Kavanagh QC (1995) s03e05 Episode Script
The Ties that Bind
1 (Dog barks) (Man laughs) WOMAN: Here we are, then.
Better than that police cell, eh? 1ST MAN: I told you not to worry.
Think yourself lucky.
2ND MAN: Well, they never had any evidence, did they? (Woman laughs) 1ST MAN: What are you having? 2ND MAN: No.
No.
it's my shout.
WOMAN: Let's have champagne.
Toast the Old Bill.
Ian Vincent? Who wants to know? You know who I am? No.
Should I? George Foster.
You murdering bastard! Ian, come here! We've only just got you out.
You want to get nicked again? You killed my son.
Murderer! Get rid of him.
(Screams) Murderer! (Pub door slams) A private prosecution for murder? Aye - and I want you to do it for free.
Huh! Do you, now? What are old friends for? Especially if they're loaded.
You always were a cheeky sod.
(Chuckles) Aye, but irresistible with it.
Well, Ellen certainly seemed to think so - among others.
- How is she, by the way? - Parted company six years ago.
Oh.
I'm sorry to hear that.
A brief indiscretion.
Ach, what the hell, that's all history now.
So, how about it? I know it's been a long time and I wish I had a nice fat fee to offer you, Jim, I really do, but my client has lost his job.
All of his redundancy money has gone to one of the witnesses.
To pay her relocation expenses after the trial.
If we get that far, that is.
Now, the suspect is a nasty piece of goods from a family of villains.
But the police, - they don't want to know.
- All right, Paddy, I get the picture.
Why don't you start at the beginning? Right, well.
we have our client's son.
Graham Foster.
Young lad.
17 coming home one Sunday morning with his girlfriend from one of these all-night raves at an old factory.
(Tyres Screech) Graham.
- Get in? GIRL: Graham.
-' - Get in! - Graham.
- Get in the car now! - Graham! - Get in.
Get in the car.
Get in the - Graham! And you, bitch, shut up! Get in the car.
Graham! Get in! Get in! You, bitch, you shut up.
Graham (Tyres Screech) Stop messing me about! Where is the case? (Thud muffles speech) A week later.
His body is fished out of the Thames.
Autopsy showed that he'd been tortured and beaten to death.
Three of his fingers were broken bent back.
Do we know why? For stealing a briefcase from a car.
It belonged to the thug with the gun - Ian Vincent.
Why aren't the CPS dealing with this? The girlfriend, Hazel Dwyer, was intimidated into withdrawing her witness statement.
The police had to release Vincent without charge.
- This Hazel was the only witness? - Aye She knew Vincent because she'd worked for his stepfather - bloke called Ron Babb.
Runs this aggregates company on the river but whose real game is crime.
Protection, mostly.
It was his heavies scared the wee girl off.
Why did Graham steal the case? Apparently, he'd steal anything.
But to kill him, though! My guess is that there was something in the briefcase that incriminated Babb or Vincent in some way.
Something that Vincent was desperate shouldn't get out.
I don't know about you.
But I can't stomach seeing an arrogant sod get away with murder.
Oh, not another freebie, Mr Kavanagh, please! I don't do that many.
You're going to bankrupt us, sir.
(Telephone rings) All right, but no junior - sorry.
Not from River Court, anyway.
But think of the kudos, Tom! For the chambers.
There have only been four private prosecutions for murder in the past century! It's a piece of history.
Yeah, and how many of them were won, sir? With respect.
All right, just look on it as a as a loss leader, then.
It'll bring in work later.
If you say so, sir.
(Telephone rings) God save us from silks with a social conscience.
With respect, Michael, the fact that one works at the Treasury doesn't necessarily mean one is Au fait with what's going on out there in the real world.
(Chess clock ticks) Well, I mean, you know, take the ordinary chap on less than, say, 40 thou a year.
- Jeremy.
- Peter.
Sorry to have abandoned you for so long.
You know committees.
Oh, no, no.
Not at all, Geoffrey.
No, I admire your devotion to duty.
And somebody's got to run the place.
- Ssh! - Sorry.
- Something to show you.
- Oh.
Don't mind if we borrow him for a few moments, do you, gentlemen? Excuse me.
There we are first on the list.
Aah! At last.
- The election's still some way off.
- No, no, no.
No matter.
The end is in sight.
(Engine revs) I can sort it myself, Ron.
What, like you sorted Graham Foster? Look, Tarantino, the last thing I need right now is the police round here again, so if you want to get off this summons.
You do exactly what I say.
Right? Right? - Right.
- Good.
And for now that's nothing.
Just leave it to me.
Now get back in your kennel and get on with some work.
He's right, you know, Ian.
Shouldn't talk to me like that.
Dad wouldn't have.
Maybe so.
But if it wasn't for Ron, all this'd be gone by now, and you'd be on remand! Just you remember that.
(Man rattles letter box flap) (Birdsong) I'm a businessman, Mr Spence.
All I want is just a bit of peace and quiet.
I don't need all this aggravation- a trial, the media Who would? Not George, I'm sure.
Not if there was an alternative.
What exactly are you saying? He should be compensated - financially.
Not that I think he's justified.
Don't get me wrong.
But as a businessman Well, let's just say jaw-jaw is better than war-war.
And if he rejects your offer? Persuade him.
Hey, nice little commission in it for you, as well.
He can even name his price, within reason.
Now.
what with that.
his redundancy money he can drown his conscience till the Millennium comes, if he likes.
Long as his liver lasts.
I doubt if he'd be interested, Mr Babb, and I'm certainly not - with or without commission.
You got family, Mr Spence? Only, if you have, you'll understand the sort of emotions get stirred up when this sort of thing happens on both sides.
George has lost a son.
My wife stands to lose hers.
Me, a stepson.
It'd be a shame to see anybody else get hurt here.
Wouldn't it? Especially if one of them is a professional man with friends at Scotland Yard.
Good day to you, Mr Babb.
(Sighs) - How much?! - £700 a year.
£696, to be exact.
Plus VAT, of course.
- Minus, praise be, Les femmes.
FOXCOTT: Huh.
You're a single man, Jeremy, and you've waited seven years to join a club with no women? We're not all governed by our groin, James.
- The Beerbohm does have other attractions.
- Such as? Ooh, two dining rooms, bar, reading room.
Television room, billiard room, card room, library.
Excellent conversation.
Contacts - especially in this business.
Its reputation, of course.
Frankly, James, I'm honoured that Peter consented to put my name down.
All those years ago.
Well, I suppose these clubs have one thing going for them.
- Mm? - Keep a lot of old farts off the streets.
Hah'.
Er, I've put Mr Spence in your room, sir, along with another gentleman.
Sad, really.
Sour grapes.
He's never been invited to join one, you see.
Did you go to the police? I find the old "friends at the Yard" line usually does the trick.
It seems to make criminals very nervous about coming too close to me or my clients.
Risky, though, I'd have thought.
As a matter of fact, I do have a friend at Scotland Yard.
Very useful he is, too.
And how are you, Mr Foster? Where are you staying? I've found a room across town.
- And Hazel? - With a friend.
North London, somewhere.
- Obviously Babb's offer is of no interest? - You think scum like that can buy me off? Was a time maybe he would have.
Not now.
Changes you, something like this.
Well I'll be wanting the jury to hear evidence about Graham.
- Are you happy to describe your relationship? - No.
But it's important to buildup a picture of what sort of person he was.
The sort of person Graham was was a liar and a thief.
He did drugs.
I tried after my wife left, but, well I'm surprised he didn't turn out worse, if you really want to know.
Not much of a character reference, am I? It all sounds a bit grim, from what Jim tells me.
Aye, well, that's the underclasses for you, Lizzie.
They just don't know how to behave themselves.
Oh, thank you.
Mm, that smells interesting.
It's some speciality from the old days, apparently.
(Oven fan whirs) Paddy.
There you go.
Oh, don't say you've forgotten.
It's the only stuff we used to drink.
It's a pig to find down here, as well.
Cheers.
Cheers.
- Oh, God! Did we? - (Chuckles) Filthy, isn't it? Rioja? That's more like it.
Er, what are we having? This smells familiar.
He's being rather secretive about it.
Ragout de Poisson Au sauce piquante de tomate.
Pilchard stew? Spot-on.
(Approaching footsteps) Jeremy Alderman.
isn't it? Er, Aldermarten.
Oh, I do beg your pardon.
Charles Lesser.
I saw you in the dining room earlier with Peter Foxcott and I thought I must say hello.
- I've heard a lot about you.
- Oh Really? You're quite a presence these days - the talk of the club.
And up for membership, too, I see.
Yes.
Yes, finally.
So what do you think, then? Fingers crossed? Well Oh, come on.
You can't be expecting any trouble, surely, with your proposer and seconder both on the committee.
Well, that can't hurt.
Although, of course, one one likes to feel one has something to offer in one's own right.
So I've heard.
Maybe you should start thinking about ordering one of these.
Oh Between you and me, it's already in the top drawer.
Is it? Is it, really? Ah! Here comes Peter.
Well, very good to meet you, Jeremy.
Oh, and you, er Charles.
Well, well, what a charming chap.
Lord Lesser? (Dubiously) Mm, yes.
(lndistinct tannoy announcement) More? Er, no.
No, that was just enough, thanks.
I haven't had this in 30 years.
I wonder why.
(Mobile phone rings) - Oh.
that's me.
I'm sorry.
I I'm on duty roster.
I'll I'll take it outside.
Hello.
Spence.
I No.
don't worry.
What's the matter? I think he's got a bloody nerve.
I mean, he hasn't seen you for what? 30 years or more? He's never offered you work in all that time and he just waltzes in asking for a favour! It's a worthwhile case.
Unusual.
And we were best mates at Nottingham.
The same year.
Big deal.
Look what he's landed you with.
An alcoholic client.
Yep.
Precious little hard evidence and everything riding on one terrified witness.
That was Hazel.
She's had a bust-up with her friend.
She's moving out.
- Hazel? - Thanks.
- Is this everything? - Yeah.
Sorry about this, Mr Spence.
She got scared of having me there.
- It's OK.
- Where are we going? Ah, it's a friend of mine has a place down here.
You can stay there for a few nights.
You'll be all right.
If you say, "I told you so" It's just that (Sighs) Sometimes I don't know, you just seem to go out of your way to find the maximum aggravation.
"For evil to triumph.
It is sufficient only that good men do nothing" Or words to that effect.
(Kavanagh sighs) - And here endeth the first lesson.
- (Chuckles) Gee, you put the heart across me.
Sorry, Paddy.
Give you a fright? I thought you Scotland Yard boys knockoff at five.
Yeah, if only.
Ron Babb, and all his works.
Oh, great.
Any thoughts on the briefcase, what might have been inside it? Well, only that you're barking up the wrong tree.
Babb keeps Vincent away from all the criminal stuff.
- He's not the brightest of lads, you see.
- Oh.
Careful how you tread, Paddy.
You've no idea what you're getting yourself into.
And Hazel Dwyer has got a two-year suspended hanging over her for perjury.
Lied for a friend in court and got found out.
Word is, she'll say anything for a price.
If you want my advice, forget it.
(Reporters clamour) REPORTER: This way, Mr Vincent! I can't believe we've come to this.
BABE".
Excuse me:! REPORTERS: Hazel! Hazel! REPORTER: Can we just have a word? - Get back.
(Reporters fire questions) You, will you get out of my way? (Raised voices) FOSTER: Who's their brief? KAVANAGH: Susan Craxton QC.
- Any good? - Very.
(Camera shutters click) What happens about her record? You know, the perjury? Came as no surprise to the defence.
FOSTER: Wish I'd known before I offered her the money.
Got to go in here.
- Are you OK? - I feel a bit sick.
I'll just be next door.
Well, well.
Hello, Hazel.
Don't worry, I won't bite.
I haven't finished yet.
How much are you getting "relocation expenses"? None of your (Yells in pain) Five thousand.
(Tuts) Ten - if you do the decent thing.
- And if you don't (Door opens) Are you OK? (Phone rings) - Good morning, Peter.
- Jeremy.
Big day.
The election.
Ah, yes.
Lunch time.
Peter? Jeremy.
I, I don't suppose you could you, you know call me, could you? With the result? Sorry, Jeremy.
Not done, I'm afraid.
One simply has to wait for the thump of vellum on doormat.
(Foxcott chuckles) They are sent first class.
Well, what's another day? Hm! Before long.
Vincent discovered who the thief was, so then it was simply a question of finding the right time and the right place.
He chose a quiet Sunday morning on a deserted city road.
He forced Graham into his car at gunpoint and drove him to an unknown location Where he formed and bear him so severely he died But to cover his tracks.
Vincent had to lie and intimidate witnesses.
Leaving a trail that the prosecution will now show incriminates him beyond any reasonable doubt.
As my first witness, I call Hazel Dwyer.
Hazel Dwyer? SPENCE: Hazel.
Hazel Dwyer? Yes.
she's just I can't.
What? I've got to think.
My lady er, Miss Dwyer appears to be temporarily indisposed.
So, with your permission I should like to call Dr Ravi Mirchandani.
What is the nature of Miss Dwyers indisposition, Mr Kavanagh? A certain queasiness, I believe.
Possibly nerves.
Dr Ravi Mirchandani? FOSTER: Hazel' - Hazel! - Sir, please.
And the marks on Graham's face, do you have any opinion as to what might have caused them? They are consistent with the pattern left by a punch from a fist wearing a ring or rings.
KAVANAGH: A fist wearing a ring or rings? - Yes.
Thank you, Dr Mirchandani.
Please stay there.
Dr Mirchandani, you say the body was recovered from the Thames on the 19th? Yes, that's right.
So how can you be so sure death occurred four days earlier, on Sunday the 15th? The prosecution calls Dr Helen Kibbler.
KAVANAGH: And how was Mr Vincent when he arrived at the Casualty Department? In a lot of pain.
His right hand had swollen so badly that two of his fingers were almost black, because his rings were stopping the circulation of the blood.
A nurse had to cut them off - the rings, that is.
And did you ask how he'd come to break his hand? Yes.
He said a paving stone had been dropped on it, but it looked to me like he'd been in a fight.
His knuckles were bruised and grazed on both hands.
So you don't know if the bruises and grazing are actually related to the fractures at all, do you? The injuries are consistent with each other.
Consistent but not dependent.
It is possible, isn't it, that Mr Vincent could have broken his hand in exactly the way he said, isn't it? - I suppose it's possible, but - Thank you Nothing further.
The court's been very patient, Mr Kavanagh, but this seems rather like Hamlet without the prince.
Do we see Miss Dwyer or shall I stop the case? I take Your Ladyship's point.
I've just been talking to Mr Kavanagh, Hazel.
Unless you give evidence immediately after lunch, the Judge is going to call it quits.
You've been through so much for this.
You owe it to yourself to finish it.
(Laughter) Er, if we can come to order, please, gentlemen, as quickly as you can.
Then he told me he'd already got it in the top drawer, ready and waiting.
- You hadn't heard? - No.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
So the election of new members.
Now, first, Mr Jeremy Aldermarten QC.
Proposer: Mr Peter Foxcott.
And seconded by Sir Geoffrey Pack-Martin.
Reveal your balls, please, gentlemen.
Thank you.
And now.
as ever.
white for yes.
Black for no and We require all white for acceptance.
(Door opens) Funny sort of time for an election, Mr Aldermarten.
Yes.
Yes, well, you know, Tom.
These traditions, you know, they just sort of grow up, especially in clubs.
Nobody quite knows how.
All lost in the mist of time, I suppose.
- Yes, yes, quite.
- It's like at Spurs.
We always go to the Park Lane end, for some reason, Spurs fans.
Good Lord! I've never seen this before.
The ayes.
Jeremy jumped the gun.
He's already bought the tie.
- What? - Advertised the fact to Charlie Lesser! It's gone round like wildfire.
Not his first faux pas, either.
- So that's why you - Yes.
A seven-year wait to become a laughing stock? It just wouldn't be humane.
(Door opens) Take the book in your right hand and read from the card aloud.
- She's all over the place.
Will she deliver? - I swear by Almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Are you feeling better now, Miss Dwyer? (Subdued) Yes.
Please speak up, Miss Dwyer.
We all want to hear you.
Miss Dwyer, would you tell the court where you were in the early morning of Sunday October the 15th last year? Um Were you with anyone? (Low murmuring) Hazel? Did you know Graham Foster? Yes.
How did you know him? He was my boyfriend.
How long had you been together? About a year.
A year? So you started going out with him when he was just 16? And how old were you? - NS.
- You were older than him? HAZEL".
Didn't matter.
KAVANAGH: No? No.
He he was special, you know.
Special? In what way? He didn't try to make me do what I didn't want to, like most people.
He respected you? Yep.
Let you be yourself? Yeah.
And with me he was himself, and all.
And how was that? Kind.
Funny.
- Made me laugh.
KAVANAGH: Some people would say he was just a petty criminal, a thief.
Doesn't make him a bad person! Anyway, that was just cos of his dad.
KAVANAGH: How do you mean? Never had time for him, except to shout at him - when he wasn't pissed, that is.
Sorry Drunk.
You mean.
he committed these petty crimes just to get attention from his father? I think so.
But you did have time for him? I Loved him? What happened must have been very hard for you, then.
His death and er the way his body was found.
(Sobs) Are you all right to continue, Miss Dwyer? (Sniffs) Sorry.
Would you like a short break? I'm OK.
Mr Kavanagh, might we go to the day in question, please? Hazel were you with Graham in the early morning of Sunday October the 15th last year? Look at me, Hazel.
There's nothing to be scared of.
Yes.
You were with Graham that morning? - Yes.
- What happened? Hazel, what happened on that Sunday morning to Graham Foster? - The young man you say you loved.
- I did love him! Then tell us what happened.
He took him away.
He jumped out with this gun and I couldn't believe it.
It was like a film.
you know.
I mean, we was just walking down the road.
I thought he'd shoot us, but he made Graham get in the car and I never saw him again.
(Sobs) (Sobs) Until last September, you worked at the same company as Ian Vincent, didn't you, Miss Dwyer - Babb Aggregates Limited - as an office junior? Yes.
And isn't it true.
Miss Dwyer.
That you hold a grudge against him because it was his complaint about your aggressive attitude - that led to your dismissal from that job? - I was sacked cos I didn't go out with him.
You were sacked.
And now you want to get your own back by making up this elaborate story about Graham Foster's abduction at gunpoint? - It's not a story.
- Isn't it? No.
It's true.
I see.
And is it also true that.
having retracted your statement to the police.
You only agreed to testify today after the promise of five thousand pounds if you did so? - Yeah, but - The money to assist this witness was fully disclosed to the defence and I am more than happy to say why it was offered.
If my learned friend so wishes.
The witness need not answer, my lady.
FOSTER".
And he gets to go home every night.
- He's not in custody.
FOSTER: Yet.
Do you think Hazel's done enough? I could have done without that stunt by his counsel.
And there's her record, of course.
But, yes, enough for me to have a crack at the alibi.
It really sounded like Hazel felt something for Graham.
I think she did, Mr Foster.
I'll be with you in er in half an hour, tops.
Don't look so worried.
It'll be fine.
(Engine starts up) REPORTERS: Hazel! Hazel! REPORTER: Hello! Hazel! (Sighs) So she came up with the goods, then, despite what your man in Criminal Intelligence said? Mm.
And he's not my man.
He's Paddy's.
(Car alarm siren in distance) TV: and showers for most of us.
It'll be cooler and breezier as well.
Especially in the Northwest.
And more persistent rain towards the end of the week.
- More details on that later.
- Dom go.
I can't stay here all night, Hazel.
(Sighs) I'm scared, Mr Spence.
There's no need to be.
There's just the Babbs' alibi evidence and then ifs all over.
Please don't go.
OK.
(Distant laughter) JUDGE: Miss Craxton.
Have you advised your client that the stage has now been reached at which he may give evidence? And if he chooses not to do so or, having been sworn, without good cause refuses to answer any questions, the jury may draw such inferences as appear proper from his failure to do so.
He has been so advised, my lady, and he will not be called as a witness in his own defence.
I would like to call Ronald James Babb.
There's no-one there now.
HAZEL".
I'm telling you.
he was there.
Watching.
Oh, look, just give me my money and I'm off.
II can't.
Not until the trial's over.
But I've done my bit.
Aye, but we might need you again.
You never know in this game.
Game? It'll be a couple more days - three at the most.
And then you're away free.
- Three days? - Look.
I've got to go.
You just lock the door behind me and don't answer it to anyone.
Do you understand me, now? I'll come back when the court is over for the day and er, we'll sort something out.
What? Look, you just lock the door.
(Opens door) (Closes door) ls Mr Foxcott in? No, sir, not yet.
KAVANAGH: Mr Babb.
you've told this court that tan Vincent was with you from Saturday evening.
October the 14th until past six the next day - Sunday.
The day of the murder.
That's right.
He came to supper.
Stayed the night and then helped you with the patio you were building? At the time, yes.
And just after Sunday lunch, you accidentally dropped a paving slab on his hand, breaking it? They're very heavy and I'm not as young as I used to be.
Hm.
And then you took him to hospital.
Because he couldn't drive himself on account of his hand.
And at around six o'clock, once he'd been treated and his hand put in a cast, you drove him back to his flat? Yes.
So what happened to his car? Because it was still at your house, wasn't it? I drove it round the next day.
He gave you the keys.
then? - Obviously.
- When? Well, I don't remember exactly.
Er, when I dropped him off, I suppose.
But how did you get back from his flat if you'd gone there in his car? My wife.
She came round in our car and I drove us back.
I see.
You're Ian Vincent's stepfather, aren't you, Mr Babb? Yes.
- How would you describe your relationship? - In what way? Well, children and step-parents, there's often friction, isn't there? BABE".
Yes.
but I don't see what that's got to do with anything.
KAVANAGH: I'm trying to establish the son' of relationship you had with your stepson.
Mr Babb.
BABE".
Normal.
I suppose.
And what's that, exactly? Normal.
You know, up and down, like most relationships.
Is this leading us anywhere, Mr Kavanagh? To a clearer understanding of the family background of the accused, my lady.
Very well, as long as the light shines sooner rather than later.
KAVANAGH: My lady.
No reason.
Nothing.
Not a single, solitary word of explanation, after seven years! I'm so sorry.
Your application for membership has been unsuccessful this time.
"This time"? What does that mean? Am I supposed to put my name down again, in the hope that in seven years the black-balling swine that shafted me will have snuffed it? Jeremy, I know it's very upsetting, but it's not the end of the world.
Really.
There are other clubs.
Why? You're on the committee, Peter.
You must know.
It's a secret ballot.
But you must have heard something - some whisper, surely? Well What? Some business about trying to pass yourself off as a member with a club tie you bought.
My God! What? Peter, I've been slandered! So you gave Mr Vincent a job in his fathers old business.
With some responsibility? - Deputy General Manager.
- Deputy General Manager.
Which means what, exactly? He deputises for the General Manager.
- You? - From time to time.
And what does he do when he's not deputising for you? BABB: All sorts.
KAVANAGH: Such as? - A bit of everything.
Negotiating contracts? A bit.
- Dealing with clients? - Sometimes.
Delivering documents? We use the Post Office for that, or the fax.
But overall.
He had a good general idea of the business? BABB: Yes - And you'd be sorry to lose him? - I would.
- So sorry.
in fact.
That you would do anything to keep him out of prison, wouldn't you, Mr Babb? Like tell this court a pack of lies! I don't have to lie because he's innocent.
TV: It stated a door-to-door newspaper-collection service.
(Phone rings) The new landfill tax means local councils (Phone continues to ring) for industrial waste now have to pay - Hello? MAN: Hazel Dwyer? - Yes.
- I've been taking a look at your record.
Doesn't look very good.
does it? Who is this? And they left for the hospital at what time, Mrs Babb? Ooh, must have been 3:15, 3:20 - somewhere around there.
Thank you.
Er, stay there, please.
Your testimony is remarkably similar to your husband's, Mrs Babb.
Word for word, almost.
Is it? Mm.
You didn't rehearse it together, did you.
By any chance? No.
If it's the same, it's cos we've had the same experience.
Ah, until your husband took Mr Vincent to the hospital.
You didn't go with them? No.
Despite the fact that you're his mother? Well, I had things to do.
They went in whose car? My husbands.
So Mr Vincent's car was left where, exactly? His car? Mm.
The one he'd arrived in.
A whale-tailed Ford Escort Cosworth in pearlescent midnight blue.
It was parked outside, I suppose.
In your drive? Um yeah.
You don't sound very sure, Mrs Babb.
Well, it wasn't the most important thing on my mind at that moment.
It wasn't in the way.
Blocking the access.
or anything? No.
So you did see it, at some point? Yeah.
So What happened to it? His car? His car.
When? When it was in your drive.
II don't understand.
All right.
I'll put it another way.
How long was Mr Vincent's car left in your drive after he'd broken his hand? I can't remember.
KAVANAGH: Well, was it just overnight, or longer? A couple of nights, I think.
A couple of nights? Yeah.
I think so.
Mr Vincent reported his car stolen the next day and it was later found burnt out, off the M1, near Bedford.
Well, it must have just been overnight, then.
But it wasn't stolen from outside your house? MRS BABB: No KAVANAGH: So it must have been moved from your house to wherever it was stolen from.
Yes.
Who did that? What? Who moved Mr Vincent's car from outside your house? Why is it so important? - Just answer the question.
please.
- I don't know.
You don't know? No, I wasn't there when it happened.
- Really? - No, I was out, down the shops.
This morning, your husband told this court that he drove the car to Mr Vincents flat and you went round in your car to pick him up.
Which is the correct version of events? My husbands.
I was confused.
I couldn't remember properly.
Isn't the truth, Mrs Babb, that, despite everything else being identical, you and your husband have given wildly differing accounts of What happened to {an Vincent's car because it was never outside your house at all? Because Ian Vincent was never at your house on that Sunday, was he? He was.
You've got together, with Vincent and your husband.
And you have simply made the whole thing up.
haven't you? No.
Because when you say he was with you your son was actually torturing and murdering Graham Foster, - wasn't he? - No! He was with us.
I'm not going to argue with you.
I just want to know how to do it, who I've got to talk to.
- Let's sit down for a moment.
- What for? You're only going to try and change my mind.
If you retract your evidence.
this case will collapse.
Vincent walks free.
Not my problem.
- What about Graham? - Don't come that again! I loved Graham and I wish he wasn't dead.
But you don't know what I'm going through.
Whatever's happened.
the best thing you can do is to tell me about it.
- Don't keep it to yourself.
- Why? What are you going to do? - Stay every night? - Ssh! Look, what's happened? If it's serious, the police will The police? It is the police.
I just had a phone call from a copper.
- At the hotel? - Yes.
- And he told you to retract? - Or they'd fit me up.
Repeat to my face what you've been saying about me behind my back.
- I beg your pardon! - I said, repeat to my face what you've been saying about me behind my back.
- At the Beerbohm.
This tie business.
- Oh, that.
Oh, you're not denying that you repeated our conversation then? - No.
- With embellishments here and there? I had no intention of wearing that tie until after I was elected.
Well.
I may have mentioned it to one or two others.
but if things then got twisted Sorry, that's not good enough.
Being something of an expert in the law of slander, I warn you that I won't let this pass.
- Unless you put the matter straight immediately.
- Are you threatening to sue me, Jeremy? Thanks to you, somebody black-balled me.
"Somebody"? Well, be my guest, old man.
But you'll only make yourself look more of an arse than you do already.
You see, what people really don't like, Jeremy, are people who make assumptions.
Shame, in a way.
It really would have been most entertaining to have had you in the club.
Good luck.
How did she know it was a policeman? He recited her record over the phone.
Places, dates, court appearances - back to when she was 13! If it wasn't the police, it was somebody in there giving them access.
It wouldn't take much to put her away, with her suspended sentence.
- You'll have to disclose it.
- To the defence? I've just spent the day wrecking Vincent's alibi.
She's falling apart, Jimmy.
All right.
What if I tell Craxton that our key witness is thinking about retracting and then Hazel suddenly decides that she won't, after all? (Sighs) - She can't stay in that hotel.
- No.
I'm running out of favours.
I suppose I'll have to put her up.
Well, what does that mean? You don't think I'd sleep with her, do you? For God's sake, man.
I'm old enough to be her father! - Her grandfather, more like.
- Conscience never stopped you in the past.
Mr Kavanagh.
- I've been looking for you.
- Mr Foster.
- Is something wrong? - You could say.
I'll tell you more tomorrow.
(Approaching footsteps) Can I help you? - Mr Kavanagh? - DCI Sampson? It was good of you to come out at such short notice.
Sounded important.
Er, Paddy tells me that you've been watching Ron Babb for a long time.
From a distance, yeah.
And he's never been in prison, has he? No.
Do you think that might be because he has friends in the force? It's a possibility.
But we've found no evidence of it to date.
- So you have been looking? - We keep an open mind.
Well, I thought I ought to report that a police officer.
Or someone with information from a police officer.
Phoned Hazel Dwyer today.
Threatened to pin something on her if she didn't withdraw her evidence.
How did he find her? - If it was a "he"? - Oh, yeah.
Did she say anything about him.
What he sounded like? Only that he didn't have a London accent.
Well, that narrows it down a bit.
- What is she going to do? - Well, she's considering her options, but my guess is she'll stand by what she said.
And how do you rate Vincent's chances if she doesn't retract? Slim, I'd say.
So they might have another go at her? Maybe.
Where is she? Safe.
Good.
Well, thanks for telling me.
I'm not sure what I can do about it, though.
Not a lot to go on.
I just thought you should know.
Thanks.
Oh, there's one more thing.
Er, you told Paddy that Babb kept Vincent away from his criminal activities, didn't you? Yeah.
Only, in the witness box, Babb described him as "Deputy General Manager".
Of the aggregates, yeah.
But that's just run as a cover for the criminal side, isn't it? It's just a title to give him some status.
It doesn't mean anything.
So you still think the idea that Vincent had something in his briefcase - incriminating him and Babb is off course? - I do.
Then why would he kill to get it back? If that was the motive.
Criminal mind, Mr Kavanagh.
You don't need me to tell you how hard it is to work out sometimes.
No.
Oh, yeah, well, cheers.
Well, I'm going to have to, ain't I? Cos I've got no bloody choice! If you want my advice, Jeremy, you should drop it.
One man decides to to misinterpret something I say during a perfectly innocent conversation the next thing you know, I'm not just black-balled, but but labelled as some some sort of grubby parvenu for the rest of my life! I'm sorry.
but.
no.
I won't.
I'm going to write to the Committee, explaining - Jeremy.
- What? I don't know how to say this gently.
It wasn't one man.
Sorry? It wasn't just one member who voted against you on the committee.
It was all of them.
Except one - me.
Sorry.
Peter? As my next witness, I call Ian Vincent.
My lady.
Miss Craxton, you specifically told the court that the defendant would not testify.
That is correct.
my lady.
but er he's now most anxious to clarify certain points in the evidence given on his behalf.
Yes, now he's heard it.
Do you have an objection to the defendant testifying, Mr Kavanagh? Far be it from me to stand in the way of a man speaking in his own defence, my lady even at this late stage.
Very well.
Miss Craxton.
Non piu andrai Farfallone amoroso - Good morning, sir.
- Morning, Tom.
Lovely day! Et tu, Peter? I've been talking to Geoffrey about the election.
Aah.
Erm my room? CRAXTON: And Where did you park your car? VINCENT: In the drive.
- It was there overnight? - Two nights.
The Saturday night when I stayed over and then the Sunday night when I couldn't drive it on account of my hand.
And then how did it get back to your flat? My stepfather drove it round the next day - the Monday.
And then how did he get back to his house? VINCENT: My mother picked him up.
CRAXTON: You're sure about that? Positive.
She gets a bit forgetful when she's wound up, you know.
Like we all do.
I suppose.
But she definitely brought their car along and he drove them both home.
Do you know the most galling aspect of this whole episode? That even if everyone else in the committee had voted yes, you.
Peter.
my proposer Your black ball would have kept me out! I mean, I I find find that very Jeremy, this tie business.
Frankly, I was appalled.
I never intended to wear it until unless I was elected! Appalled not by you, Jeremy, but by what it brought up.
"Is this the company," I thought, "into which I want to bring one of my most valued friends? And what's more.
Sting him £700 a year for the privilege?" No, I decided it was not! Oh, I see, you were doing me a favour? Jeremy one's reputation.
Such a fragile thing.
Isn't it? Too precious, I feel, to be put in the hands of people who'd simply make one a Well, the butt of their so-called "wit".
Oh, you mean, you mean they were making jokes about me? Oh, James was right.
We really are a bunch of old farts, Jeremy - even the young ones.
For what it's worth, I've resigned from the committee.
You're better off out of it altogether.
Quite a week, wasn't it, Mr Vincent? First your stepfather drops a paving slab on your hand.
Then your nice, new car is stolen.
And then you're arrested in a murder investigation.
Yes.
But I'm forgetting.
Breaking your hand wasn't your first piece of bad luck that week, was it? You had your briefcase stolen, didn't you? - Yes.
- But you didn't report it to the police? Well, no point.
They'd never have got it back.
KAVANAGH: For the insurance? VINCENT: It wasn't worth that much.
KAVANAGH: But you did want it back? According to police enquiries, you put the word about, among your associates, that you were very keen for the case to be returned and, if possible, to know who'd taken it.
Well, it was a present from my mother.
I didn't want her to think I hadn't looked after it.
So it was the case itself you wanted to get back? - Not What was in it? VINCENT: That's right.
What was in it, Mr Vincent? My flask and sandwiches.
Nothing important.
And did you get it back? No.
So it's still out there somewhere, with your flask and sandwiches? Probably on a tip somewhere.
Or in a river.
Mm.
Your car, though - you reported the theft of that to the police.
Well, that was worth something.
Strange, then, don't you think, that the thief decided to burn it? Well, it was probably kids.
Joyriders, you know - they often do that.
Because it's a good way of getting rid of any trace of who's been in the car, isn't it, Mr Vincent? Well, it's more like they just like burning things.
Your stepfather.
How do you feel about him, Mr Vincent? He's all right.
KAVANAGH: How did you feel about your mother marrying him? I don't know.
You don't know? Well, who she marries is her lookout.
Her "lookout"? That's right.
You think she has some reason to be on guard? No, I didn't say that.
- It's What you meant.
though.
isn't it? - No.
Something to do with the business, perhaps? Mr Babb taking over? No.
Were you expecting to be in charge when your father died? I was only 16.
But one day? By now, even? Did that cause difficulties with your stepfather? Well.
like he said we've had our ups and downs.
KAVANAGH: But it's all right now.
Between the two of you? VINCENT: Yes After all, you were helping him to build a patio, weren't you? - Yes.
- And you'd stayed for a meal the night before? That's right.
And he's given you an important job in his business.
Or is War We family business? It's his business.
But an important job - Deputy General Manager.
Can be.
Your stepfather said you er you did "a bit of everything".
Yes.
Which includes negotiating deals? It can do.
Talking to clients? Sometimes.
yes.
And delivering documents? No.
No documents.
No.
That's right.
But talking to clients, sometimes? Yes.
Tell me, Mr Vincent.
Have you ever talked to a client by the name of Sampson? Chris Sampson? Mr Vincent? Who? Sampson.
As in the Bible.
I believe he might be a client.
N-NO.
KAVANAGH: The name seems to ring a bell.
(Sharp intake of breath) Mr Vincent? JUDGE: Are you all right.
Mr Vincent? Mr Vincent? My lady, might I suggest a short adjournment? For the witness's convenience? JUDGE: Very well.
Ten minutes, Mr Kavanagh.
Don't you think you should have let me in on the secret a little earlier? He's an informant, isn't he? My informant.
Betraying his stepfather to the police.
And if it comes out, Babb'll kill him - in or out of prison.
Why the hell didn't you say? Oh, and you'd have kept it to yourself, would you? Could you, legally? You'd have had to have disclosed it to your client.
So you've been trying to protect him in other ways? Even seeing there was no prosecution brought in the first place? That's what was in the briefcase.
Something linking the two of you.
Something on Babb that Vincent shouldn't have had.
- What? - Look, as far as I'm concerned, that's irrelevant.
As far as I am concerned, it is central to this trial! The point is, Babb is doing a deal right now to bring into this country a large quantity of illegal arms, using his business as a front.
Now, Vincent is going to help us track them down to their delivery points around the country.
But he can't do that from inside.
He committed a murder.
How many more are going to get murdered if those guns get out on the streets? Would you want their blood on your hands? So what do you want us to do? We're not working for him, for God's sake! And he's not telling us out of kindness.
Listen, Jimmy, he's got a point.
One lad's already dead because of this.
Do you want to kill another? I cannot keep something like this to myself, Paddy.
- Are you going to tell Foster and the defence? - You know the rules.
Not in this situation, no.
And I doubt if you do, either! It'll only get back to Babb on another route.
Vincent killed Graham Foster.
His father is my client.
Not Sampson, not the Crown - George Foster.
Fine.
Kill him, then! The court will rise.
JUDGE: Mr Kavanagh.
Mr Kavanagh? Er, my lady, before I continue my cross-examination l feel it incumbent upon me to inform the court Wait? You may only address this court through your counsel.
I want to say something.
JUDGE: Mr Vincent.
1 repeat - I did it! I killed him? - My lady.
- It was because of Hazel I didn't l didn't mean to.
I just l just lost it.
I couldn't stop myself hitting him.
It was the two of them together.
I could I couldn't stand it.
II'm sorry.
I (Sighs) JUDGE: Ian Vincent.
By your own admission you have committed a heinous.
premeditated and brutal act against a young man whose only crime was to fall in love with the person you yourself desired but could not have.
The law allows only one sentence for such an act - life imprisonment.
Take him down.
(Slams) - Tom.
- Off to the club then tonight, sir? Hm? - Club? - No, not this evening.
Oh? Actually, I'm having severe doubts on that front.
- Oh, really, sir? - Hm.
Food's gone right off, you know.
And perhaps £700 a year might be better spent elsewhere.
I could get you a season ticket for that, sir.
Spurs.
Thank you, Gary.
But I was thinking rather of more um feminine orientated activities? Precisely, Tom.
After all, lam somewhat eligible, I believe.
Why deny the female of the species any longer? Why indeed, sir? Don't know which button you pushed, Mr Kavanagh, but it was brilliant.
(Door opens) Welcome home.
Graham gave me a key.
I didn't think you'd make it.
I came as soon as you called.
You can give me a hand then, girl.
Do you think Babb bought it- about the jealousy? So are you going to tell me what you were going to say? "I feel it incumbent upon me to inform the court that I wish to see Your Ladyship in chambers for guidance on a matter of disclosure.
" Put this in the fridge ages ago, just for luck.
I didn't think it'd still be there.
Or cold.
What comes of having your electricity on direct debit.
I suppose.
Graham's idea.
I was always forgetting to pay it, you see.
I gave up the booze for Graham when we started this.
I don't suppose he'd mind his old man having a little drink now, would he? To celebrate.
Let's um let's do this some other time, eh? I'll see you later.
I'm sorry.
Mr Kavanagh.
I was just No, no, I'm sorry, George - for your loss.
Truly.
(Door closes) What? Don't worry.
Nothing happened - till after she'd testified.
(Drily) Oh, well, that's all right, then.
She made herself available.
What do you expect me to do? You took advantage, like you always do.
We won, Jim - for both of them.
I think we ought to do it again.
Maybe we should quit while we're ahead.
Better than that police cell, eh? 1ST MAN: I told you not to worry.
Think yourself lucky.
2ND MAN: Well, they never had any evidence, did they? (Woman laughs) 1ST MAN: What are you having? 2ND MAN: No.
No.
it's my shout.
WOMAN: Let's have champagne.
Toast the Old Bill.
Ian Vincent? Who wants to know? You know who I am? No.
Should I? George Foster.
You murdering bastard! Ian, come here! We've only just got you out.
You want to get nicked again? You killed my son.
Murderer! Get rid of him.
(Screams) Murderer! (Pub door slams) A private prosecution for murder? Aye - and I want you to do it for free.
Huh! Do you, now? What are old friends for? Especially if they're loaded.
You always were a cheeky sod.
(Chuckles) Aye, but irresistible with it.
Well, Ellen certainly seemed to think so - among others.
- How is she, by the way? - Parted company six years ago.
Oh.
I'm sorry to hear that.
A brief indiscretion.
Ach, what the hell, that's all history now.
So, how about it? I know it's been a long time and I wish I had a nice fat fee to offer you, Jim, I really do, but my client has lost his job.
All of his redundancy money has gone to one of the witnesses.
To pay her relocation expenses after the trial.
If we get that far, that is.
Now, the suspect is a nasty piece of goods from a family of villains.
But the police, - they don't want to know.
- All right, Paddy, I get the picture.
Why don't you start at the beginning? Right, well.
we have our client's son.
Graham Foster.
Young lad.
17 coming home one Sunday morning with his girlfriend from one of these all-night raves at an old factory.
(Tyres Screech) Graham.
- Get in? GIRL: Graham.
-' - Get in! - Graham.
- Get in the car now! - Graham! - Get in.
Get in the car.
Get in the - Graham! And you, bitch, shut up! Get in the car.
Graham! Get in! Get in! You, bitch, you shut up.
Graham (Tyres Screech) Stop messing me about! Where is the case? (Thud muffles speech) A week later.
His body is fished out of the Thames.
Autopsy showed that he'd been tortured and beaten to death.
Three of his fingers were broken bent back.
Do we know why? For stealing a briefcase from a car.
It belonged to the thug with the gun - Ian Vincent.
Why aren't the CPS dealing with this? The girlfriend, Hazel Dwyer, was intimidated into withdrawing her witness statement.
The police had to release Vincent without charge.
- This Hazel was the only witness? - Aye She knew Vincent because she'd worked for his stepfather - bloke called Ron Babb.
Runs this aggregates company on the river but whose real game is crime.
Protection, mostly.
It was his heavies scared the wee girl off.
Why did Graham steal the case? Apparently, he'd steal anything.
But to kill him, though! My guess is that there was something in the briefcase that incriminated Babb or Vincent in some way.
Something that Vincent was desperate shouldn't get out.
I don't know about you.
But I can't stomach seeing an arrogant sod get away with murder.
Oh, not another freebie, Mr Kavanagh, please! I don't do that many.
You're going to bankrupt us, sir.
(Telephone rings) All right, but no junior - sorry.
Not from River Court, anyway.
But think of the kudos, Tom! For the chambers.
There have only been four private prosecutions for murder in the past century! It's a piece of history.
Yeah, and how many of them were won, sir? With respect.
All right, just look on it as a as a loss leader, then.
It'll bring in work later.
If you say so, sir.
(Telephone rings) God save us from silks with a social conscience.
With respect, Michael, the fact that one works at the Treasury doesn't necessarily mean one is Au fait with what's going on out there in the real world.
(Chess clock ticks) Well, I mean, you know, take the ordinary chap on less than, say, 40 thou a year.
- Jeremy.
- Peter.
Sorry to have abandoned you for so long.
You know committees.
Oh, no, no.
Not at all, Geoffrey.
No, I admire your devotion to duty.
And somebody's got to run the place.
- Ssh! - Sorry.
- Something to show you.
- Oh.
Don't mind if we borrow him for a few moments, do you, gentlemen? Excuse me.
There we are first on the list.
Aah! At last.
- The election's still some way off.
- No, no, no.
No matter.
The end is in sight.
(Engine revs) I can sort it myself, Ron.
What, like you sorted Graham Foster? Look, Tarantino, the last thing I need right now is the police round here again, so if you want to get off this summons.
You do exactly what I say.
Right? Right? - Right.
- Good.
And for now that's nothing.
Just leave it to me.
Now get back in your kennel and get on with some work.
He's right, you know, Ian.
Shouldn't talk to me like that.
Dad wouldn't have.
Maybe so.
But if it wasn't for Ron, all this'd be gone by now, and you'd be on remand! Just you remember that.
(Man rattles letter box flap) (Birdsong) I'm a businessman, Mr Spence.
All I want is just a bit of peace and quiet.
I don't need all this aggravation- a trial, the media Who would? Not George, I'm sure.
Not if there was an alternative.
What exactly are you saying? He should be compensated - financially.
Not that I think he's justified.
Don't get me wrong.
But as a businessman Well, let's just say jaw-jaw is better than war-war.
And if he rejects your offer? Persuade him.
Hey, nice little commission in it for you, as well.
He can even name his price, within reason.
Now.
what with that.
his redundancy money he can drown his conscience till the Millennium comes, if he likes.
Long as his liver lasts.
I doubt if he'd be interested, Mr Babb, and I'm certainly not - with or without commission.
You got family, Mr Spence? Only, if you have, you'll understand the sort of emotions get stirred up when this sort of thing happens on both sides.
George has lost a son.
My wife stands to lose hers.
Me, a stepson.
It'd be a shame to see anybody else get hurt here.
Wouldn't it? Especially if one of them is a professional man with friends at Scotland Yard.
Good day to you, Mr Babb.
(Sighs) - How much?! - £700 a year.
£696, to be exact.
Plus VAT, of course.
- Minus, praise be, Les femmes.
FOXCOTT: Huh.
You're a single man, Jeremy, and you've waited seven years to join a club with no women? We're not all governed by our groin, James.
- The Beerbohm does have other attractions.
- Such as? Ooh, two dining rooms, bar, reading room.
Television room, billiard room, card room, library.
Excellent conversation.
Contacts - especially in this business.
Its reputation, of course.
Frankly, James, I'm honoured that Peter consented to put my name down.
All those years ago.
Well, I suppose these clubs have one thing going for them.
- Mm? - Keep a lot of old farts off the streets.
Hah'.
Er, I've put Mr Spence in your room, sir, along with another gentleman.
Sad, really.
Sour grapes.
He's never been invited to join one, you see.
Did you go to the police? I find the old "friends at the Yard" line usually does the trick.
It seems to make criminals very nervous about coming too close to me or my clients.
Risky, though, I'd have thought.
As a matter of fact, I do have a friend at Scotland Yard.
Very useful he is, too.
And how are you, Mr Foster? Where are you staying? I've found a room across town.
- And Hazel? - With a friend.
North London, somewhere.
- Obviously Babb's offer is of no interest? - You think scum like that can buy me off? Was a time maybe he would have.
Not now.
Changes you, something like this.
Well I'll be wanting the jury to hear evidence about Graham.
- Are you happy to describe your relationship? - No.
But it's important to buildup a picture of what sort of person he was.
The sort of person Graham was was a liar and a thief.
He did drugs.
I tried after my wife left, but, well I'm surprised he didn't turn out worse, if you really want to know.
Not much of a character reference, am I? It all sounds a bit grim, from what Jim tells me.
Aye, well, that's the underclasses for you, Lizzie.
They just don't know how to behave themselves.
Oh, thank you.
Mm, that smells interesting.
It's some speciality from the old days, apparently.
(Oven fan whirs) Paddy.
There you go.
Oh, don't say you've forgotten.
It's the only stuff we used to drink.
It's a pig to find down here, as well.
Cheers.
Cheers.
- Oh, God! Did we? - (Chuckles) Filthy, isn't it? Rioja? That's more like it.
Er, what are we having? This smells familiar.
He's being rather secretive about it.
Ragout de Poisson Au sauce piquante de tomate.
Pilchard stew? Spot-on.
(Approaching footsteps) Jeremy Alderman.
isn't it? Er, Aldermarten.
Oh, I do beg your pardon.
Charles Lesser.
I saw you in the dining room earlier with Peter Foxcott and I thought I must say hello.
- I've heard a lot about you.
- Oh Really? You're quite a presence these days - the talk of the club.
And up for membership, too, I see.
Yes.
Yes, finally.
So what do you think, then? Fingers crossed? Well Oh, come on.
You can't be expecting any trouble, surely, with your proposer and seconder both on the committee.
Well, that can't hurt.
Although, of course, one one likes to feel one has something to offer in one's own right.
So I've heard.
Maybe you should start thinking about ordering one of these.
Oh Between you and me, it's already in the top drawer.
Is it? Is it, really? Ah! Here comes Peter.
Well, very good to meet you, Jeremy.
Oh, and you, er Charles.
Well, well, what a charming chap.
Lord Lesser? (Dubiously) Mm, yes.
(lndistinct tannoy announcement) More? Er, no.
No, that was just enough, thanks.
I haven't had this in 30 years.
I wonder why.
(Mobile phone rings) - Oh.
that's me.
I'm sorry.
I I'm on duty roster.
I'll I'll take it outside.
Hello.
Spence.
I No.
don't worry.
What's the matter? I think he's got a bloody nerve.
I mean, he hasn't seen you for what? 30 years or more? He's never offered you work in all that time and he just waltzes in asking for a favour! It's a worthwhile case.
Unusual.
And we were best mates at Nottingham.
The same year.
Big deal.
Look what he's landed you with.
An alcoholic client.
Yep.
Precious little hard evidence and everything riding on one terrified witness.
That was Hazel.
She's had a bust-up with her friend.
She's moving out.
- Hazel? - Thanks.
- Is this everything? - Yeah.
Sorry about this, Mr Spence.
She got scared of having me there.
- It's OK.
- Where are we going? Ah, it's a friend of mine has a place down here.
You can stay there for a few nights.
You'll be all right.
If you say, "I told you so" It's just that (Sighs) Sometimes I don't know, you just seem to go out of your way to find the maximum aggravation.
"For evil to triumph.
It is sufficient only that good men do nothing" Or words to that effect.
(Kavanagh sighs) - And here endeth the first lesson.
- (Chuckles) Gee, you put the heart across me.
Sorry, Paddy.
Give you a fright? I thought you Scotland Yard boys knockoff at five.
Yeah, if only.
Ron Babb, and all his works.
Oh, great.
Any thoughts on the briefcase, what might have been inside it? Well, only that you're barking up the wrong tree.
Babb keeps Vincent away from all the criminal stuff.
- He's not the brightest of lads, you see.
- Oh.
Careful how you tread, Paddy.
You've no idea what you're getting yourself into.
And Hazel Dwyer has got a two-year suspended hanging over her for perjury.
Lied for a friend in court and got found out.
Word is, she'll say anything for a price.
If you want my advice, forget it.
(Reporters clamour) REPORTER: This way, Mr Vincent! I can't believe we've come to this.
BABE".
Excuse me:! REPORTERS: Hazel! Hazel! REPORTER: Can we just have a word? - Get back.
(Reporters fire questions) You, will you get out of my way? (Raised voices) FOSTER: Who's their brief? KAVANAGH: Susan Craxton QC.
- Any good? - Very.
(Camera shutters click) What happens about her record? You know, the perjury? Came as no surprise to the defence.
FOSTER: Wish I'd known before I offered her the money.
Got to go in here.
- Are you OK? - I feel a bit sick.
I'll just be next door.
Well, well.
Hello, Hazel.
Don't worry, I won't bite.
I haven't finished yet.
How much are you getting "relocation expenses"? None of your (Yells in pain) Five thousand.
(Tuts) Ten - if you do the decent thing.
- And if you don't (Door opens) Are you OK? (Phone rings) - Good morning, Peter.
- Jeremy.
Big day.
The election.
Ah, yes.
Lunch time.
Peter? Jeremy.
I, I don't suppose you could you, you know call me, could you? With the result? Sorry, Jeremy.
Not done, I'm afraid.
One simply has to wait for the thump of vellum on doormat.
(Foxcott chuckles) They are sent first class.
Well, what's another day? Hm! Before long.
Vincent discovered who the thief was, so then it was simply a question of finding the right time and the right place.
He chose a quiet Sunday morning on a deserted city road.
He forced Graham into his car at gunpoint and drove him to an unknown location Where he formed and bear him so severely he died But to cover his tracks.
Vincent had to lie and intimidate witnesses.
Leaving a trail that the prosecution will now show incriminates him beyond any reasonable doubt.
As my first witness, I call Hazel Dwyer.
Hazel Dwyer? SPENCE: Hazel.
Hazel Dwyer? Yes.
she's just I can't.
What? I've got to think.
My lady er, Miss Dwyer appears to be temporarily indisposed.
So, with your permission I should like to call Dr Ravi Mirchandani.
What is the nature of Miss Dwyers indisposition, Mr Kavanagh? A certain queasiness, I believe.
Possibly nerves.
Dr Ravi Mirchandani? FOSTER: Hazel' - Hazel! - Sir, please.
And the marks on Graham's face, do you have any opinion as to what might have caused them? They are consistent with the pattern left by a punch from a fist wearing a ring or rings.
KAVANAGH: A fist wearing a ring or rings? - Yes.
Thank you, Dr Mirchandani.
Please stay there.
Dr Mirchandani, you say the body was recovered from the Thames on the 19th? Yes, that's right.
So how can you be so sure death occurred four days earlier, on Sunday the 15th? The prosecution calls Dr Helen Kibbler.
KAVANAGH: And how was Mr Vincent when he arrived at the Casualty Department? In a lot of pain.
His right hand had swollen so badly that two of his fingers were almost black, because his rings were stopping the circulation of the blood.
A nurse had to cut them off - the rings, that is.
And did you ask how he'd come to break his hand? Yes.
He said a paving stone had been dropped on it, but it looked to me like he'd been in a fight.
His knuckles were bruised and grazed on both hands.
So you don't know if the bruises and grazing are actually related to the fractures at all, do you? The injuries are consistent with each other.
Consistent but not dependent.
It is possible, isn't it, that Mr Vincent could have broken his hand in exactly the way he said, isn't it? - I suppose it's possible, but - Thank you Nothing further.
The court's been very patient, Mr Kavanagh, but this seems rather like Hamlet without the prince.
Do we see Miss Dwyer or shall I stop the case? I take Your Ladyship's point.
I've just been talking to Mr Kavanagh, Hazel.
Unless you give evidence immediately after lunch, the Judge is going to call it quits.
You've been through so much for this.
You owe it to yourself to finish it.
(Laughter) Er, if we can come to order, please, gentlemen, as quickly as you can.
Then he told me he'd already got it in the top drawer, ready and waiting.
- You hadn't heard? - No.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
So the election of new members.
Now, first, Mr Jeremy Aldermarten QC.
Proposer: Mr Peter Foxcott.
And seconded by Sir Geoffrey Pack-Martin.
Reveal your balls, please, gentlemen.
Thank you.
And now.
as ever.
white for yes.
Black for no and We require all white for acceptance.
(Door opens) Funny sort of time for an election, Mr Aldermarten.
Yes.
Yes, well, you know, Tom.
These traditions, you know, they just sort of grow up, especially in clubs.
Nobody quite knows how.
All lost in the mist of time, I suppose.
- Yes, yes, quite.
- It's like at Spurs.
We always go to the Park Lane end, for some reason, Spurs fans.
Good Lord! I've never seen this before.
The ayes.
Jeremy jumped the gun.
He's already bought the tie.
- What? - Advertised the fact to Charlie Lesser! It's gone round like wildfire.
Not his first faux pas, either.
- So that's why you - Yes.
A seven-year wait to become a laughing stock? It just wouldn't be humane.
(Door opens) Take the book in your right hand and read from the card aloud.
- She's all over the place.
Will she deliver? - I swear by Almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Are you feeling better now, Miss Dwyer? (Subdued) Yes.
Please speak up, Miss Dwyer.
We all want to hear you.
Miss Dwyer, would you tell the court where you were in the early morning of Sunday October the 15th last year? Um Were you with anyone? (Low murmuring) Hazel? Did you know Graham Foster? Yes.
How did you know him? He was my boyfriend.
How long had you been together? About a year.
A year? So you started going out with him when he was just 16? And how old were you? - NS.
- You were older than him? HAZEL".
Didn't matter.
KAVANAGH: No? No.
He he was special, you know.
Special? In what way? He didn't try to make me do what I didn't want to, like most people.
He respected you? Yep.
Let you be yourself? Yeah.
And with me he was himself, and all.
And how was that? Kind.
Funny.
- Made me laugh.
KAVANAGH: Some people would say he was just a petty criminal, a thief.
Doesn't make him a bad person! Anyway, that was just cos of his dad.
KAVANAGH: How do you mean? Never had time for him, except to shout at him - when he wasn't pissed, that is.
Sorry Drunk.
You mean.
he committed these petty crimes just to get attention from his father? I think so.
But you did have time for him? I Loved him? What happened must have been very hard for you, then.
His death and er the way his body was found.
(Sobs) Are you all right to continue, Miss Dwyer? (Sniffs) Sorry.
Would you like a short break? I'm OK.
Mr Kavanagh, might we go to the day in question, please? Hazel were you with Graham in the early morning of Sunday October the 15th last year? Look at me, Hazel.
There's nothing to be scared of.
Yes.
You were with Graham that morning? - Yes.
- What happened? Hazel, what happened on that Sunday morning to Graham Foster? - The young man you say you loved.
- I did love him! Then tell us what happened.
He took him away.
He jumped out with this gun and I couldn't believe it.
It was like a film.
you know.
I mean, we was just walking down the road.
I thought he'd shoot us, but he made Graham get in the car and I never saw him again.
(Sobs) (Sobs) Until last September, you worked at the same company as Ian Vincent, didn't you, Miss Dwyer - Babb Aggregates Limited - as an office junior? Yes.
And isn't it true.
Miss Dwyer.
That you hold a grudge against him because it was his complaint about your aggressive attitude - that led to your dismissal from that job? - I was sacked cos I didn't go out with him.
You were sacked.
And now you want to get your own back by making up this elaborate story about Graham Foster's abduction at gunpoint? - It's not a story.
- Isn't it? No.
It's true.
I see.
And is it also true that.
having retracted your statement to the police.
You only agreed to testify today after the promise of five thousand pounds if you did so? - Yeah, but - The money to assist this witness was fully disclosed to the defence and I am more than happy to say why it was offered.
If my learned friend so wishes.
The witness need not answer, my lady.
FOSTER".
And he gets to go home every night.
- He's not in custody.
FOSTER: Yet.
Do you think Hazel's done enough? I could have done without that stunt by his counsel.
And there's her record, of course.
But, yes, enough for me to have a crack at the alibi.
It really sounded like Hazel felt something for Graham.
I think she did, Mr Foster.
I'll be with you in er in half an hour, tops.
Don't look so worried.
It'll be fine.
(Engine starts up) REPORTERS: Hazel! Hazel! REPORTER: Hello! Hazel! (Sighs) So she came up with the goods, then, despite what your man in Criminal Intelligence said? Mm.
And he's not my man.
He's Paddy's.
(Car alarm siren in distance) TV: and showers for most of us.
It'll be cooler and breezier as well.
Especially in the Northwest.
And more persistent rain towards the end of the week.
- More details on that later.
- Dom go.
I can't stay here all night, Hazel.
(Sighs) I'm scared, Mr Spence.
There's no need to be.
There's just the Babbs' alibi evidence and then ifs all over.
Please don't go.
OK.
(Distant laughter) JUDGE: Miss Craxton.
Have you advised your client that the stage has now been reached at which he may give evidence? And if he chooses not to do so or, having been sworn, without good cause refuses to answer any questions, the jury may draw such inferences as appear proper from his failure to do so.
He has been so advised, my lady, and he will not be called as a witness in his own defence.
I would like to call Ronald James Babb.
There's no-one there now.
HAZEL".
I'm telling you.
he was there.
Watching.
Oh, look, just give me my money and I'm off.
II can't.
Not until the trial's over.
But I've done my bit.
Aye, but we might need you again.
You never know in this game.
Game? It'll be a couple more days - three at the most.
And then you're away free.
- Three days? - Look.
I've got to go.
You just lock the door behind me and don't answer it to anyone.
Do you understand me, now? I'll come back when the court is over for the day and er, we'll sort something out.
What? Look, you just lock the door.
(Opens door) (Closes door) ls Mr Foxcott in? No, sir, not yet.
KAVANAGH: Mr Babb.
you've told this court that tan Vincent was with you from Saturday evening.
October the 14th until past six the next day - Sunday.
The day of the murder.
That's right.
He came to supper.
Stayed the night and then helped you with the patio you were building? At the time, yes.
And just after Sunday lunch, you accidentally dropped a paving slab on his hand, breaking it? They're very heavy and I'm not as young as I used to be.
Hm.
And then you took him to hospital.
Because he couldn't drive himself on account of his hand.
And at around six o'clock, once he'd been treated and his hand put in a cast, you drove him back to his flat? Yes.
So what happened to his car? Because it was still at your house, wasn't it? I drove it round the next day.
He gave you the keys.
then? - Obviously.
- When? Well, I don't remember exactly.
Er, when I dropped him off, I suppose.
But how did you get back from his flat if you'd gone there in his car? My wife.
She came round in our car and I drove us back.
I see.
You're Ian Vincent's stepfather, aren't you, Mr Babb? Yes.
- How would you describe your relationship? - In what way? Well, children and step-parents, there's often friction, isn't there? BABE".
Yes.
but I don't see what that's got to do with anything.
KAVANAGH: I'm trying to establish the son' of relationship you had with your stepson.
Mr Babb.
BABE".
Normal.
I suppose.
And what's that, exactly? Normal.
You know, up and down, like most relationships.
Is this leading us anywhere, Mr Kavanagh? To a clearer understanding of the family background of the accused, my lady.
Very well, as long as the light shines sooner rather than later.
KAVANAGH: My lady.
No reason.
Nothing.
Not a single, solitary word of explanation, after seven years! I'm so sorry.
Your application for membership has been unsuccessful this time.
"This time"? What does that mean? Am I supposed to put my name down again, in the hope that in seven years the black-balling swine that shafted me will have snuffed it? Jeremy, I know it's very upsetting, but it's not the end of the world.
Really.
There are other clubs.
Why? You're on the committee, Peter.
You must know.
It's a secret ballot.
But you must have heard something - some whisper, surely? Well What? Some business about trying to pass yourself off as a member with a club tie you bought.
My God! What? Peter, I've been slandered! So you gave Mr Vincent a job in his fathers old business.
With some responsibility? - Deputy General Manager.
- Deputy General Manager.
Which means what, exactly? He deputises for the General Manager.
- You? - From time to time.
And what does he do when he's not deputising for you? BABB: All sorts.
KAVANAGH: Such as? - A bit of everything.
Negotiating contracts? A bit.
- Dealing with clients? - Sometimes.
Delivering documents? We use the Post Office for that, or the fax.
But overall.
He had a good general idea of the business? BABB: Yes - And you'd be sorry to lose him? - I would.
- So sorry.
in fact.
That you would do anything to keep him out of prison, wouldn't you, Mr Babb? Like tell this court a pack of lies! I don't have to lie because he's innocent.
TV: It stated a door-to-door newspaper-collection service.
(Phone rings) The new landfill tax means local councils (Phone continues to ring) for industrial waste now have to pay - Hello? MAN: Hazel Dwyer? - Yes.
- I've been taking a look at your record.
Doesn't look very good.
does it? Who is this? And they left for the hospital at what time, Mrs Babb? Ooh, must have been 3:15, 3:20 - somewhere around there.
Thank you.
Er, stay there, please.
Your testimony is remarkably similar to your husband's, Mrs Babb.
Word for word, almost.
Is it? Mm.
You didn't rehearse it together, did you.
By any chance? No.
If it's the same, it's cos we've had the same experience.
Ah, until your husband took Mr Vincent to the hospital.
You didn't go with them? No.
Despite the fact that you're his mother? Well, I had things to do.
They went in whose car? My husbands.
So Mr Vincent's car was left where, exactly? His car? Mm.
The one he'd arrived in.
A whale-tailed Ford Escort Cosworth in pearlescent midnight blue.
It was parked outside, I suppose.
In your drive? Um yeah.
You don't sound very sure, Mrs Babb.
Well, it wasn't the most important thing on my mind at that moment.
It wasn't in the way.
Blocking the access.
or anything? No.
So you did see it, at some point? Yeah.
So What happened to it? His car? His car.
When? When it was in your drive.
II don't understand.
All right.
I'll put it another way.
How long was Mr Vincent's car left in your drive after he'd broken his hand? I can't remember.
KAVANAGH: Well, was it just overnight, or longer? A couple of nights, I think.
A couple of nights? Yeah.
I think so.
Mr Vincent reported his car stolen the next day and it was later found burnt out, off the M1, near Bedford.
Well, it must have just been overnight, then.
But it wasn't stolen from outside your house? MRS BABB: No KAVANAGH: So it must have been moved from your house to wherever it was stolen from.
Yes.
Who did that? What? Who moved Mr Vincent's car from outside your house? Why is it so important? - Just answer the question.
please.
- I don't know.
You don't know? No, I wasn't there when it happened.
- Really? - No, I was out, down the shops.
This morning, your husband told this court that he drove the car to Mr Vincents flat and you went round in your car to pick him up.
Which is the correct version of events? My husbands.
I was confused.
I couldn't remember properly.
Isn't the truth, Mrs Babb, that, despite everything else being identical, you and your husband have given wildly differing accounts of What happened to {an Vincent's car because it was never outside your house at all? Because Ian Vincent was never at your house on that Sunday, was he? He was.
You've got together, with Vincent and your husband.
And you have simply made the whole thing up.
haven't you? No.
Because when you say he was with you your son was actually torturing and murdering Graham Foster, - wasn't he? - No! He was with us.
I'm not going to argue with you.
I just want to know how to do it, who I've got to talk to.
- Let's sit down for a moment.
- What for? You're only going to try and change my mind.
If you retract your evidence.
this case will collapse.
Vincent walks free.
Not my problem.
- What about Graham? - Don't come that again! I loved Graham and I wish he wasn't dead.
But you don't know what I'm going through.
Whatever's happened.
the best thing you can do is to tell me about it.
- Don't keep it to yourself.
- Why? What are you going to do? - Stay every night? - Ssh! Look, what's happened? If it's serious, the police will The police? It is the police.
I just had a phone call from a copper.
- At the hotel? - Yes.
- And he told you to retract? - Or they'd fit me up.
Repeat to my face what you've been saying about me behind my back.
- I beg your pardon! - I said, repeat to my face what you've been saying about me behind my back.
- At the Beerbohm.
This tie business.
- Oh, that.
Oh, you're not denying that you repeated our conversation then? - No.
- With embellishments here and there? I had no intention of wearing that tie until after I was elected.
Well.
I may have mentioned it to one or two others.
but if things then got twisted Sorry, that's not good enough.
Being something of an expert in the law of slander, I warn you that I won't let this pass.
- Unless you put the matter straight immediately.
- Are you threatening to sue me, Jeremy? Thanks to you, somebody black-balled me.
"Somebody"? Well, be my guest, old man.
But you'll only make yourself look more of an arse than you do already.
You see, what people really don't like, Jeremy, are people who make assumptions.
Shame, in a way.
It really would have been most entertaining to have had you in the club.
Good luck.
How did she know it was a policeman? He recited her record over the phone.
Places, dates, court appearances - back to when she was 13! If it wasn't the police, it was somebody in there giving them access.
It wouldn't take much to put her away, with her suspended sentence.
- You'll have to disclose it.
- To the defence? I've just spent the day wrecking Vincent's alibi.
She's falling apart, Jimmy.
All right.
What if I tell Craxton that our key witness is thinking about retracting and then Hazel suddenly decides that she won't, after all? (Sighs) - She can't stay in that hotel.
- No.
I'm running out of favours.
I suppose I'll have to put her up.
Well, what does that mean? You don't think I'd sleep with her, do you? For God's sake, man.
I'm old enough to be her father! - Her grandfather, more like.
- Conscience never stopped you in the past.
Mr Kavanagh.
- I've been looking for you.
- Mr Foster.
- Is something wrong? - You could say.
I'll tell you more tomorrow.
(Approaching footsteps) Can I help you? - Mr Kavanagh? - DCI Sampson? It was good of you to come out at such short notice.
Sounded important.
Er, Paddy tells me that you've been watching Ron Babb for a long time.
From a distance, yeah.
And he's never been in prison, has he? No.
Do you think that might be because he has friends in the force? It's a possibility.
But we've found no evidence of it to date.
- So you have been looking? - We keep an open mind.
Well, I thought I ought to report that a police officer.
Or someone with information from a police officer.
Phoned Hazel Dwyer today.
Threatened to pin something on her if she didn't withdraw her evidence.
How did he find her? - If it was a "he"? - Oh, yeah.
Did she say anything about him.
What he sounded like? Only that he didn't have a London accent.
Well, that narrows it down a bit.
- What is she going to do? - Well, she's considering her options, but my guess is she'll stand by what she said.
And how do you rate Vincent's chances if she doesn't retract? Slim, I'd say.
So they might have another go at her? Maybe.
Where is she? Safe.
Good.
Well, thanks for telling me.
I'm not sure what I can do about it, though.
Not a lot to go on.
I just thought you should know.
Thanks.
Oh, there's one more thing.
Er, you told Paddy that Babb kept Vincent away from his criminal activities, didn't you? Yeah.
Only, in the witness box, Babb described him as "Deputy General Manager".
Of the aggregates, yeah.
But that's just run as a cover for the criminal side, isn't it? It's just a title to give him some status.
It doesn't mean anything.
So you still think the idea that Vincent had something in his briefcase - incriminating him and Babb is off course? - I do.
Then why would he kill to get it back? If that was the motive.
Criminal mind, Mr Kavanagh.
You don't need me to tell you how hard it is to work out sometimes.
No.
Oh, yeah, well, cheers.
Well, I'm going to have to, ain't I? Cos I've got no bloody choice! If you want my advice, Jeremy, you should drop it.
One man decides to to misinterpret something I say during a perfectly innocent conversation the next thing you know, I'm not just black-balled, but but labelled as some some sort of grubby parvenu for the rest of my life! I'm sorry.
but.
no.
I won't.
I'm going to write to the Committee, explaining - Jeremy.
- What? I don't know how to say this gently.
It wasn't one man.
Sorry? It wasn't just one member who voted against you on the committee.
It was all of them.
Except one - me.
Sorry.
Peter? As my next witness, I call Ian Vincent.
My lady.
Miss Craxton, you specifically told the court that the defendant would not testify.
That is correct.
my lady.
but er he's now most anxious to clarify certain points in the evidence given on his behalf.
Yes, now he's heard it.
Do you have an objection to the defendant testifying, Mr Kavanagh? Far be it from me to stand in the way of a man speaking in his own defence, my lady even at this late stage.
Very well.
Miss Craxton.
Non piu andrai Farfallone amoroso - Good morning, sir.
- Morning, Tom.
Lovely day! Et tu, Peter? I've been talking to Geoffrey about the election.
Aah.
Erm my room? CRAXTON: And Where did you park your car? VINCENT: In the drive.
- It was there overnight? - Two nights.
The Saturday night when I stayed over and then the Sunday night when I couldn't drive it on account of my hand.
And then how did it get back to your flat? My stepfather drove it round the next day - the Monday.
And then how did he get back to his house? VINCENT: My mother picked him up.
CRAXTON: You're sure about that? Positive.
She gets a bit forgetful when she's wound up, you know.
Like we all do.
I suppose.
But she definitely brought their car along and he drove them both home.
Do you know the most galling aspect of this whole episode? That even if everyone else in the committee had voted yes, you.
Peter.
my proposer Your black ball would have kept me out! I mean, I I find find that very Jeremy, this tie business.
Frankly, I was appalled.
I never intended to wear it until unless I was elected! Appalled not by you, Jeremy, but by what it brought up.
"Is this the company," I thought, "into which I want to bring one of my most valued friends? And what's more.
Sting him £700 a year for the privilege?" No, I decided it was not! Oh, I see, you were doing me a favour? Jeremy one's reputation.
Such a fragile thing.
Isn't it? Too precious, I feel, to be put in the hands of people who'd simply make one a Well, the butt of their so-called "wit".
Oh, you mean, you mean they were making jokes about me? Oh, James was right.
We really are a bunch of old farts, Jeremy - even the young ones.
For what it's worth, I've resigned from the committee.
You're better off out of it altogether.
Quite a week, wasn't it, Mr Vincent? First your stepfather drops a paving slab on your hand.
Then your nice, new car is stolen.
And then you're arrested in a murder investigation.
Yes.
But I'm forgetting.
Breaking your hand wasn't your first piece of bad luck that week, was it? You had your briefcase stolen, didn't you? - Yes.
- But you didn't report it to the police? Well, no point.
They'd never have got it back.
KAVANAGH: For the insurance? VINCENT: It wasn't worth that much.
KAVANAGH: But you did want it back? According to police enquiries, you put the word about, among your associates, that you were very keen for the case to be returned and, if possible, to know who'd taken it.
Well, it was a present from my mother.
I didn't want her to think I hadn't looked after it.
So it was the case itself you wanted to get back? - Not What was in it? VINCENT: That's right.
What was in it, Mr Vincent? My flask and sandwiches.
Nothing important.
And did you get it back? No.
So it's still out there somewhere, with your flask and sandwiches? Probably on a tip somewhere.
Or in a river.
Mm.
Your car, though - you reported the theft of that to the police.
Well, that was worth something.
Strange, then, don't you think, that the thief decided to burn it? Well, it was probably kids.
Joyriders, you know - they often do that.
Because it's a good way of getting rid of any trace of who's been in the car, isn't it, Mr Vincent? Well, it's more like they just like burning things.
Your stepfather.
How do you feel about him, Mr Vincent? He's all right.
KAVANAGH: How did you feel about your mother marrying him? I don't know.
You don't know? Well, who she marries is her lookout.
Her "lookout"? That's right.
You think she has some reason to be on guard? No, I didn't say that.
- It's What you meant.
though.
isn't it? - No.
Something to do with the business, perhaps? Mr Babb taking over? No.
Were you expecting to be in charge when your father died? I was only 16.
But one day? By now, even? Did that cause difficulties with your stepfather? Well.
like he said we've had our ups and downs.
KAVANAGH: But it's all right now.
Between the two of you? VINCENT: Yes After all, you were helping him to build a patio, weren't you? - Yes.
- And you'd stayed for a meal the night before? That's right.
And he's given you an important job in his business.
Or is War We family business? It's his business.
But an important job - Deputy General Manager.
Can be.
Your stepfather said you er you did "a bit of everything".
Yes.
Which includes negotiating deals? It can do.
Talking to clients? Sometimes.
yes.
And delivering documents? No.
No documents.
No.
That's right.
But talking to clients, sometimes? Yes.
Tell me, Mr Vincent.
Have you ever talked to a client by the name of Sampson? Chris Sampson? Mr Vincent? Who? Sampson.
As in the Bible.
I believe he might be a client.
N-NO.
KAVANAGH: The name seems to ring a bell.
(Sharp intake of breath) Mr Vincent? JUDGE: Are you all right.
Mr Vincent? Mr Vincent? My lady, might I suggest a short adjournment? For the witness's convenience? JUDGE: Very well.
Ten minutes, Mr Kavanagh.
Don't you think you should have let me in on the secret a little earlier? He's an informant, isn't he? My informant.
Betraying his stepfather to the police.
And if it comes out, Babb'll kill him - in or out of prison.
Why the hell didn't you say? Oh, and you'd have kept it to yourself, would you? Could you, legally? You'd have had to have disclosed it to your client.
So you've been trying to protect him in other ways? Even seeing there was no prosecution brought in the first place? That's what was in the briefcase.
Something linking the two of you.
Something on Babb that Vincent shouldn't have had.
- What? - Look, as far as I'm concerned, that's irrelevant.
As far as I am concerned, it is central to this trial! The point is, Babb is doing a deal right now to bring into this country a large quantity of illegal arms, using his business as a front.
Now, Vincent is going to help us track them down to their delivery points around the country.
But he can't do that from inside.
He committed a murder.
How many more are going to get murdered if those guns get out on the streets? Would you want their blood on your hands? So what do you want us to do? We're not working for him, for God's sake! And he's not telling us out of kindness.
Listen, Jimmy, he's got a point.
One lad's already dead because of this.
Do you want to kill another? I cannot keep something like this to myself, Paddy.
- Are you going to tell Foster and the defence? - You know the rules.
Not in this situation, no.
And I doubt if you do, either! It'll only get back to Babb on another route.
Vincent killed Graham Foster.
His father is my client.
Not Sampson, not the Crown - George Foster.
Fine.
Kill him, then! The court will rise.
JUDGE: Mr Kavanagh.
Mr Kavanagh? Er, my lady, before I continue my cross-examination l feel it incumbent upon me to inform the court Wait? You may only address this court through your counsel.
I want to say something.
JUDGE: Mr Vincent.
1 repeat - I did it! I killed him? - My lady.
- It was because of Hazel I didn't l didn't mean to.
I just l just lost it.
I couldn't stop myself hitting him.
It was the two of them together.
I could I couldn't stand it.
II'm sorry.
I (Sighs) JUDGE: Ian Vincent.
By your own admission you have committed a heinous.
premeditated and brutal act against a young man whose only crime was to fall in love with the person you yourself desired but could not have.
The law allows only one sentence for such an act - life imprisonment.
Take him down.
(Slams) - Tom.
- Off to the club then tonight, sir? Hm? - Club? - No, not this evening.
Oh? Actually, I'm having severe doubts on that front.
- Oh, really, sir? - Hm.
Food's gone right off, you know.
And perhaps £700 a year might be better spent elsewhere.
I could get you a season ticket for that, sir.
Spurs.
Thank you, Gary.
But I was thinking rather of more um feminine orientated activities? Precisely, Tom.
After all, lam somewhat eligible, I believe.
Why deny the female of the species any longer? Why indeed, sir? Don't know which button you pushed, Mr Kavanagh, but it was brilliant.
(Door opens) Welcome home.
Graham gave me a key.
I didn't think you'd make it.
I came as soon as you called.
You can give me a hand then, girl.
Do you think Babb bought it- about the jealousy? So are you going to tell me what you were going to say? "I feel it incumbent upon me to inform the court that I wish to see Your Ladyship in chambers for guidance on a matter of disclosure.
" Put this in the fridge ages ago, just for luck.
I didn't think it'd still be there.
Or cold.
What comes of having your electricity on direct debit.
I suppose.
Graham's idea.
I was always forgetting to pay it, you see.
I gave up the booze for Graham when we started this.
I don't suppose he'd mind his old man having a little drink now, would he? To celebrate.
Let's um let's do this some other time, eh? I'll see you later.
I'm sorry.
Mr Kavanagh.
I was just No, no, I'm sorry, George - for your loss.
Truly.
(Door closes) What? Don't worry.
Nothing happened - till after she'd testified.
(Drily) Oh, well, that's all right, then.
She made herself available.
What do you expect me to do? You took advantage, like you always do.
We won, Jim - for both of them.
I think we ought to do it again.
Maybe we should quit while we're ahead.