Three Monkeys

Episode 7: Three Monkeys

*When he is forced to defend a blind racist, Gulliver has an identity crisis.*

*Meanwhile Dunbar refuses to intervene in a violent marriage....*

In th custody suite, Gulliver is handed the a new client, Natalie Banks, 55 years old, handing out racist pamphlets in the local shopping centre. She's been arrested for inciting racial hatred and disturbing the peace. Gulliver looks quite concerned, in contrast to DS Simons and an officer colleague who appear to be smirking in the background. Even CS Ross looks vaguely amused. When Simons starts laughing, he has to apologise, saying "It's not that..". CS Ross concurs, "It's not the leaflet, it's just we know what your defence is going to be". When Theo meets Mrs Banks, she is sitting in the interview room, with her guide dog. "Mr Gulliver," she says, "it's all been a dreadful mistake".

Banks proceeds to tell Theo that "A very well-spoken couple", asked her to hand out leaflets for Greepeace. She herself had been working at a stall for Oxfam. Barbara and Nigel Parkes / Parker. They smelt quite wonderful". She tells him that the smell of someone is usually a very good indication. She takes Theo's hand, smells that, then asks him to breath on her. From his breath she is able to deduce what he ate for lunch. They laugh at this, then she says, "They won't send me to prison, will they?". Gulliver, truly concerned, replies "There's no question of that".

Meanwhile, Dunbar sits with a client and her four kids, reading through a selection of previous charges against the kids. He tells her that if she can't control them, the state will. She tells him that she's doing her best, but as the children grow more unruly Dunbar beats a hasty retreat. Later on, in court, things are not going well. Dunbar is trying his best but the children are doing themselves no favours. Approaching his client he whispers, "I'm bollocksed! You'll have to faint. Fall over and stay down until they carry you out, OK?". When the woman collapses in the dock and Dunbar cries out for a medic, Sarah just raises her eyes to the sky.

When Gulliver approaches CS Ross with a view to obtaining bail for his client she tells him that it won't happen because the woman is already on bail and has just violated it. She shows Theo a list of "Her previous.. This year!". As Theo reads it and the truth sinks in, CS Ross asks him, "She doesn't know you're black yet, does she?".

Dunbar tells Sarah that he was doing her a favour and that guidelines show that juvenile crime is exacerbated by the breakup of the family unit. He suggests that a little discipline may actually help to moderate these kids' behaviour. Now he gets a call from Elaine Ross. One of his regular clients, Martin Kent, has been brought in again for assaulting his wife. "What about his Mrs, she ridden to the rescue yet?", he asks. "Not exactly, no",  replies Ross as we see Mrs Kent sitting in the reception area, badly bruised and her arm in plaster. "She'll withdraw her complaint like she always does", says Bruce, but Elaine tells him that they're going to charge the husband anyway. She tells him it was the idea of Crown Prosecutor, Sarah Beckenham, who now tells Dunbar that they need to prosecute, as it's an abusive relationship. Dunbar, ever the pessimist, retorts with "Show one that isn't".

Theo tells his client that she'll be detained overnight, as she's violated her bail. She says, "One family's malicious accusations". "One BLACK family", Theo reminds her. "You shoved dog faeces through their letterbox". "I got confused". "Then you hit their daughter with your walking stick". "In self-defence. There's no tolerance anymore for the disabled". After Theo tries to catch her out with a racist comment, she says, "I'm no more bigoted than you are. Just because we're both white - ". Theo cuts her off by telling her he's a black man and his family is from Jamaica but she won't hear it. "This never lies", she says, pointing to her nose. "You'll have to do better than that in court, especially if the judge is that Caldwell women. She's very conflicted. Her daughter married one you see". "I'm beginning to.....", he tells her.

In the custody suite, Dunbar tells Ross that Mrs Kent has withdrawn her complaint. "Haven't you Joyce?". Joyce Kent says, "I have, I had an accident you see". Ross reminds her that she's had a lot of accidents in her time. "I could charge her with wasting police time," says Ross, "but I'm actually still going to charge her husband". Dunbar gives Elaine a quick preview of the court case, "Joyce did your husband hit you?". "No, I was drunk. I fell down the stairs". "Do you love him?". "He's my life", says Joyce. "Then why phone us saying he was trying to kill you?", asks CS Ross. "I was angry because - ", Dunbar cuts her off, saying don't peak too soon. "She'll be word-perfect in court". Nonetheless, Ross is determined to proceed with the prosecution.

Now we see Dunbar interviewing Martin, telling him how the evidence is a "Stack of shit and it's piling up!". He tells him that the police are going to prosecute on his wife's behalf. "She was a pissed as a fart and she fell downstairs", says the husband. When Dunbar asks if she'll back him up on this he replies, with a giggle "She'd better! She always does". Dunbar looks at him with contempt.

Later, in the pub, Sarah is holding forth on the pros and cons of the Kent case, but Theo is obviously distracted. He wonders why he doesn't seem to come across as 'black'. "I can't speak patois, even Dunbar does it better than me". Sarah thinks he may be on a guilt trip because he's privilged, educated and well-spoken.

Joyce Kent is telling Dunbar that she'd kill herself if her husband went to prison. She says she tried to jump out of a window once before and Martin had stopped her, telling her she was "a stupid bitch" and kissing her. "I can't go back to that falt without him, I'd only jump again and who would stop me then?". "Maybe you'd stop yourself", suggests Bruce. She tells Bruce that she can't lose her husband, but he tells her that she's already lost him and she's crying about a life she never had. "If he hasn't left you by now, it means he's even stopped caring about the consequences".

Gulliver now turns up at the office, seking some advice from Dunbar. On Dunbar's taxi ride home, Bruce tells him he has three options: "One - defend her like his dear old mum and get her off. Two - defend her like a muppet and see her cop it big time. Three: Give it to the worst solicitor in town and let him fuck it up for ya!".

As Theo arrives at the custody suite the next day, he sees Connor O'Reilly, one of his previous clients. Connor appears to be highly sedated and is entirely unresponsive when Theo approaches him and wishes him well. Connor just stares vaguely into space. Theo tries to get through to him, without much luck, although he finally gets a handshake and a mumbled "Thank you" from the youth.

In Mrs Banks's cell, Theo tells her that the Judge Roberts is Afro-Caribbean with a chip on his shoulder about only getting where is is because he's black. Banks readily agrees with this point of view. Theo tells her that the judge has that "Black attitude" towards women. She understands only too well. Now Theo suggests that she has a Black or Asian solicitor in the circumstances and names "Mr Singh". Outside in the corridor, the duty policeman says "Judge Roberts isn't black". "He is in her mind.", replies Theo, "Let's not shatter that illusion, eh?".

At the bail application hearing for Martin Kent, Joyce is reminded that's she's not on trial and is asked to remember she's on oath. As she's about to be sworn in, her husband in the dock mouths, "I..love..you".

Mrs Banks is found guilty on all counts and given a two month custodial sentence. As Mr Singh apologises, she racially abuses him. The judge reminds her that he can still fine her for contempt. Now she lets loose at the judge (whom she believes to be be black) and her additonal fine increases with each racial slur. Gulliver is viewing this from the back of the court and laughs to himself as the woman gets her comeuppance.

Joyce Kent now tells the court that she only accused her husband because she was drunk and angry that he'd forgotten her birthday. Sarah now asks that the witness be treated as hostile, to which the District Judge agrees. Sarah proceeds with her questioning, asking Joyce's age, whether she has any children. She suggests that Joyce puts up with Martin because she's worried that she'd never find anyone else to father a child. Dunbar tries to raise objections to this line of questioning until the District Judge reminds him that his client is Martin, not Joyce. Poor old Joyce is floundering now, not knowing what to say, looking across at Martin. "Leave her alone you fucking bitch!" says Martin. Sarah persists with her questioning. "Is that what he calls you, a 'fucking bitch' as he's beating you?". Joyce is crying, unable to answer, "Martin...", she says.

Afterwards, Dunbar asks what gave her the right to assume responsibility for Joyce's welfare. She says that the state has the right to assume that responsibility and now it's handed back to Joyce. Dunbar tells her that Joyce is not ready to deal with kind of responsibility. She says her moral obligation to these people ends when the judge judges. She calls Dunbar a bloody hypocrite, saying his obligation doesn't last that long.

In the ladies toilet, a policewoman asks Sarah the outcome of the bail application and Sarah tells her that the case will be going to the Crown Court. "He hasn't got bail and he'll be convicted because he's guilty". Unaware that Joyce is in the next cubicle Sarah continues, "She's safe from him for five years at least. I hope she's grateful". She goes on to suggest that "She'll probably find some other drunken shit to abuse her I expect. That's what usually happens". At this, Joyce flies out of the cubicle and attacks Sarah, "Fuckin' bitch!". The policewoman pulls her off and Joyce collapses to the floor, sobbing, "I've lost him. I've lost him". Sarah is stunned speechless by the attack as she sees the result of her handiwork. She slopes off, head bowed.

In the pub that evening, Theo tells Dunbar, "You're right. Do the job, do get involved, just walk away". Dunbar replies, "But you didn't do the job. Singh did. Your profesional integrity wouldn't let you do it yourself. You could easily have got the same result". Theo replies, "Don't stop and scoop, you said. Don't get involved, you said. And you're right. I tried all that with Connor and where did it get me? He was back in court today. Drugged out of his mind, not knowing I existed. What good did caring about him do? Going the extra mile? Getting him settled in a place that pumps him so full of drugs he can barely walk. It's not helping him It's not curing his problems, just smothering them. That's not living".

"Is he in pain?" asks Dunbar. "Is he burning things down or putting plastic bags over his head? ....... Whatever gets you through". As Dunbar gets up to leave, Theo commiserates with him for losing the bail application. "Oh well, it's only my professional integrity that's damaged", says Bruce. "It's gets easier with time". "Sarah thinks it might be a transferrence thing. Maybe you defend him because you'd like to do it to your wife", suggests Theo. "Sounds plausible" says Bruce, "What do you think?". Gulliver says "I'm a lawyer aren't I? My opinion only counts when it's paid for". With a pat on Theo's shoulder and a look of pride, Bruce says "That's my boy!". However, as he reaches the door, Bruce glances back at his colleague with a look of concern and, perhaps, realisation.

Other cast members

Natalie Banks... Mary Healey

Kelly Morris... Kirsty Doyle

Clerk... Daniel Setatree

JudgeRoberts... Ian Hanmore

Martin Kent... Mark Hallett

Joyce Kent... Kate Donnelly

Mr Singh... Harmage Singh Kalirai

WPC... Suzanne Hall

Connor Reilly... Craig Fitzpatrick

Jamie Hughes... Marshall Lancaster

District Judge... Christine Mackie

Clerk... Mike Woodhead