The Confessions of Caminada by Christopher Reason

Jerome Caminada was a real life detective in 19th century Manchester.

Christopher Reason’s drama is based on a real-life case from his memoirs.

It’s 1889: 18 year old Charlie Parton has been convicted of murder of a respected local councillor.

He faces execution, but prominent social campaigner Mrs Annie Swinton knows the lad and refuses to believe he is guilty.

Manchester is gripped by an economic depression, the political atmosphere is febrile, there are demonstrations on the streets and crime is spiralling.

The man keeping chaos at bay is Detective Inspector Jerome Caminada.

Combining high principles with low cunning, he cracks down on both political dissent and criminality with single-minded ruthlessness.

And yet for all his hard-nosed pragmatism, he is capable of moments of insight, humour and compassion. The man is an enigma.

Caminada ……. George Costigan
Annie Swinton ……. Julia Ford
Father Dermot/Bannister ……. Russell Dixon
Fletcher/Wood ……. Jonathan Keeble
Moods ……. Justin Moorhouse
Charlie ……. Oliver Lee

Director: Gary Brown

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2013.