‘The key feature of a modern, agile, twenty-first-century justice system is accessibility,’ David Benson began, reading fluidly from the autocue, his heart swelling as he spoke. ‘And the best means of achieving that is to provide transparency for users. And so, I am delighted to have been invited to kick off this new initiative from the Ministry of Justice, our transparency pilot scheme, with a few words. I have no doubt that allowing members of the public to actually see justice being done, from their homes, or even from the palm of their hands while on the move, will enhance the rule of law.
‘Not only will filming our courts illuminate what might otherwise be a confusing and opaque process, it will familiarise users of the justice system with all aspects of our criminal trials. No longer will witnesses, jurors or defendants have to fear the unknown. The secrets of the courtroom will be revealed and understood by all and we will create a level playing field. And cases will then be judged most properly on the evidence, as they should be. The criminal justice system of England and Wales will be a shining beacon for the rest of the world.
‘No longer will dilatory judges be able to pass the buck for over-running schedules, or prosecuting lawyers be able to blame their failures on faceless behind-the-scenes issues. And where, as is occasionally the case, the prosecution neglects to offer up relevant material to the defence, its failings will be crystal clear and there will be no place to hide. So, I repeat. What we will achieve through this important programme is equality, accessibility and transparency.’
‘Stirring words there to begin our show, recorded earlier on today, by the Director of Public Prosecutions, especially for us. Those are the all-important buzz words; Equality, Accessibility, Transparency. Thank you, Mr David Benson.’
Two speakers were revealed, sitting on a black leather sofa, the new Court TV logo – stylised scales of justice inside a television-like box – emblazoned on the wall behind their heads.
‘I’m Katrina Sadiq,’ said the well-groomed first presenter, as the camera panned in close.
‘And I’m Chris Richards…’ said the second presenter.
‘And we’re the hosts of Court TV: Behind the Scenes.’
The Court TV logo briefly flashed across the screen, with the letters ‘BTS’ in italics below, as Katrina inched her skirt down over her knees and Chris adjusted his collar.
‘We really will be going BTS – that’s behind the scenes – to bring you, every night from tomorrow, the low-down on the day in court, from the viewpoint of a whole series of experts,’ Katrina continued.
‘But tonight,’ Chris added, ‘we’re delighted to be joined by a series of people who have helped to get this new channel up and running. First up, is Angela Langton from victims’ group, Innocensate, who campaign tirelessly for compensation on behalf of wrongfully convicted individuals. She’ll be telling us how vital and overdue this development is and how she believes that none of the individuals she represents would ever have been behind bars in the first place if they’d had access to what Court TV is going to provide. And, if that’s not enough, we’ll be screening a short documentary about the journey to today, involving David Benson again and all the other major players.
* * *
‘Oh God. I hate it already,’ Judith yawned and turned down the volume on Constance’s TV.
‘Go home then,’ Constance replied, turning it back up.
‘You’d think, given how much Court TV must be paying for this privilege, they could have come up with a more impressive set.’
‘I don’t think...’
‘And talk about disingenuous! And from our illustrious DPP. Although I suppose that it is all about “accessibility”, if the money goes to fixing your courtroom’s leaky roof or covering your legal aid costs.’
‘Shh! We have to see this.’
‘I don’t see why.’
‘You do! You’re just being stubborn. We need to see their line-up, how they’re planning to present things; live footage, commentary. Maybe they’ll even bring other lawyers in to explain things, especially at the beginning.’
‘But it will all be after the event. Any analysis of our case will be after the event, after the horse has bolted. Why should that interest us?’
‘They might be critical of the judge, of you.’
‘It wouldn’t be the first time.’
‘I don’t believe it’s happened to you before in front of a million people.’
‘One million people?’
‘That’s what they’re predicting for the opening audience.’
Judith’s mouth was open. ‘All right,’ she said. ‘I’m amazed that many people are interested. I’ll sit tight and watch quietly, but only for an hour. Then I am heading home and you’ll have to fill me in on the rest tomorrow.’
* * *
‘…In my excitement at tonight’s line up, I nearly forgot all of you at home,’ Chris Richards was speaking again. ‘Many of you will be aware that the case we are reporting on from tomorrow, the Crown versus Debbie Mallard, is the first to be televised. As always, your feedback is really crucial. So, given that this new scheme is intended primarily to educate the public, we’re going to ask you, the public, at various stages, to share your views of how you think it’s doing.’
* * *
‘Here we go,’ Constance muttered.
‘It’s just feedback,’ Judith crossed her legs and folded her arms.
* * *
‘If there are things you don’t understand during the trial, you can send your questions in to our experts. We will have lawyers and other experts on hand throughout the day to provide you with live responses. And we’ll be delighted to receive your comments too. But please be aware that anything you send in may be made public, either set out in our live feed on our website or on Twitter or on our evening BTS show.’
‘So don’t write in, if you are not prepared to have your views read out on air.’
* * *
Constance’s mobile rang and she turned it face up, glancing at it casually, before grabbing it and running into the bedroom.
‘Hi. Are you watching you know what?’ the caller asked glibly.
‘Greg. I didn’t expect you to call,’ Constance whispered, shutting the door behind her and holding the phone close to her mouth.
‘I know you’re probably up to your eyes in paper, well, virtual paper. I just wanted to wish you good luck for tomorrow,’ he said.
‘That’s kind.’ Constance could hear the TV loud and clear, which meant it was unlikely Judith could eavesdrop their conversation. ‘Yes, we’re pretty busy,’ she said. ‘And I was watching. You were right. It is going to be interactive.’
‘This is only the beginning. If you need any help, I mean, I’m going to be watching every night, I think. I could let you know if there’s anything particularly tricky – save you and Judith having to spend time glued to the screen.’
‘We were wondering how to manage it all. Well, not Judith. She still thinks it’s an irrelevance or she’s genuinely worried, but refusing to show it. I can’t decide which. But, yeah. Thanks. I…need to get on now.’
‘Maybe afterwards, we could go out? Whether to celebrate or commiserate. You could introduce me to one of your favourite places?’
‘Sure. Yes. I’d like that. But let’s say “celebrate”; think positive. Good night.’
Constance opened up her wardrobe and leafed through her clothes, pausing, first, at a purple flimsy blouse and then at some black skinny jeans. Then she stared at her phone and ran her fingers over the screen. Finally, with a sigh, she eased the wardrobe shut and returned next door.
* * *
‘Who was that?’ Judith was biting the side of her finger as Angela Langton was introduced.
‘Oh, just my brother.’
‘The elusive Jermain. You didn’t have to leave the room. I’m only half-listening to this vacuous programme.’
‘I never quite know what he’s going to come out with. It’s safer not to let anyone overhear.’
Judith laughed heartily, eliciting in Constance a momentary pang at her deception. ‘I remember. What did you tell me once before? He called you from a basement in…where was it now?’
‘Chile.’
‘He does get around.’
‘Judith?’ Constance paused the TV. ‘Do you think there’s any chance that the glove was planted by the police?’
‘Ooh. Did that come from your brother? Is that the word on the street? Planted?’
‘Dawson never mentioned it when Debbie was first questioned and I’ve looked hard at some of the photographs and you can’t see it.’
‘You mean it was added later on to make the case against Debbie stronger?’
‘Yes.’
‘And where would the police have found the glove?’
‘Maybe Debbie did leave a pair at the house by mistake, or they found it when they searched her flat, after the chase.’
‘So where’s the other glove? Their evidence would be far more persuasive, if the second one was found at Debbie’s.’
‘It might have all been done in a hurry. And Dawson seems to be taking this case personally.’
‘Because of the chase?’
‘The papers said it was mismanaged. He’s very touchy about it.’
‘I saw the Commissioner didn’t support him, but I’d be surprised if he’s planted evidence. Look, Connie, anything’s possible, but there’s no way on earth I’m going there, not publicly anyway.’
‘Couldn’t you suggest something, even hint at it, when you have Dawson in the box?’
‘You’ve changed your tune. Last time around you ostracised me when I suggested to Dawson that there might have been some sleight of hand with the black box from James Salisbury’s car.’
‘That’s a bit of an exaggeration.’
‘Now you want me to go on UK TV and accuse a senior police officer of being corrupt.’
‘I have the feeling the press might get there soon, anyway.’
Judith crossed and re-crossed her legs. She stared hard at Constance. ‘Let them dig themselves a hole,’ she finally said, ‘and have Judge Nolan to deal with. Rather them than me.’
Constance switched the TV back on. Judith took the remote from her and paused it again.
‘Listen, maybe I can do something with it,’ she said. ‘Select the best photographs for me and I’ll take a look, OK?’
‘OK,’ Constance nodded. ‘What about motive again? There isn’t anything coming out of the prosecution statements yet, or have I missed it?’
‘Not that I’ve seen. I suspect our friend Mr Laidlaw will deal with it on the hoof. He’ll probably just go with Debbie losing her temper over this issue about Ben’s future – which Ben confessed to. I agree it’s not very convincing. I hope he doesn’t ask Debbie about her fidelity, though. That could shake things up a bit. Juries don’t like unfaithful spouses or ex-spouses, however consensual the arrangements might have been.’
‘What if Mr X turns up?’
‘Yes. It’s possible, isn’t it? I wish Debbie’d kept that letter, although we couldn’t have done anything with it, except, perhaps, handed it to the police.’
‘In which case, we might have seen it across the front page of the newspapers the next morning. What do you think he’ll do?’
‘Who knows? Either it was a try-on and he’ll leave it now. He didn’t want publicity and he won’t reappear. It has been a few weeks already. Or he’ll write again. Or he’ll go straight to the press. They’re likely to pay far more than Debbie ever could. Like I said before, it’s totally out of our hands. Did you get anywhere with speaking to Nicki Smith?’
‘I…found her quite interesting, not what I expected.’
‘Oh?’
‘She was very passionate about her causes, and not at all aggressive, like she is on TV.’
‘What did she say about Rosie?’
‘That she had an alibi for the murder, which Dawson checked out, and that she had been visiting a friend the day Rosie saw her, two weeks before she died. She also said Rosie was unfriendly when they did meet, just before her interview was pulled.’
‘There’s a surprise. And her emails to Rosie?’
‘They weren’t particularly threatening, quite long and rambling, in fact, but I’ll look at them more closely when I get a chance. Is it worth trying Jason again? The things Debbie was saying about Rosie arguing with the BBC about her contract?’
‘What? She wasn’t getting paid the same as Jason, she threatened to sue and the BBC organised the hit?’
Constance’s hand hovered over the remote. ‘Do you always have to be so confrontational?’ she said, striding off to the kitchen to refill her cup with hot water.
Judith followed her and offered her own mug. ‘It was supposed to be a joke,’ she said, ‘but in bad taste, you’re right. What do you think they’ll write on my headstone? “Here lies Judith Burton. Hostile to the very end!”’
Constance found a packet of chocolate digestives in the cupboard and laid them on the worktop. Judith took one, broke it in half and offered the remainder to Constance.
‘You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Causing offence even after you’re dead.’ Constance took the biscuit from her.
‘No one wants to be flavourless, insipid or tame,’ Judith replied. ‘It’s just some people can’t be honest about it and the rest don’t realise that’s how they really feel.’
* * *
Andy sat in silence, watching Katrina and Chris perform through the glass wall of the studio. Graham and Phil sat next to him, together with a series of assistants, with three cameras constantly moving around them. Every few seconds, Graham would point or nod or shake his head and the cameras would obey. Less frequently, he would give instructions regarding camera angles or notice of how many seconds the presenters had left before the next item. Phil, who had undertaken this role in the practice sessions all week, sat quietly, allowing Graham to be the boss.
But while the video featuring David Benson was playing, during which time the presenters took a welcome slurp of water and stretched their legs, followed by a quick touch-up of their makeup, a call came in which Graham seemed keen to take. Slowly and without drawing too much attention to himself, Andy scratched at his right ear and, in doing so, dislodged one side of his headphones, to allow him to eavesdrop on Graham’s conversation.
‘Yes, yes,’ Graham was saying, and ‘I value your advice above everyone else, you know that. That’s why I’ve brought you in…
‘…You think she’d be good for tomorrow night, then I think she’d be perfect!
‘…Very left field, but that’s why it’s so fantastic.
‘…Let’s touch base at the end of tonight, but I’m leaving it all to you till I’m back – carte blanche. Phil knows that. OK?’
Graham turned towards Andy, who immediately lowered his hand, so that his headphones snapped back into place.
As the evening continued, Andy’s thoughts turned to the lawyers who would be on their feet in court tomorrow and, in particular, to Judith Burton. They had appeared against each other, two years back, in a case where a Syrian refugee, Ahmad Qabbani, had been accused of the murder of an elderly artist. Andy had only known Judith in passing before then, and had been keen to impress her when they finally crossed swords.
In fact, he had been so eager to show her that he was a man of substance that he had probably behaved more antagonistically than was customary. And in the aftermath of her victory, he had felt almost ashamed for some of the side swipes and childish sniggers which he had directed at Judith during her cross-examination. Perhaps, given that he would be in front of the camera and Judith would have no right of reply of her own, now was his opportunity to redeem himself.
After an hour, Andy returned to the reception area to grab some iced water and a packet of mints, and then decided to wander around, just to stretch his legs. When he had been rehearsing from the studio itself, he had noticed a darkened window to one side of where the production team sat. He had wondered, then, what it was for. Now, as he strolled past the door which would lead him to Graham and Phil, he saw another door he hadn’t previously noticed, with a small, makeshift ‘No Entry’ sign, stuck on with Sellotape. It was very slightly ajar and he could hear someone talking from inside the room.
‘There you are!’ Graham’s hand slapped down hard on his shoulder and Andy spun around to see his boss beaming widely at him. ‘We’re just going into a commercial break so it would be great to get your feedback, with the others, on how we’re doing so far.’
Andy had little option but to comply as Graham steered him onwards and he was left wondering, right through the break and afterwards, who might have been behind that door and why he wasn’t allowed to find out for himself.