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?
DEVICE CHIMES Get in!
Is it a match?
The micro fragment from Talitha's bracelet matches the rucksack.
That's it. We got her.
ANIMATED DISTANT SHOUTING
THEY SHOUT, CHANT
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.
CLAMOURING
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.
TALITHA LAUGHS
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?
KNOCK AT DOOR, DOOR OPENS
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.
LIGHT MURMUR
But you ruled him out.
Who?
Troy Manners. Yes.
SHE EXHALES DEEPLY
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.
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.
DOOR CLOSES
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.
Take a breath.
SHE INHALES DEEPLY
SHE EXHALES
We have to nullify that bracelet.
SHE SIGHS
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 an 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.
OTHERS CHUCKLE 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.
CHANTING: 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.
LIGHT MURMUR
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?
CHUCKLING
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 coming 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.
HELICOPTER WHIRS
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 BARKS
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?
TANNOY: 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!
SHE LAUGHS
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 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.
SHE SIGHS
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.
CHATTER AND CLICKING CAMERAS
How are you feeling today?
Do you have any comments?
TV: 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.
HE SIGHS
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.
ON TAPE: 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.
SHE SINGS
REPORTER: Today, the focus of the trial 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.
Um... 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...
SHE SINGS TO HERSELF
..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.