Showtrial (2021) s01e04 Episode Script

It was just an accident.
Charge him.
- With?
- Murder.
What about her?
We've got enough.
We'll get more.
He's cutting your throat.
It's not uncommon
this kind of defence.
And this is not the first complaint
made against Dhillon as it goes.
- It was the first.
- Some girl called Lucinda Bright.
Case was heard by a panel chaired by
a geezer called Stephen Vendler,
who also happens to be an old pal
of the Harwoods.
You have to shift the focus
onto Vendler's affair with Talitha.
The eagle has landed.
They're all calling me Lady Tease.
So she was sleeping with Vendler.
I told Talitha that Hannah had
complained to me
about Dhillon Harwood.
Talitha is a liar. She'll say
or do anything to get attention.
If you're going to be put on
show to a bunch of pervy men,
you may as well get paid for it.
Your mother put you on show?
This is a moment where Dhillon
has the scarf in his possession.
Stick it with the rest of the
The police don't like you.
You need to tell me anything
that can help your defence.
And we don't have to show exactly
what happened in the room,
but they both went there, and a few
hours later, Hannah is in the river.
Yes, and we're not going to let
Dhillon's defence say it was only
Talitha, because who the hell
doesn't notice that a girl
is being strangled to death?
Get in!
Is it a match?
The micro fragment from Talitha's
bracelet matches the rucksack.
That's it. We got her.
Dhillon Harwood and Tabitha Campbell
arrived at court this morning,
escorted by police
from their respective prisons,
where they're currently held
Considerable interest given the
backgrounds of both defendants
and protests
There have been reports
of traffic chaos in Bristol today
as campaigners
surrounded the Central Crown Court.
Delays are expected
The much anticipated trial of
Talitha Campbell and Dillon Harwood.
Both defendants entered not guilty
pleas to the charge of murder
- earlier this year.
- Speculation about his daughter,
the so-called Lady Tease,
the Crown Prosecution
Service reminds all concerned
An inquiry into leaks to the media
has today been launched,
amidst claims that the ensuing
social media speculation
may have compromised
The murder of Hannah Ellis in June
this year has continued
to draw interest.
Now, the jury will hear the evidence
that led to two establishment
figures charged with murder.
Dhillon Harwood and Talitha Campbell
attended the university summer ball
together on the night
of Hannah's murder.
Later, you, the jury, will hear
about an argument at the ball
about Hannah's threats
to call the police
and her subsequent distress.
The threats before the ball
and the argument at the ball give us
a vital clue as to the motives
of the defendants,
which revolved around the complaints
made against Dhillon Harwood.
We know that Dhillon Harwood
and Talitha Campbell left the ball
some time after Hannah
had finished her shift.
Dhillon Harwood does not deny
that they formed the intent
to visit her and indeed did so,
but claims her death was an accident
in which he played no part.
This can be rejected for the
cynical falsehood it so plainly is.
We do not know what they really
discussed on their fateful journey
to the house or when they formed
the intent to assault and kill her.
We DO know that they had consumed
a lot of illegal drugs
and that not more than an hour after
Talitha Campbell and Dhillon Harwood
entered her room, Hannah
was strangled with the scarf worn
by Talitha Campbell
to the ball that night.
And then her body was disposed
of with cruel indifference.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
that is the case which the Crown
will prove to you. It can leave no
doubt in your mind that both
Dhillon Harwood and Talitha Campbell
are guilty of the cruel murder
of a young woman with everything
to look forward to in life.
Thank you, Mr Reynolds.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
you have now heard the opening
speech for the prosecution.
Both defence teams have indicated
that they also wish to make
an opening speech.
Miss Hemmings is representing
Talitha Campbell and Miss Barie
is representing Dhillon Harwood.
Dhillon did not send
threatening texts.
It was not HIS scarf
that caused Hannah's death.
Dhillon Harwood accepts
that he was there.
But blames Talitha
for the actual death.
He is guilty of terrible judgment
and of being unduly influenced.
He is not guilty of murder.
He and his defence will do
everything to attack the character
of my client.
But it's not Talitha's character
that is on trial here.
The dysfunction
and unequal friendship
fully explain why he colluded with
her disastrous decisions
on that tragic night.
The only thing
you have to ask yourself at the end
of this trial is this.
Do you have any doubt?
I am sure that after
we have reviewed all of the evidence,
you will have a great deal of doubt
as to the guilt of Talitha Campbell.
And if you do
..you must acquit her.
Damian Campbell, the controversial
property magnate at the end
of the first day of the trial
of his daughter Talitha.
He's in court with her legal team.
Much of the first day has been
taken up by legal arguments
and the opening statements
for the prosecution
and both defendants.
Dhillon Harwood has already pleaded
guilty to the lesser charge
of preventing a lawful burial and
perverting the course of justice,
but he denies murder.
Meanwhile, Talitha Campbell denies
all the charges against her.
What can I expect if I'm only
sentenced
to the unlawful burial charge?
Maximum is still life,
but it can be as low as a fine.
Average, five to eight years, so
There's also perverting
the course of justice, remember.
I deserve punishment
for all of that.
That's not the important thing.
What's the important thing?
The truth, Mum.
I don't mind what I'm known for,
being on the spectrum,
being an idiot,
being Talitha's Chihuahua.
That's what they used to call me
in school. But not a murderer.
OK, can we talk a little
about Lucinda Bright?
Yeah. She's completely nuts.
Anybody will tell you.
God, I wish I'd never even heard
her name.
It'll be OK, sweetheart.
Just try and stay calm
and tell the truth.
That's all you can do.
Mrs Campbell wasn't in court.
She couldn't face it.
It's for the best, really.
I don't think her presence
would have been a big comfort to Tali.
Has it ever been?
Is this relevant to anything?
I don't know.
Is it?
Well, I'm no lawyer, but my hunch
would be that providing
an explanation of their new forensic
evidence would be higher
on your to-do list than raking
through my wife's parenting skills.
- Got it.
- Good.
Oh, surf's up.
Is this DI Cassidy in the morning?
I know, I'll be handling that.
Well,
I thought solicitors didn't speak
Solicitor advocate.
I'll do some cross-examination
of police witnesses, and I know
Paula Cassidy well.
- What about Talitha?
- That'll obviously be my silk, but
nothing's decided on that anyway.
You're going to put her in the box,
though.
It's still all under discussion.
There are some issues.
There's only one issue.
This is a show trial.
It won't be decided on the evidence,
but on her and on us, and on
- ..this.
- By the media, sure.
But the jury decide.
Well, if 99% of humanity
is anything to go by,
the jury will absolutely hate her.
I don't hate her.
I know.
You need to push her
on that rucksack fragment
they found on the bracelet.
Or she's in big trouble.
Talking to her in the morning.
I bet they planted it.
I bet it was that Cassidy,
that stupid, ugly, evil bitch.
Hey, stop. Stop it.
How else could a fragment
from Hannah's rucksack have gotten
snagged on your bracelet?
Oh, what, I can talk now?
I haven't got a clue.
Then try and wrack your brains
because it might make a significant
difference to the rest of your life.
- I made you cross.
- You often make me cross, Talitha.
And think hard because I am
really not messing around here.
Everything depends on this.
This is the only piece of forensic
evidence that directly ties
you to the murder scene.
Wait.
She lent it to me once
to go to Paris.
- Did she?
- Course she fucking didn't!
Could you imagine me walking
around the Marais with that piece
of high street nylon crap?
They are ready.
Thank you.
Let's go.
I do solemnly, sincerely and truly
declare and affirm that the evidence
I shall give shall be the truth,
the whole truth and nothing
but the truth.
If I could ask the jury to please
look at photograph 7C?
Could you describe the photo,
Detective Inspector?
Yes, it's the fireplace
at Dhillon Harwood's cottage.
- Is that where he burned the evidence?
- Yes.
He was also burning some
of his own clothes.
Does that appear strange to you?
That's not an appropriate question,
Mr Reynolds.
DI Cassidy is here to give evidence,
not opinion,
as you know perfectly well.
Apologies, My Lady.
- Were the clothes very burned?
- Yes.
- All the clothes, including a scarf?
- Yes.
And where else were fibres
from that scarf found?
On Hannah's body and also a single
fibre found in Talitha's drawer
at home?
Were the fibres
all from the same scarf?
All the same scarf.
Do you have any doubt
that Talitha Campbell's scarf
was the murder weapon?
None whatsoever.
And does the evidence show
Talitha Campbell wearing the scarf
- throughout the entire ball?
- Yes.
We scrutinised all the mobile and
photographic footage,
and in every single piece
of evidence,
Talitha is shown to be wearing
the scarf.
In the CCTV footage of Miss Campbell
walking home from the ball,
is she wearing the green scarf?
We couldn't tell.
Let me rephrase that so you can give
the jury a yes or no answer.
Does your last sighting
of Miss Campbell on the night
of the ball show her wearing
the scarf used to kill Hannah Ellis?
No.
Who was the last person
to have possession of the scarf?
Well, if you mean
The CCTV didn't show
I mean precisely what I said.
Who was the last person to have
possession of the scarf used
to murder Hannah Ellis?
Dhillon Harwood at the cottage,
obviously, but on the night
of the ball itself
Thank you, DI Cassidy,
you've already answered my question.
Who is Troy Manners?
An individual we eliminated
from our inquiries.
Ah, yes. Yeah.
Your original line of inquiry
was that Miss Campbell had hired him
to murder Hannah Ellis.
That was ONE line of inquiry.
A false one.
He provided an alibi.
Hannah Ellis' bank card was used
almost immediately
after her disappearance.
- Is that correct?
- Yes.
- In the West Midlands area?
- Yes.
Does Miss Campbell have any
connection to the West Midlands,
to the best of your knowledge?
No, not to the best of my knowledge.
Does Troy Manners have connections
to the West Midlands?
Yes.
Was Troy Manners
at the ball at any time?
Yes.
Is it the case that Hannah Ellis'
bank card was discovered at the home
of someone who does have connections
to Troy Manners?
Yes.
But you ruled him out.
Who?
- Troy Manners.
- Yes.
Are you familiar with the term
confirmation bias, DI Cassidy?
- I didn't expect her to motor on Troy.
- Threw down a sudden googly
when you weren't expecting it.
Yeah. Well, it made the jury frown,
though.
Who is Troy Manners?
Why isn't he here?
Are they just trying to cover
something up?
- Talitha could have given him the card.
- And so could Dhillon.
And so could any number of the
students, and that was the point.
But you didn't want to consider that cos
you'd made your mind up from the get go.
Uh,
wait a sec, Sooty.
Um. Can I just check you haven't got
a defence hand up your jacksie
moving your mouth?
You should be more worried
about the noise in the jury room
because they're going to be
discussing Troy Manners right now.
- I guarantee it.
- No.
It'll be fine.
I have been sent a note from the jury
asking for more information
about Troy Manners, specifically
asking to hear his evidence.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
I should remind you that only
the prosecution and defence
decide who gives evidence.
And on that evidence alone, will you
be asked to reach your verdicts.
We'll adjourn for lunch.
All rise.
Brian.
The bracelet.
This again.
Green Man.
- What about it?
- What can you tell me about it?
It's a music festival in Cornwall.
It's a music festival in Wales.
- Oh, yeah.
- Who did you go with?
- Dhillon.
- And?
Man, I don't know.
There was a bunch of us, really.
It was absolutely shit.
I never wanted to go because
I hate festivals.
- You'll never guess what, though.
- What?
It was sunny.
I know, in Wales.
I do know because there's a photo
of you in the paper
with Hannah at the festival.
Is there, really? How do I look?
Brian has found out
who took the photo.
It's from the Facebook page
of Amber Morton.
Never met her.
Yes, you have.
You've just got a sieve-shaped brain.
Oh, wait. Red hair, eyes.
Yes, yes, she does have
red hair and eyes.
No, but they're those really close
together eyes, and quite a big nose.
I quite like that look, to be fair.
In fact, I may have snogged her.
So, question one,
did you all take rucksacks?
- Probably.
- And question two
..did you wear the bracelet?
I don't know.
Great.
- Why don't you check the photo?
- We have. It's not clear.
Get Brian to hunt down Amber.
I should change to a law degree when
this is all over, I'm good at this.
If I'm found guilty, though,
I'll kill myself.
I'm not being melodramatic, Cleo.
I definitely will.
OK.
OK.
Take a breath.
We have to nullify that bracelet.
So who are the big fish for us?
Well, there's forensics
still to come, the bracelet.
That looks like a slam dunk,
and then
there's the whole Vendler thing.
Yeah.
And how many sleeps till Talitha?
Well, all the Vendler stuff comes
with a big warning sign
marked admissibility.
Especially the widow.
Hopefully, it'll just be the cherry
on top of the forensics cake.
I thought I might go and see
Mrs Vendler.
Just to warn her that the judge
might bar her evidence as hearsay.
- Good idea.
- No coaching, obviously.
Oh, don't worry, I understand James
is really good with widows.
Behave!
- I'm only teasing.
- And you'd be
making that joke if I was a woman,
right?
Ooh, men have feelings, too.
Let me know how it goes, will you?
No, I won't actually, Paula,
because you've actually
hurt my feelings.
Aw!
So I'm going to be mansplaining this
to Jenny later.
Oh, right. Well, see you. Good luck.
- So you're an academic too?
- Sort of.
I teach part time on a creative
writing course, and I also
have a writer's grant.
- Really? What do you write?
- I'm a poet.
- Great.
- Why?
- Sorry?
- Why is it great?
Well, just, it sounds better
than Crown prosecutor, I guess.
Do you like poetry, Mr Thornley?
Jeez, I don't really read a lot
any more, to be honest.
Most people don't.
That's why I also have to teach.
There was a poem I liked
when I was a kid, though. I think
it's called Flannen Isle.
While three men dwell on
Flannan Isle
That's it.
The over-toppled chair.
Spooky.
We still don't know if the judge
will admit your evidence.
Both defences
will argue that it's hearsay
and shouldn't be heard by the jury.
She sounds like quite a girl,
this Talitha Campbell.
Looks ghastly in the newspapers.
In fairness, they are emphasising
the particular side to her.
I suppose so.
- Lady Tease.
- Yeah.
Poor little rich girl.
Is she beautiful?
I guess. I mean,
she wouldn't be my type, essentially.
Why not?
- I'm not sure.
- What is your type?
I'm not sure about that, either.
Are you a good husband?
I think you should ask my wife.
Could you resist her?
Yes.
Stephen said to me once
there is no man who does not
immediately evaluate a woman
in terms of whether he would
like to fuck her or not.
Maybe that's true, but normal life
like happiness, society
..luckily, they're not really
dependent on people's thoughts,
so
..it's not a very interesting
or useful thing to say, really.
That's a good answer.
Stephen didn't kill himself because
I found out he'd slept
with another student.
He killed himself
because he had a conscience
and he was convinced he had caused
those two narcissistic monsters
to murder that poor girl.
Justice for Hannah!
Justice for Hannah!
Justice for Hannah!
So there are many small diamonds
and emeralds
arranged in 12 larger clusters of
stones and 11 links between them.
OK.
With My Lady's permission?
Go ahead.
So you can see, it is a perfectly
normal rucksack.
This is a replica of the one
that Hannah kept in her cupboard,
along with the sleeping bag used
to dispose of her body in the river.
Dr English.
We found a nylon fibre
matching the constituent fibres
of the rucksack in colour
and composition
caught in the bracelet Talitha
Campbell was wearing to the ball.
How did it get there?
So we think when shouldering
the rucksack,
this part snagged in one of the
casings holding the diamonds,
which have tiny claws.
So let me be very clear.
A fragment from the rucksack used
to dispose of the body
was found on a bracelet worn
by Talitha Campbell?
Yes.
And what is your conclusion
based on that?
Well, given that the rucksack
was used to weight the body,
it strongly supports the idea
that Talitha Campbell was involved
in the disposing of the body
of the deceased.
No more questions.
The rucksack used
to weight the body,
that was Hannah Ellis' rucksack,
am I correct?
Yes.
A rucksack she would have used
on other occasions.
I have no knowledge of that.
The jury will hear she was given
the rucksack along with the
sleeping bag by her mother
on her 19th birthday.
I'll take your word for it.
Do you know how long
a micro fragment could remain trapped
like that in a bracelet?
I don't have an estimate for that.
Wouldn't have come loose
any time soon?
I don't really understand
your question.
If Talitha Campbell had handled the
rucksack at any point in the year
that Hannah Ellis had owned it,
could the nylon fragment
have become snagged then?
It grows increasingly unlikely that
it would stay there over time,
of course.
Well, would it amaze you, Dr English?
would it be like seeing rain falling
upwards
or Rovers winning at home?
Not everybody understands a football
joke, Miss Hemmings, but I assume
you want us to consider
this event is at the
outer limits of plausibility?
I do, My Lady, and please excuse
the levity.
This is a most serious matter.
As I say, I don't like to speculate.
I'm not asking you to speculate.
Could the nylon fragment
have remained trapped
for as long as a year?
Yes, it is possible.
They're obviously going to suggest
that Talitha plus bracelet plus
rucksack came together
on a previous date.
- When?
- No idea, but I'm sure we'll find out
when they bring in their forensics
and-or Talitha.
Maybe they're bluffing
and haven't got anything.
Do you think Talitha
will give evidence?
I imagine that's a question giving
them a few sleepless nights.
My guess, they're still working
on the bracelet.
Either way, they've got
a massive accumulation problem.
You can get away
with one possible but unlikely.
I still think with a scarf as well,
we're ahead.
What's happening with Talitha's
porn history and the femdom stuff?
Judge is giving her decision
Monday morning.
Can't see her allowing it.
We don't need it.
Lydia Vendler is the game changer.
Agreed.
She is compelling.
But both defences will be preying
it's ruled as hearsay,
given the real witness
took a header off the towel
- and was clearly not in his right mind.
- Hm.
- What does that mean?
- Incoming metaphor.
Don't bet the ranch on it.
Which defence team will be most
scared of Lydia Vendler,
- do you reckon?
- Talitha's.
Good.
That lot think they can buy
their way out of anything.
- So what happens next on the rucksack?
- We fired our gun
and there are no more bullets
left in the chamber.
Amber Mortman
is proving a bit elusive,
disabled her social media
and gone to ground.
Well, find her.
It's what I pay you for.
Don't talk to me like that.
But, yeah, we're on it.
Which means they will only
have our word for the idea
that Talitha wore the bracelet
to the festival.
Did she say she did?
It's Talitha.
OK.
The helicopter's here.
- I heard.
- Going anywhere nice?
Scotland.
- Oh.
- Not your thing, I imagine, Cleo.
- Not really.
- You disapprove.
- A bit, yes.
- Thought you might?
- Well, largely on aesthetic grounds.
- Oh, aesthetic grounds.
That's right.
Care to elaborate. I'm intrigued.
OK.
I don't care for the whole look,
from the Balmoral clothes
to the Land Rovers.
- It's just not me.
- No.
And while
I'm not especially right-on,
there is
something deeply stupid to me
about blasting
delicate creatures out of the sky
just because
you have the means to do so.
Deeply stupid.
Do you hear what your lawyer
thinks about us, darling?
I did.
But she's quite right.
It is stupidly satisfying to
blast something smaller than oneself
into a mass of blood and feathers.
Have a nice weekend, everyone,
and we'll reconvene Sunday evening.
Spam!
Hey, look!
I can't do it.
I can't get up in that dock,
not with them looking at me.
Andrea, they're
going to be in the docks,
you're going
to be in the witness stand.
I won't be able to breathe.
Or I'll scream
or I'll be sick or worse.
The questions will be very quick
and easy.
Did you see Vendler?
What did he say?
It's not about the questions.
I'm scared.
I'm scared that I'll
I'll let her down.
I get it, Andrea. I understand.
For whatever it's worth,
I don't think you've ever
let her down.
What do you think
Hannah would say?
She's not here, is she?
She can't say anything.
Spam!
Oh, she always does this. Spam!
Spam!
Come on.
Right, one, two three.
Ready.
Go.
Thank you very much.
Oh, sweet baby James!
All right?
I bet you didn't know
that was your nickname.
Yes, I did, actually.
Oh, you going to be going round to
see and seeing Andrea?
Andy, knock it off.
- What? Your special grief counsellor.
- Andy, I said, knock it off.
Come on, Andy, that's not really on,
mate. That's not really on, mate.
I'm joking!
Let me get you a drink, come on.
I'm just going to say
happy birthday to Paula.
Have you heard the latest odds
on a double conviction?
What was it? Five to 11?
You fancy a bit of that?
Well, I'm flattered you're so
confident, but not on my salary.
I'd put all that ball footage
back in the schedule.
Might improve it for him.
Get him involved a bit.
Yeah, very funny.
What ball footage is that, then?
Oh, what is it?
It's evens on just Talitha, isn't it?
Yeah, but who gives a fuck, eh?
- I'll just go say hi to Paula.
- Yeah.
See you in a bit.
- James!
- How are you doing?
- Happy birthday.
- Thanks.
- You absolute plonker.
- Oh, we didn't know
Of course he did.
Two beers.
Do you thank he did?
The session is now resuming
in Court Two. Courtroom Two.
First,
the pornographic history.
I'm certainly not going to allow
witnesses discussing Talitha's
sexual behaviour in pornography
to be taken
as evidence of her own preferences.
From a question of Lydia Vendler,
I have given
this very careful thought
and I am going to allow her evidence.
- My Lady, if I might
- Conserve your energy, Miss Hemmings,
that is my decision having carefully
considered the pros and cons,
but I should warn the prosecution
I will be watching very
carefully for anything I think
is leading the witness.
Now, I understand the first witness
today is
Lucinda Imogen Bright.
Thank you, Miss Bright.
Mr Reynolds?
Miss Bright, I'd like to start just
by taking you through the reasons
behind your complaint to the college
authorities about Dhillon Harwood.
It was very hard to describe.
Of course.
Did he ever take any photos
and videos of you without consent?
Yes.
And did he ever turn
up at inappropriate times
- when you were not expecting him?
- Yes.
And he would leave me with presents,
like those French China clowns.
- You mean Pierrot?
- Yeah, and it weirded me out.
Sometimes he said that he hated
possessions and that he wanted
to, like, leave me all of his.
Was there any sexually
inappropriate behaviour?
No.
Yes.
But that wasn't part of my complaint.
My Lady
Stop there, please, Mr Reynolds.
Members of the jury,
a matter of law has arisen
and we will now ask you
to return to your room.
I didn't.
It wasn't like that at all.
He started having sex with her while
she was still sleeping.
I didn't know that, though.
We'd already had sex.
Look, she's a nutter,
everybody know that
She's a woman!
Any woman can be sexually
assaulted, including the nutters!
I'd just assumed because we were
already in bed together
- and she was letting me
- And the lie about the condom?
I misunderstood.
Misunderstood?
How the hell do you misunderstand
"Are you wearing a condom?"
OK, let's not get too emotional.
The judge has ruled it inadmissible
as it didn't form part
of the complaint at the time.
The jury will be suspicious, though.
Oh, she's a complete liar.
- I'm going to have to go hard at her.
- Really?
She's bad for Dhillon.
Sit it out
if you're faint-hearted, Meera,
but we have no choice here.
Miss Bright, I think it's correct
to say that you've had your fair
share of internet conflicts.
Please be more specific
with your question, Miss Baria.
How are we supposed to evaluate
a "fair share" in this day and age?
You're quite right, My Lady.
That was too vague.
You once, for example,
gave the personal details
of an adversary online
in a practice known as 'doxing'.
I deleted it.
Could you tell the court
what that was about?
So at the time,
I was pretty into witchcraft.
I'm sorry, could you just speak up
a tiny bit for the jury?
- You were quite into..?
- Witchcraft.
It's a thing, you know? But, like
But there was a dispute
where you claimed another student
was "negatively affecting
the energy of the full moon".
Well, yeah, because he was.
Where's all this going?
That student, also Asian,
made a complaint against you
that included an
allegation of racial harassment.
Am I correct?
- He was half-Malaysian, but
- And that was upheld. Am I correct?
Yes.
Do you still
consider yourself to be a witch?
I consider it to be a legitimate
identity, yeah.
You believe being a racist witch
a legitimate identity?
- What? No, I didn't
- My Lady
Miss Baria, please.
Let's just leave it as somebody who
enjoys a complete fantasy, then,
as the college disciplinary panel
concluded
in the case of Dhillon Harwood.
Thank you, Miss Bright.
Wow!
I just can't believe he had sex
with Lucinda Bright!
Not quite sure
that's the big picture here.
No, you're right.
I can't believe
he never told me about it.
Can you believe this sexual assault?
Why it's not, really.
I mean, yes,
I suppose you could say,
but there's
a lot worse than that.
That's a debate
for another time, but
Do you consider what happened
to you to be worse than that?
Orange.
I've been thinking about the festival
and I was definitely wearing
an orange top.
Right.
We already know that.
Which means I would have worn
the bracelet because I liked it
- with that top.
- OK, good.
Keep thinking.
And also, anyone
else who might have photos?
I'm OK until Jackson Browne.
I remember him doing Stay,
which was amazing.
Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs
did the original.
I did not know that.
Well, now you do.
With what happened to me,
by the way.
Stealth was never the issue.
Talitha was abused as a child.
- By her mother's friends.
- Shit!
- Has Talitha..?
- Sort of.
We're getting there.
OK, so what's the issue here?
The issue is the case
against Talitha is very strong.
Um.
The scarf, the bracelet,
the history.
And you're thinking
of using her abuse
to change
the jury's perception of her.
Risky.
Damian Campbell won't let me.
You do not want a big
falling out with Damian.
Uh Bite the hand that feeds us,
you mean?
Yeah, I do mean exactly that.
So Lucinda was a bit of a let-down.
Yeah, Dhillon's defence
battered her. It wasn't pretty.
The Establishment
Gets Ruthless Lawyers Shocker.
Aye. I don't think Meera Harwood
enjoyed it very much.
If her son gets away with this,
she'll learn to live with it.
He won't.
Unlike Cassidy,
I don't just want Talitha.
She needs to get
that prejudice out of sight.
On that note, Jenny, I heard
something a bit disturbing.
Mm-hm?
So Andy Lowell was shit-faced at
Cassidy's birthday party.
At a cops' piss up? Surely not?!
I get the impression that some
of the 'not relevant' material
could stand another look.
It could always stand another look.
The establishment has got
good lawyers, James,
so let them request it.
Concentrate on what we want.
A double conviction.
Yeah.
How are you feeling today?
Do you have any comments?
The mother of Hannah Ellis
arrived at
Bristol Central Crown Court today
to testify in the case against
Talitha Campbell
and Dhillon Harwood.
She's expected to
reveal the details of a visit
she received from Dr Stephen Vendler
on the day he died.
I'm going to be billing you by
the minute, Cleo.
Cash monies up front.
I'm on legal aid.
You're a hard man to track down,
Troy.
Yeah, I've been sorting
out some business in Cannock.
Um! I'll start
preparing the mitigation plea.
So you came up
with the name Lady Tease?
Right.
How come?
Well, Lady T at first
because her name's Talitha
and she's posh.
Lady Tease when she wouldn't
let me fuck her.
OK, I see the progression.
Hey, them papers making her out
to be some kind of slag,
but actually
she could be pretty picky.
So you and Talitha
were kind of friends?
- Are we friends, Cleo?
- No.
No, see?
I bet you're pretty picky as well,
aren't you?
Rein it in, Troy.
Look, some punters can tolerate
more than others, do you get me?
Did you?
I'd more time for Talitha than
most of them students.
Why? Because she didn't try and go
all street on me,
like some of them.
It's downright embarrassing
the way they talk,
as if they didn't grow up
in Custard-upon-Thames.
You admired that about her.
Yeah, I did.
It's why I won't go to them scum
from the papers,
tell them all what Tals was
like in bed and that.
Fair play.
You can't, though, can you?
Oh, more's the pity, Cleo!
But I've got an eye for
a bull-shitter.
Can spot them from a distance.
And Tal, she is what she is
and she made me laugh, but
She ain't no bull-shitter.
So what about the credit cards?
What about them?
Did Talitha give them to you?
Nah.
- Did Dhillon?
- No.
You land me with a witness summons,
I blame everything on Talitha,
let's get that clear for a start.
Go on.
- Troy Manor's sister.
- Mm-hm.
She was helping him sell drugs
at the ball, but at some point Jodie
makes her way to the cloakroom
Saw the bags and spotted
an opportunity.
Got interrupted when she had nicked
just one or two.
Hannah probably didn't even notice,
although these days you can
just stop your card through an app,
which is what
the others probably did.
Hannah's was passed to a contact
in the West Midlands,
where it was
mainly used at stations.
We can check out any others,
but there's no point
in him giving evidence.
Complete waste of time.
Not at all.
One, the card issue was bugging me,
so now we know.
And two,
he likes Talitha.
Oh, fantastic (!)
A reference from
some drug-dealing scummer.
Not all drug-dealers are scummers
and he likes Talitha
because "she's not a bull-shitter".
And "funny".
- Funny.
- She can be quite funny, actually.
And it made me realise there's a
Talitha the jury might respond to.
Risky.
We're past the point of non-risky
options a long time ago.
So she gets up on stage.
What's her opening gag?
The truth.
About?
Everything.
Well, that is risky.
For all concerned.
So
..tread very carefully
and always consider the
wider picture.
My family reputation,
it's very important.
Not to mention your business image.
Not to mention that.
Can I tell you what won't be funny,
though, Cleo?
Go on.
If you make me unhappy,
your exile after the Hargreaves case
will feel like a holiday
in the Maldives.
There are definitely
no third chances.
And I'll bear that in mind.
What make of scarf is it?
I don't know,
I got it a charity shop.
Can't find in your flat.
Maybe I lost it.
- Where?
- If I knew that, it wouldn't be lost.
Today, the focus of the tria
shifts towards allegations
of harassment
on the university campus
and the role of Dr Stephen Vendler,
who was responsible for hearing
an earlier case
against Dylan Harwood.
The complication being, of course,
that no-one can question
Stephen Vendler due to the fact
that he took his own life.
Mrs Vendler, you saw your husband
before he left
for Andrea Ellis' home?
Yes.
And did you see him again after that?
No.
How would you describe his condition?
Very bad.
He was overcome with worry
about our family in the wake
of the press reports.
And he believed he had
caused the death of Hannah Ellis.
Why?
Because he had told the student
he was sleeping with that
Hannah Ellis had
complained about her friend.
- The student being?
- Talitha Campbell.
And her friend being?
The other person in the dock
with her, I believe.
- Anyway, apparently she was angry.
- Why?
I don't know.
You would have to ask her that.
And you did not
see him again after that?
No.
He texted
shortly before he died.
Had he ever referred to Miss Campbell
before the newspapers
got hold of their affair?
No, not really.
He talked about Hannah, though.
He liked her
and was extremely impressed by her.
Exacerbating his remorse?
I don't know.
But that seems a fair assumption.
OK.
Thank you, Mrs Vendler.
He did tell me something
about Talitha, though,
after the news broke.
Ah, My Lady
May I remind you that you may give
evidence as to what your late
husband told you Talitha had said,
but not
He said she had no soul
and was preternaturally cruel.
He also told me Talitha had
discussed her fantasies with him,
which involved killing another
girl during sex.
- My Lady!
- That is enough.
- Are you sure about this?
- Mr Reynolds!
Quite sure.
No further questions.
Naturally, Mrs Vendler, you
feel anger at Talitha Campbell.
I'm not sure it's natural
and it's certainly not correct.
You don't feel anger at the person
who destroyed your marriage?
She had no obligations to me.
And so we are just supposed
to take your word for the fact
that your husband told
you that his lover admitted
to fantasising about exactly
the crime of which she is accused?
Yes, I am asking you to take
my word for it.
You're a part-time poet,
I believe.
Someone used to imaginative flights.
Yes.
And also quite capable
of remembering something
my husband said.
It's part of your job to embellish
things, isn't it?
It's part of your job, as well.
But I imagine you can still sustain
a reasonably honest conversation
at the dinner table.
What I'm getting at
is
I'm well aware
of what you're getting at.
It's not your everyday conversation,
is it?
"Soulless"?
"Preternaturally cruel"?
Don't these words
sound a little invented?
A little poetic license?
Mrs Vendler?
It wasn't a conversation.
Smoke signals? Sign language?
Miss Hemmings.
I'm sorry, My Lady, but
It was a letter.
There is no reference to a letter
From the hotel after he
fled Andrea Ellis' house.
It arrived after his death.
I haven't shared it with anyone
because it is deeply private.
And contains very
intimate details of our marriage.
But it will substantiate
all the evidence I have given
in court today
and I can produce
it if the court so requires.
My husband certainly believed
that both of the accused killed
Hannah Ellis
..and that he was the indirect cause.
Thank you, Mrs Vendler.
We'll stop here.
Start thinking
about a plea change in mitigation.
She's done for.