I'm pregnant.
-KATE: Half your age? -I know.
It won't end well.
He's got form, Niamh.
Trust me.
Billy... We're not sure how he fits in.
What are you saying, miss?
You want him out, Kate. It's a bit bigger than a clerking issue.
Never underestimate what I know, John.
I want you to have a future.
I can't go back inside.
I know.
Did you win?
-What did you get? -Do you want a lift or not?
(SIGHS)
-The rest of your aged debt. -All of it?
Yes.
Thank you.
Pleasure.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Eh, can I just drop off a brief and pick up some papers?
No.
-Ten minutes? -No.
CLIVE: Five?
Ah, all right.
Oh!
MARTHA: What was that? CLIVE: What?
MARTHA: With the porter.
-It was just charm. -(SCOFFS) Is that what it's called?
The thing is with charm is that it works,
but then there's the big question.
What's underneath it?
You all right?
-Noah. -Kate.
-What's this? -Return.
-From? -Me.
-Oh, it's a Bailey! -That all right?
I've got a robbery trial starting at Southwark on the same day.
Have you checked with Billy about this yet?
Billy was born in Southend.
You can think of it as quite near Norfolk.
I don't understand.
There's not many black people in East Anglia
and there's almost no Jews at all.
No. Billy? No way.
So ask yourself, why else don't you get the work?
-Well, uh... -You're 17 years core, Noah.
Now, I've checked with John, he's fine with about the Bailey return.
Old Street on Monday? I can offer you Noah Zeigler.
-What? -He's doing Miss Brockman's return.
Can I call you back?
What, suddenly you don't come through me any more?
That was some crappy solicitor offering some crappy work,
but that could have been anyone on the phone.
How do I look, John? Do I want to look like an idiot?
I know everything or we'll die in here.
Sometimes you're not around.
Boys.
BILLY: Hello, sir. CLIVE: Sir.
-What? -You never call me "sir".
What is this, some kind of victim thing here?
Why would you say that?
Well, you're sounding a little bit paranoid.
NOAH: You mean I'm sounding a little bit Jewish?
You are Jewish.
I'm just going to ask you this, okay?
What do you think of the Jews?
Second favourite race of all time.
-(PHONE RINGING) -Excuse me.
Hello?
Have you got any more details of the victim?
Bloody hell! Okay. Thanks.
-Billy? -Mark Draper.
-What about him? -He's just been arrested.
It's not for cottaging this time, miss. It's for murder.
-What do we know? -Not much yet.
Why not?
Just arrested, miss.
Okay, well... I'll do the first appearance in the morning.
Doesn't look good, you knocking about the Magistrates Court
when you're applying for silk.
Well, you know what? Looking good really doesn't matter.
-You're con's here, miss. -What con?
-Have I got a con? -Misconduct hearing,
you're listed 2:00 pm tomorrow, Urquhart House.
(GROANS)
A police officer?
I spend my life cross-examining lying police officers.
-How is this a good idea? -Asked for you, apparently.
-What sort of misconduct? -It's a race thing, miss.
A racist police officer, is that what you're giving me?
Great. Just gr...
Would you like to come through to my room?
Send somebody proper for Mark Draper.
Scalextric. It's the best game we had when we was kids.
But what always happened
was when you accelerated, one of the cars went berserk
and flew off the first corner.
That is Martha right now. She is that car.
Why?
What do you think, Jake? Hmm?
What do you think can happen to make a Doris fly off the corners?
She's pregnant?
(CLEARS THROAT)
You do not know this, all right?
It is more than your life is worth.
So, she does the racist copper
because there's no chance of winning,
so she can sit down for four days.
We got to look after her, Jake, these next few months.
We've got to keep her quiet.
But she cannot know that we're doing that.
Did you say it?
Yes.
-It was directed at a colleague? -Yes.
And it was in the middle of a public order situation
on a Saturday afternoon?
I was in a van with other officers.
And PC Johnson.
And you called PC Johnson a "lazy nigger".
Why would you say a thing like that?
He was slow in getting out of the van.
-So we're pleading guilty? -I don't want to.
I don't feel guilty.
So what's the defence?
I've worked very, very hard to get where I've got.
And I don't want to lose it all.
A racist who works hard is still a racist.
What's the defence?
-Ready? -Yeah.
Harry, can I call you back?
-Promised her half an hour. -Half an hour of what?
I think the junior end could do with some TLC.
Do you?
-Is that your idea, John? -Yeah.
-And since when do you have ideas? -(SCOFFS)
All right, get on with your work.
KATE: He got all my aged debt in, he's here all day, every day,
and he doesn't lie to you.
What Billy does is invisible.
-He works solicitors. -(SCOFFS)
He does things that we don't see and probably don't even want to see.
He drinks and spends money.
And we all think because he's all out there, drinking and spending money,
it must mean that he is working on our behalf.
He's not. He's drinking and spending money.
I don't know, Kate.
We're the grown-ups. We employ him, not the other way round.
Come for a drink.
You know where we are.
It was a joke.
What kind of joke?
Police canteen in the 1970s kind of joke?
It wasn't intended to be abusive.
First trial I ever did, Marylebone Magistrates Court,
2 p.m., Friday the 15th of May, 1995.
Dangerous driving.
Smacked into a lamppost, just missing a pram with a baby in it.
The defence was, "I wasn't driving, it was my wife.
"And then she walked away,
"leaving the scene and me in the car, in the front seat with my seatbelt on."
It was my first day in court and I got six months.
Why are you telling me this?
Because it was the worst defence I've ever run in my life,
until now.
Can you give me a moment?
-Where's Billy? -Uh, I don't know.
You're asking me to do a remand in the youth court?
-It's Miss Costello's rent boy. -Yeah.
Silk interviews are just around the corner,
Billy, what if someone sees me?
-Exactly. -What?
Quite nice for the client to meet you now
in case Miss Costello isn't available to do the trial.
High-profile murder, out at the Old Bailey,
around the time decisions about silk are being made.
Why wouldn't she be available?
Well, you know, things happen.
Don't they, sir? You know how it goes.
What kind of high-profile?
Ah!
Sorry. Left these in here.
You don't smoke, do you?
-Uh, Mark Draper. -Oh, you're doing that tomorrow?
-What are they saying? -Not clear. I haven't got much.
He's vulnerable, Clive.
He's had a wretched life, this boy.
Well, this is a two-minute remand,
so the social work can wait until he gets back to you.
Mark Draper is the reason that I do this job.
He's had a terrible life and it keeps getting worse.
And now it has just blown up.
And it is him who is on trial
when it should be all the people who have abused him and let him down
and made his life so completely hopeless.
He's a child and children need looking after.
And I will not apologise for it.
You're not going to thank me for covering for you
in the Youth Court for £2.50?
I'm getting out of this police thing. He needs me.
Okay, some advice.
Having a barrister at these tribunals basically works against you.
Senior police officers acting as judge and jury.
-Hmm? -They're brought up
to distrust defence counsel.
So anything I do they'll hate me for, and that rubs off on you.
What are you saying?
Represent yourself.
Plead guilty, tell them how sorry you are,
throw yourself in their mercy.
-It's your best chance. -The MET needs women.
The police station where I work needs women.
You know what it's like.
I want you to fight for me, please.
You knew that score on this kind of thing.
Racism on this level and you're out.
No questions, end of career.
-I saw you in court two years ago. -Did you?
And I thought if I was ever in trouble, that's who I'd want.
You haven't given me a defence to run,
so there is no point of me being there, is there?
It was my way of sending racism up.
What do you mean?
To sound racist and mean the opposite.
What I said, it's saying, "This is so racist it isn't."
It's undermining racism.
Okay. We can try running that.
But I have to be honest with you,
you've only the smallest hope of winning.
Can we get PC Johnson to corroborate what you're saying?
I don't know what he'd say.
(SIGHS)
Her police station,
find out about its background history and anything ugly.
And anything there is on the complainant officer.
Shouldn't their solicitors do that?
They get too much police work
and rocking the boat isn't in their interest.
What's the matter, Nick? You don't like police stations?
KATE: Clive.
-Great. What are you having? -Red wine, please.
Hello, and a glass of red...
(PHONE RINGING)
-BILLY: Hello? -Billy.
What's going on, Jake?
-He's with them. -Okay.
(EXHALES)
-PS Sorby? -He doesn't work at this police station.
-You sure? -Who are you?
Martha Costello's pupil.
She's doing the Rachna Ali hearing.
OFFICER: Well, you go tell Miss Costello
that sending her boy to speak to witnesses for the other side is not on.
Yeah, there's, um...
There's no property in a witness.
Don't get all law school with me, son.
Or?
Or I'll have you nicked for wasting police time.
Hey.
-Sorby. -What about him?
He's the only one in that van that would have done that.
You wouldn't get anyone here grassing her up.
What, you mean you'd protect a racist?
It's not as simple as that.
Why is Clive Reader doing the Mark Draper murder case?
He's Martha Costello's client.
Ah, well, officially, Miss Costello is not free.
-Unofficially, Billy said that... -What did Billy say?
Um...
-Jake? -What did Billy say?
MARTHA: Jake?
Hmm? No, nothing, miss.
-What did he say? -He, uh, he said that...
you, uh...
needed a rest.
Don't you ever, ever say that again!
NICK: Hello, pupil mistress.
The complainant officer doesn't work at that police station.
-Where are you off to? -I'm going to Newham Youth Court.
I thought you were doing the police one.
2:00. I'm doing them both.
You angry about something?
I'm pregnant.
-Where's Martha? -Doing another case for more money.
I brought you these.
-I don't smoke. -But they're currency inside.
Well, what about bail?
The thing about me, Mark, is that I'm always straight with people.
I'm afraid there's no point in applying, you won't get it.
-She got me bail. -That was cottaging.
This is an extremely high-profile murder.
Are you a batty boy?
-What's your name? -What's it to you?
I'm much, much too good to be anywhere near a court like this,
so it's your lucky day
because I'm going to give you some advice. Charge sheet.
(CLIVE SIGHS)
If I hear, Benjamin Samways,
that my client is having a bad time inside
because of his sexual orientation,
I shall personally make sure
that the whole world knows that you're a nonce.
-What? I'm not a nonce. -Oh, I thought you were.
Let's just check, shall we?
-(KNOCKING ON DOOR) -What are you doing?
-One question, um, this one here... -No!
No?
(SIGHS) Please.
Sorry. All sorted in here now.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Thank you.
May I have your bag, please?
Okay.
-I'm here now. -Hello, Martha.
For Mark Draper.
-Well. -Well, what?
-He's my client, I know his history. -Mr Reader.
I know Mark.
Bit embarrassing, scrapping over a remand.
-You going to make a bail application? -Yes.
You know the victim's a judge.
We believe that Mark Draper should not be granted bail.
This is a vicious murder,
His Honour Judge Guthrie
was an enormously well-respected member of the judiciary.
The Crown object to bail on every ground.
The strongest objection is that the seriousness of the offence
means there's a real likelihood he'll abscond.
The seriousness of the offence argument is basically lazy.
It's a catch-all fall-back objection to bail.
It's serious, he'll run away. And it relies on the bench
being too timid to look beyond it.
The defendant was on bail for his last trial,
all the way through, and I know this, because I was representing him.
He came to court every day, always on time...
And really quite soon afterwards he was arrested again.
At his trial, he was found not guilty.
So, I think what my friend is actually saying
is that he was arrested quite soon after something that he didn't do.
Were there conditions attached?
-Yes. -What were they?
Residence and a curfew.
Did he keep to the curfew?
No.
(SIGHS)
NICK: Um...
-Dog case. -Yes, sir.
How much will I get?
Half day summary trial...
Sixty quid.
Involving class examination of expert witnesses?
One very expert witness.
Sixty-five.
(SOFTLY) Right.
(CLEARS THROAT)
-Can I borrow some money? -Uh, sure. How much?
Fourteen...grand.
That bad, huh?
Do you want to go and get coffee? I'll pay.
I've got stuff to do for Martha.
So, I'll help.
Um, Rachna Ali.
Look into the police station she works out of.
-The history of it. -Okay.
Bad luck.
Collin Guthrie. I mean, can you believe it?
Well, this... This is a very big deal.
Did you appear in front of him?
Once or twice. Total bastard, of course.
He was always quite nice to me. Old Harrovian.
Look, I've got to go.
Oh, don't worry. I'll pop downstairs and do the after-care.
-You were right about bail. -Yeah.
Sometimes it's premature to make a bail app
at a first appearance when you don't know enough.
And there's a risk of disclosing what you're thinking to the other side.
Did she do that?
(CLIVE SIGHS)
I think you got away with it.
Oh, um...
It's up to you who represents you at trial.
All right? Don't get pushed around by the solicitor or anyone else.
It's crucial you get the barrister that you want.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
You know, the surprising thing about murder trials is that
they are over very quickly.
And if it goes against you, your life is over.
(DOOR OPENING, KEYS JANGLING)
There you go, Keith.
Thank you.
So, go on, then.
Well, delivery of three nothing returns,
you don't send your baby clerk to do it, you ask for me personally.
Senior clerk to senior clerk, cutting out the bullshit.
What's going on?
One of my boys has gone restless on me.
Why are you telling me?
Ah!
-What are you doing? -Something for Martha.
-Why? -What does that mean?
Martha will support Nick at the tenancy meeting.
So?
So, it's a waste of time doing any work for her.
If you want to impress anyone, you're better off impressing Kate.
It's not about impressing anyone. It's about interesting work.
You're right.
You can afford to relax anyway, with your pedigree.
(DOOR CLOSES)
So, you're for the accused officer, Miss Costello.
And you're for us, Mr Roundtree.
Sorry, can I just... Is that the right term,
"for us"?
How does that sound?
This is a closed hearing, there's no one else here,
so we allow ourselves a degree of informality.
You can sit down to address us.
I'm just a bit concerned how my client might feel
when you call prosecuting counsel "one of us".
It's not exactly what I said.
And it's presenting counsel, not prosecuting counsel.
Justice has to be seen to be done
as well as done, doesn't it?
I think you can assume we know that.
Why don't you sit down?
We find that sitting down lowers the temperature.
Fine. Good.
Could you excuse me a moment?
(RETCHING)
She's...pregnant.
That's why she's, um...
Overexcited?
Yeah.
Miss Costello, would you like a glass of water?
MARTHA: Why would I want a glass of water?
I'd just got out of the van when she said it.
And how did it make you feel?
I can't tell you how shocked I was to hear it. I mean...
That word, of all words, and for a police officer.
You don't know the defendant.
No, not really.
You'd never met before the day of this incident?
No.
MARTHA: And you don't know the police officer
the words were directed at, PC Johnson.
No.
That's because you don't work at the same police station.
I was on an a secondment.
MARTHA: So when you made the complaint,
you had no idea about their relationship.
You're judging her solely on what you heard her say.
I think the words speaks for themselves, don't you?
(SIGHS)
Why did you say that?
(SIGHS) Why not?
Because I will not be defined by the fact that I'm pregnant.
It's the way you're behaving.
What do you mean?
It's...
It's not in the best interests of our client
for you to fall out with the three people trying her
in the first five minutes of the hearing.
Which was exactly what you were doing in there.
There's fearlessness in standing up to people,
and then there's just pigheadedness.
I'm sorry but...
-(CHUCKLES) -What?
Not many pupils would have the balls to say something like that.
Martha, hi. Hi.
The police station, I found something.
MARTHA: You've worked with the accused officer for a long time.
Since she started.
And how long have you been at the police station she worked at?
Twenty years.
So you were there in 2001 when John Mogoger died in police custody
in one of your cells?
There was an enquiry and no prosecutions.
Relevance, Miss Costello?
John Mogoger was black.
Yes, I can't see how that helps your case.
We've got nothing to hide, sir.
You see, that's my point.
-OFFICER: What do you mean? -And since John Mogoger,
race became the biggest single issue at your police station.
Fair enough.
Anything that could be considered racist was clamped down on.
-Yes. -MARTHA: However trifling.
There's nothing remotely trifling about what Rachna Ali said.
Exactly!
And yet none of the other officers from her own station reported it.
So, what you're saying is that
what PS Ali said could not, therefore, be racist?
Well, what I'm saying is... It's complicated.
Very well. Point taken, Miss Costello.
Can we move on?
PC Johnson, the victim of the racial abuse is not present,
and his statement can be read.
Uh, sorry, I...
I haven't agreed to this.
You don't dispute that your client said what she's alleged to have said?
No.
Then what possible difference does it make
whether the victim is here in person or is read?
My memory from the last hearing
is that your client didn't want PC Johnson to attend.
Can I have a moment, please?
(WHISPERING) You didn't tell me you weren't planning to have him called.
As a lawyer,
I have to be allowed to look and see that justice is being done.
You have to let me do this.
I have been instructed to get PC Johnson to attend.
You want us to adjourn overnight to get him here?
In the interest of justice, yes.
As long as it's not in the interest of a defence fishing expedition.
Is that a question?
Because it's really not what I do,
talk about justice and mean something else.
Very well.
MARTHA: Do you want me to go easy on him
because he's a black police officer?
About a year ago, there was a big fight on one of the estates.
He was beaten up badly and it might have been worse
if another unit hadn't arrived so quickly.
It was a white-black gang fight.
The black gang members couldn't believe that a black officer was arresting them
and not the white gang.
-He took it very hard. -Yeah, I can see that he would.
It's difficult enough as it is on the streets
being the non-white police officer...
What, without having the pressure of giving evidence
at your misconduct hearing.
Sorry. Is that what you're saying?
-You were in the Youth Court today. -How did you know that?
-We've been watching you. -Why?
We can offer you heavier, classier work all round, Mr Reader.
-In a heavier, classier set. -You're headhunting me?
Now, I'd want to block out your year in advance.
Three months fraud, murder.
Five weeks summer holiday, some sex, more fraud.
Sounds like a silk's practice.
Well, six of the last 12 judges you've appeared in front of
are former members of chambers.
We got three out of three last time around.
Your silk application is unlikely to fail.
(CHUCKLES)
This is, uh, out of the blue.
Has to be.
When we find someone we want, we move very quickly.
I need to know, sir. I've done this before
and in this situation a barrister's whole career is on the line
during the time it takes to make his choice.
If a set he's thinking of leaving find out, well, he's out the door.
If that happens, then you, sir, don't want to be there
because of the bad smell.
Three words above all others at the criminal bar.
Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty.
You go into loyalty limbo and you're risking everything.
-So, decide. Quick. -I've got a pupil.
And she'll be compromised if she doesn't move with you.
Which wouldn't be fair on someone so important to your happiness.
You can bring Miss Cranitch with you. We like her, too.
(CHUCKLES) How do you know about Niamh?
Just doing my job properly.
How long have I got?
-You probably need a pee, don't you? -What?
Go for a pee, wash your hands,
take a look in the mirror, come back, give me your answer.
You know, one of the things we like so much about you, Mr Reader,
is your ability to think on your feet.
Niamh, Clive. Listen very carefully.
-I've got you a tenancy. -Yeah, yeah.
No, no, no. Listen, listen.
With me, another set.
--Oh, God. -But I need an answer now.
(WHISPERING) Well, I can't.
I would have to think about it. I mean, for God's sake.
No, no, no, it has to be now. The whole thing could just collapse.
Uh, meet me in five minutes.
-Where? -Fountain Court.
Okay.
I need a bit longer.
One hour. I'm not moving.
Clive's just offered me a tenancy somewhere else.
What, do you mean that he's...
He's leaving.
-What do you mean he's leaving? -He's jumping ship.
-What, he wants you to go with him? -Yeah.
NICK: Well...
It's...
God. What are you going to do?
But it would leave it wide open for you here, wouldn't it?
Yeah, I guess so.
-In a way, you don't have a choice. -Why not?
You'd be tainted if you stayed.
(EXHALES) It's awful, but um...
When somebody jumps ship, chambers never forgets.
You'll be like a memory of me.
(SIGHS)
I love Shoe Lane.
Believe me, I wouldn't even be thinking about doing this, to go anywhere else,
but this is it.
Your father would be very happy.
This is the oldest, best criminal set in London.
No argument.
(EXHALES)
Billy.
(SIGHS)
My dad was a clerk.
Lovely old Chancery set in Lincoln's Inn.
He got me into clerking when I left school.
Friend of a friend.
I...
Didn't know it at the time, but my old man was ill.
Bowel cancer.
Came into chambers the afternoon he died.
Just got on with it.
It's what he would have wanted.
And for an hour I felt more alone than I've ever felt.
Then it was 5:00, and you lot all came in from court.
And I watched you come in and I knew
that this is my family.
There's something you want to tell me, sir?
You broke my heart.
(SIGHS)
It... It was...
You were going to say yes to him.
Am I finished, in chambers?
Tomorrow night we'll talk.
I'll come and find you and we'll talk.
(SIGHS)
Did you tell anyone?
Oh, Jesus Christ, Niamh. Who?
Nick?
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
A drink, Clive?
This isn't a good moment, I... I've already been for a drink.
I think you should come for another.
-So, how long have you known? -Couple of weeks.
-(SIGHS) Fuck me, Martha. -I did.
Oh, God.
Oh, God, no. I mean, that's...
Uh, when are you... When are you going to...
-What? -You know.
-What? -What do you call it now?
-Termination. -Yes.
Is money... I mean, do you want me to...
The private hospital that did my knee was excellent.
I'm keeping the baby.
I just thought you should know. It's your right as the father.
I don't want anything from you.
You're keeping it?
No, I mean, I just, I...
I just assumed with work and how much it means...
You know, your... I mean, your work is your life.
So, I just... I mean, I just presumed...
-It's gone. -Sorry?
Your charm.
(SIGHS)
(EXHALES)
(DIALLING)
(MOBILE RINGING)
Hello?
Martha?
So, Nottingham.
Well, it only happened the once, Clive. So, it'd have to be, wouldn't it?
-We were brilliant, weren't we? -Sex or the trial?
(CHUCKLES) Well...
As far as one-night-stands goes...
It feels like a good start for him. Or her.
I mean, coming off the back of that kind of triumph, really.
Sorry. I'm rambling and stupid. Um...
What I'm trying to say is
you can count on me, Martha.
Whatever you want by way of support for this baby, you'll get it from me.
-Does Billy know? -Yes.
Not who the father is.
I'm sure Billy thinks you're better than me, in court.
Maybe he's right.
I'm good at this job, Martha.
I haven't come across any one of our call who's better
but you've got that extra thing.
I can act it, and I can get a jury to believe it.
But the real thing...
You can't match Martha Costello for passion.
-Does he take sugar? -What?
The real Clive Reader.
Yeah. One, please.
What's your police misconduct about?
I'm a fast-track woman who says something unspeakable
to a colleague in public.
On balance of probabilities post-Macpherson,
I'd say you might be in trouble.
-Hmm. -Who's the panel?
Oh...
It's Superintendent Hague and...
-somebody Carothers? -Alan Carothers?
Do you know him?
Yeah, for about three months he read me my bedtime story.
What do you mean?
A tape. I'll get it for you, you'll love it.
I never got to use it because they offered no evidence against my client.
It was this Nigerian guy.
It was the most frustrating "not guilty" I've ever had.
-When can you get it for me? -I'll have to chase up the solicitor.
Tomorrow night?
The thing about misconduct hearings is they make it all informal,
so that they can control everything and get the result they want, you know.
Fewer rules, more discretion, nobody gets off.
I've noticed.
Do I have to say it?
ROUNDTREE: I'm afraid so.
She called me a lazy nigger.
Did she do or say anything else?
She...
She laughed.
-She laughed? -Yes.
Do you want to be here today?
-No. -Why not?
I don't like seeing a fellow officer in the dock.
What, even one that called you what she called you?
-Have you known the accused a long time? -Five years.
Is it right that the accused was incredibly supportive
when you were beaten up last year by a gang of youths?
Yes.
Beyond what you'd expect from a colleague?
Yes.
And the laughter, that's not in your statement.
Maybe he didn't want to make things worse for the accused.
What kind of laugh was it? Was it callous? Mean?
No.
-Did you report what she said? -No.
Why not? Is it because you weren't offended by it?
How could he fail to be offended?
-Who reported it? -Someone else.
So, not any of the others from your police station?
-No. -So, are they all tolerant of racism?
Would they let that kind of remark go?
-No, no. Of course not. -Of course not.
Because this police station is anti-racist.
This police station wants to stamp out racism.
But this police station didn't report this.
Why?
I want you to give evidence
because you're going to lose the job you love if you don't!
There's something you're not saying, isn't there?
I don't want to take him down with me.
Who? Johnson?
If you do it, I can save you.
Trust me.
Why did you say what you said on that day in the police van?
-It was the same estate. -MARTHA: As where?
He was beaten up a year ago by a gang of youths.
-MARTHA: Badly? -Three weeks in hospital.
So, when he found himself back there,
same estate, same sort of situation,
he didn't look happy getting out of the van.
MARTHA: So, what did you do?
I made the biggest mistake of my life.
I tried to help him by saying what I'd said
to make a joke, to give him confidence.
Why didn't you say anything of this
when the complaint was first made against you?
You're never going to get these people to understand it.
-I've said enough. -Have you?
I think there's something you haven't said.
-It was reciprocated. -MARTHA: Go on.
-PC Johnson used to call me a name. -What name?
-I'm not going to say. -Why not?
It was in the same spirit. No offence meant or taken.
But they're not going to see that, are they?
What would be the point in him losing his job, too?
You're protecting him.
(SIGHS) If the accused won't say what was said,
it's unlikely we'll believe it's true.
I want you to do this.
I think you care very deeply about the police force
and what they could become.
It's now or never, Rachna.
Prince Harry.
He called somebody "my little Paki friend".
PC Johnson picked it up and he used to say it to me.
A two-way joke between us.
(SIGHING) I'm sorry.
Why are you sorry?
Because I... I don't want him to lose his career.
-Why not? -Because he's not a racist.
Are you?
No.
OFFICER: Incriminating another officer won't help your client, Miss Costello.
Here you are, miss.
-You are at the Crown. -Thank you.
-Sir, you're at Hammersmith Mags. -Thanks.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
(SIGHS)
-Tape. -Yeah.
Sir, Billy will be with you in a sec.
-What's all that about? -Ah. It's just Billy stuff, you know.
Two things. First, the medal.
-How'd you know about that? -You won't get this, Billy,
being a clerk and not a lawyer,
but it seems to me that you're conspiring
to pervert the course of justice.
You wouldn't go with that. Empty threat?
Now, what's the second thing?
New life.
You what?
I'm going to be a father.
(LAUGHS) Who's the...
It's... Well, it's changed me, to be honest.
I want to give Martha stability.
You know, money, shared responsibility. I mean, I...
(SIGHS)
I respect that woman so much.
And the last thing she needs at this pivotal moment in her life
is the father of her child being kicked out of chambers.
So, what do you want?
I want to stay.
And I don't want anyone to know I tried to leave.
And what are you going to give me?
I will drop the move against you.
And Martha's baby will have a caring, responsible father.
-I need more from you, sir. -What?
Well, I can't give you any...more.
I think you can.
I want you on the inside of this coup, working for me,
feeding me everything I need to know.
I want you to be my mole.
-How's the knee, sir? -Oh, it's fine, it...
Does this hurt?
If you ever try this again, I will finish you.
I will not let chambers break up, do you understand me, sir?
Good boy. Sir.
(GROANING)
(DOOR CLOSING)
(EXHALES)
(SOBBING)
-What's the matter? -Oh.
No, it's stupid. Sorry.
What?
This baby, it's...
a huge thing, isn't it?
If you're not in court tomorrow, will you do something for me?
Absolutely.
(DOOR OPENS)
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
-Bright and early, Miss Costello. -I need to talk to you.
Is that appropriate?
-"Appropriate." Now, there's a word. -(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
(CLEARS THROAT)
(PLAYS TAPE)
(CHATTERING ON TAPE)
Excuse me.
What is this?
(LAUGHTER ON TAPE)
-OFFICER: If they're Nigerian, nick 'em.
Just nick the bastards, 99 times out of 100 something will stick.
The most dishonest people on Earth.
(MEN LAUGHING ON TAPE)
Germany win at football, Italians run away
and every last blackie Lagos is a scam merchant.
-(TURNS OFF TAPE) -Remember?
This is no good to you. This isn't evidence.
You can't even tell who it is on the tape.
Which is why I'm not going to try.
-So, what are you going to do? -Rules of natural justice.
I wanted you to hear first what the Daily Mirror is about to receive.
-You wouldn't dare! -Why don't you ask him
how far I'm prepared to go to get a just result?
Sex?
-I've got a speech to make. -Not a complete no, then.
It's 17 years since Stephen Lawrence was murdered.
And 12 since the Macpherson report labelled this organisation
institutionally racist.
See, I think we've reached a critical point in the history of the MET.
And why?
Because Rachna Ali and PC Johnson were trying to laugh at racism.
Lampooning racism isn't racism.
It's the strongest possible weapon against it.
See, and their colleagues at the police station understood that.
But when an outside officer heard what he heard and complained about it,
they got frightened. I mean, of course they did.
And they reverted to knee-jerk correctness.
Regardless of meaning, regardless of motive.
In line with policy,
in line with what people at the top are saying.
People like you.
See, nobody will criticise you
if you keep using a big sledgehammer to crack down on racism,
and, in fact, you'll probably get applauded for it.
But it won't be fair on this woman.
It won't be just or morally right.
If you're brave enough to find Rachna Ali not guilty,
you will be doing a huge service to the police force
she has been so proud to represent.
You will be saying, "We are no longer defined by a our racist history."
You will be saying, "We are no longer afraid of our past."
(SIGHS)
Verdict in the morning. Thank you.
-KATE: Please don't tell Noah I said this.
He's under huge pressure at home
because four out of the five kids are ill.
He wants to return the case at the Bailey,
but doesn't feel he can without letting chambers down.
He really should, though. I mean, for the sake of his marriage, actually.
I'll deal with it.
(PHONE RINGING)
Mr Zeigler, sir.
Have you given any thought to what we were talking about?
I believe in tipping points.
I think if Martha came over to us,
I mean, people saw that she was moving against Billy.
She's got so much integrity, it would...
NOAH: Billy, I need to talk to you now.
It would say everything we need to say. The rest of chambers would follow.
NOAH: You've taken me off the Bailey case.
-This is unforgivable! -BILLY: I know, sir, I'm sorry.
Back to being opponents.
Don't take this the wrong way, um...
but if I was chambers I'd take you ahead of me.
What would be the wrong way to take a comment like that, Nick?
Well, you fit in.
Which you might not think is completely a compliment but...
I mean, the bar is made for you.
Daddy the judge and all that.
-You've got a... -What?
Oh, just a chip.
What?
You know, because of my father, because of my background,
everybody thinks I'm going to make it, which is bloody hard, actually.
If you were chambers, who would you take?
Me. (LAUGHS)
(BOTH LAUGHING)
We find the accused officer guilty.
But we have decided not to dismiss the accused
or to ask her to resign.
She will be cautioned.
We're confident she can look forward to a long and successful career.
Good morning.
Thank you.
So, you wouldn't have any objection if I started talking to Martha?
(DOOR CLOSES)
Okay.
-She's going off to Martha. -I want to know.
(MOBILE RINGING)
-Martha! -We won. Yeah, we won it.
Fantastic. That's great news.
Oh, by the way, Kate's looking for you.
You need a good prosecution under your belt before this interview.
Been a long time since we were against each other.
Big kudos for us acting for both sides.
His face was just a mass of blood.
Did you intend to kill him?
It's just not me, prosecution.
-You actually hacked into his computer? -Thousands unaccounted for.
MARTHA: You want me in your gang when you kick Billy out of the door.
If I was prosecuting this case, I'd cut a deal.
And if I was defending, Tony Paddick would walk.