Programme Information

Garrow (Andrew Buchan) and his associate, Southouse (Alun Armstrong), investigate crimes in Georgian London

William Garrow is now a celebrated barrister at the late 18th century Old Bailey, as the legal drama co-created by Tony Marchant and starring Andrew Buchan, Alun Armstrong and Lyndsey Marshal continues.

In his next case, he successfully defends a coachman accused by his master, the aristocratic, pompous Crespigny, of stealing a harness.

Across London, a man is knifing young ladies and the perpetrator is dubbed the "Monster" by the press and newspaper proprietor, John Julius, who takes a particular interest in the well-being of the attractive young ladies who've been attacked.

After the latest attack on Ann Porter, a young man, Renwick Williams, is accused and is arrested and sent to Newgate Prison. After a visit from Renwick's mother, Agnes Williams, and believing Renwick is innocent, Southouse encourages Garrow to defend him. Garrow soon learns that his defence of the Monster does not prove popular and his celebrity wanes.

Garrow and Southouse interview Renwick in Newgate and Garrow describes him as a lecherous libertine. The key to the defence is discovered by Southouse and a strange statute from 1721 which protects the damage of clothes by disgruntled weavers angry at the importation of cloth from abroad. The punishment for this crime is hanging.

Garrow makes quick work of proving Angerstein to be a lecher and when he cross-examines Ann, he proves that the reason she accused Renwick of the attack was because he had previously attempted to seduce her. She rebuffed Renwick's advances, branding him a "shop-man".

Despite Garrow's excellent defence, the jury finds Renwick guilty and it's up to Southouse to produce the statute from 1721 in a hurry. Garrow presents it to Judge Buller, who admits that as Ann accused Renwick of trying to murder her and not merely damaging her clothes, the statute makes the attack a misdemeanor and therefore not a hanging offence. Judge Buller refers the case to the 12 judges of England and Renwick's case is respited, meaning he will not hang.

Sir Arthur offers to accompany Lady Sarah to court and, after his reaction to the trial, Lady Sarah forces him to admit that his interest is for political reasons. During the trial, Garrow's friendship with Lady Sarah grows, a fact, which doesn't go unnoticed by her husband.

William Garrow is played by Andrew Buchan, John Southouse by Alun Armstrong, Judge Buller by Michael Culkin, Lady Sarah Hill by Lyndsey Marshal and Sir Arthur Hill by Rupert Graves.

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