Trial & Retribution

A five-year-old girl disappears from the council estate on which she lives, and is later found nearby, dead, stuffed inside a drainpipe and having been anally violated. DS Walker is brought in to crack the case and, aided by DI North, sets out to find the perpetrator at all costs. Suspicion quickly falls on Michael Dunn (Rhys Ifans), a local drunk, lunatic and supposed paedophile. Dunn, however, protests his innocence, and it soon becomes clear that the eyewitness accounts are inconsistent.

A serial killer has been viciously attacking women before murdering them. However one victim survives and names the arrogant Damon Morton as her assailant. The case is not helped by the fact that Morton clearly has a hold over people, such as the three employees who come forward to claim responsibility for the crimes and his put-upon wife, who gives him an alibi.

Survivor Marilyn Stark's identification of Morton as her attacker is given credence when the severed breasts of the dead victims are discovered on Morton's business premises and he is sent for trial. He is defended by the formidable Corinna Maddox, known as 'Batwoman' for her tenacity, whilst the prosecutor is supercilious but wily Rupert Halliday, whose best line of attack is to work on Morton's cowed wife Cindy,who put up with his bringing his young mistress home and is doubtless giving him a false alibi.

The police have two suspects in the case of a missing teenager.

Pat North is forced to discover Cassie's corpse when he is abducted by Warrington; Karl Wilding plays a part in murder.

An eight-year-old case involving James McCready is reopened.