gift wrapped.

At the CPS, Ronnie speaks with Jake about the plea for Kayla and Ronnie is upset, saying it is a matter of time before Whitely’s brief comes knocking at Jake’s door for the same deal. Ronnie thinks they could both get out in 5 years and asks Jake to tell him he thinks more of that boy’s life than that. Jake comments that Ronnie has been a copper long enough to know how the law works, but Ronnie retorts he’s been a copper long enough to hope that when he charges someone with murder they will be tried for murder. Jake gives Ronnie his word that with Kayla’s evidence he can try Whitely with murder and send him to prison for life.

At Crown v Whitely, Ronnie is on the stand, and Browning chips away at Kayla’s story and how Ronnie handled Kayla’s questioning. Ronnie must also admit that Whitely never said he was reasonable for Ryan’s death. Jake has Ronnie explain that Whitely, with the exception of one abusive remark, only would say “no comment” during questioning. Evidence had also suggested Kayla gave Ryan away and they thought be retracing her steps they could find new witnesses and they would find Ryan alive.

Later, with Kayla on the stand, she testifies that Rob went into Ryan’s room and she heard him shouting and then Ryan stopped crying. When she went to wake Ryan in the morning she knew he was dead and she got scared as Jimmy was to see him the next day. She panicked and pretended Ryan was abducted. She confirmed there is no doubt that Ryan was alive when Whitely entered the room and dead when he left it.

Under cross examination, Kayla says the social worker Bernice Bradley knew about the danger Whitely posed. Browning brings up the social workers questioning Ryan’s repeated injuries and Kayla said she covered it up to protect Ryan as she grew up in care and was afraid they would take Ryan away from her. She said the social workers wanted to get out of her house quickly and Bradley said Kayla’s house smelled. Kayla says Bradley came the week before and didn’t stay a minute and Ryan was asleep. She says Bradley did not see Ryan.

Afterwards, Alesha tells Jake that Gregor did good job making the social worker sound culpable. Jake says you can’t lay the blame on a bureaucratic system. Alesha comments that social service already sacked Bradley to save their own skin and Jake thinks Gregor is turning this into a witch hunt. Alesha believes if Gregor causes enough confusion the jury won’t know who to blame.

At Crown v Whitely, Bernice Bradley (Diveen Henry) is on the stand and she says Kayla hid what was going on and lied about where she was living. She said a week before Ryan died she sent Ryan’s case for review to consider care proceedings and says her written request was misfiled by a temp. She said she went there the night he died and there is no record of the visit as it was out of hours. She turned up at the address that was on the file and Kayla wasn’t there. A neighbor said where she was living and when she went there, she told Kayla she was issuing care proceedings.

Afterwards, at CPS, Jake gets Bernice to confirm her certainty of the events, it was her birthday and she spent the night writing reports. Stating she was living at Whitely’s. She posted it through the office door before she got her flight to Spain and it was added to the request for care proceedings but later misfiled. By the time it was found she had been summarily dismissed. She did everything in her power to protect Ryan. After Bernice leaves, Jake comments that Kayla lied about the last visit, omitting the night Bernice came by which was the night Ryan died. Jake wonders what else Kayla has been lying about, and he calls Ronnie and asks what Ronnie said to Kayla to get her to open up to him.

At Crown v Whitely, Jake is questioning Kayla. She is forced to admit that Bernice found out where she was living. He questions her about what happened the day Ryan went missing and she says he has it wrong. He presses on Bernice's visit and that she said Whitely was not home and went clubbing, and she claims Whitely killed Ryan before he went out. She says she was no lying but Jake counters that she was not telling the whole truth. He calmly questions her about going into Ryan’s room, and he brings up the abuse she suffered with the abuse from her father. She said she had to make it stop. Jake says that’s what moms do, to try and take away their child’s suffering. Jake asks for her to talk to him and to trust him. She says they were going to take Ryan into care, and crying, adds she got a pillow and put it on his face until he stopped moving. She just wanted him to be safe. She breaks down and says she is sorry.

Later, while Jake is standing on the street, Yvette approaches him and says Kayla is pleading guilty to the murder charge, she incriminated herself in open court. Jake says Henry will be thrilled he saved them the cost of another trial and they also got Whitely so it’s two for the price of one. Yvette comments that Jake doesn’t have to spar with her across the courtroom for he next few weeks. He says, “Blue tulip, left shoulder blade. Some things I don’t forget.” She smiles back at him and walks off. As he watches her walk away, he smiles and walks off.

In court, the judge sentences Kayla to life in prison with a minimum of 20 years. Whitely was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child, and is sentenced to a term of imprisonment for public protection with a minimum term of 8 years. Jake looks back at Ronnie who is seated in the courtroom and Ronnie gives a nod of approval.

As Jake walks down the street, Ronnie catches up with him and thanks him. Jake said they did the right thing. Ronnie agrees. Jake asks Ronnie if he fancies a pint, but Ronnie says he can’t, he’s seeing his daughter. Jake suggests another time. Jake walks off and Ronnie turns and also walks off, as we fade to black.


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