The judge sums up and the jury return ….

Radio Times: The judge sums up.

Characters: Clerk, Crown Court Judge, Foreman, Neil, Pat, Satya, Susan, Tommy, Tony, Usha

• Susan wants to offer to pay towards the turkeys as it seems that Christopher had bought the fireworks and, what with Neil’s recent extra work at Bridge Farm, they can probably afford it. Neil’s feeling a little guilty over that, benefitting from the misfortunes of others, but Susan seems to have decided that if “they” could send her down for what she did, Tommy must be looking down the barrel of the judicial gun. Neil’s not so sure, but she’s adamant that Tommy needs to be prepared for the worst. They’re not entirely sure how to punish Christopher over the fireworks incident, but punished he will be because Susan doesn’t want him growing up like Tommy. Neil, though, would rather he grow up like Tommy than his uncle Clive ….
• Pat, Tony and Tommy leave and all are very nervous ahead of the judge’s summing up. Pat promises to ring the dairy as soon as there’s a verdict.
• The judge sums up and outlines that while the issues of law are for him to spell out, the facts are for the jury to decide on. They have to be sure that the prosecution have proven every point required beyond a reasonable doubt. In this case, to prove contravention of Section One, the Criminal Damage Act 1971, they must prove that, while Tommy doesn’t deny damaging the crop, he did so without lawful excuse. He had lawful excuse if he damaged the crop in order to protect his possession or an interest in such from immediate damage and that perception of the damage was honestly held.
• The jury does not return quickly, which Usha recomends be taken as a good sign – a quick decision would tend toward guilt.
• But at 4-30 the jury return to the court and the clerk asks the foreman if they have reached a verdict on which they are all decided. “No.” The judge sends them home for the night, to return tomorrow to continue.
• Satya wants Usha to return with her this weekend for a big family Divali in Wolverhampton, but Usha doesn’t want to commit to anything until the verdict has been delivered.