Tina's Story Accused

DISTANT DOOR SLAMS

KEYS JANGLE IN LOCK

DOOR OPENS

Married, Miss?

How long are you doing?

Six years. What's his name?

What did you do?

I stabbed someone.

-Why won't you just tell me his name?

-Who?

A woman. Have you got kids?

Brave of you, that, stabbing a woman.

Only doing what I was told.

-Oh right, someone told you to do it?

-Yeah.

Who?

Alastair Campbell.

Follow me.

All the way through.

GENERAL HUBBUB

All right, all right, calm it down.

Put your arms down, Jordan, then I'll speak to you.

Sit down. SIT DOWN!

-Frank. Stephen Cartwright.

-Cartwright eight.

-Look...

-You only have 12. I'm telling you. You want the truth.

MEN SHOUT BANGING

Don't be shy, in you go.

Right, a few ground rules...

Don't damage prison property. Don't kick the door.

Don't shout out the window. Don't press your panic button unless you're dying.

Don't seal your out-going mail. Everything else you can pick up as you go along,

-all right?

-Yeah. Thanks.

-You're welcome.

DISTANT SHOUTING AND BANGING

-Next.

-Have you seen that?

The white's gone missing. I want the white ball otherwise association is over.

-You have to see the Number Two Governor about that. Next.

-I've been asking for weeks!

-Next!

Don't swallow it.

Next.

You swallow it and you're in deep shit.

-Oh, God!

-Boiler's gone.

-What, again?

-For good this time, I think.

-Did you call them?

-I tried, no one answering.

-What are we going to do?

Wrap up warm, I've got to get ready for work - you over there.

"Hiya, mum." "Hiya kids, you all right?"

"Greater priorities"?

You what? I've got three kids, of six, eight and nine, no hot water...

Sweetheart, take that through to your dad...

..no central heating and a forecast of minus twelve overnight.

I'd like to see a greater priority than that!

CHILDREN CHATTER

I'm all yours!

Hi babe, we need a new boiler, it's two grand.

-Two grand!

-That's without labour.

Can get a standing one cheaper

but wall-mounted with the power we need is two grand.

What'll we do?

Er... A lot of overtime.

I've got to go, babe, I'm going to be late. See you.

See you, kids. Be good for your dad, please.

That you, Miss?

Where's your toothbrush?

Well, get it out. You live here now.

Right.

D'you know, it would be easier if you made a bit of an effort.

Right.

Are you on something?

-No.

-Do you need something?

Anti-depressants, anything like that?

He, er...

-He told me not to touch them.

-Who?

Alastair Campbell.

-Are you taking the piss?

-No.

Are you ill?

Homesick.

Then why don't you write?

Write a letter to your mam?

-Write a letter to my mam?

-Yeah.

No pen.

Oh...here.

Here you go, pencil.

Thank you.

Tina, Sol Garvie's got belly-ache again. Needs to go to Healthcare.

-What now?

-Yeah. They can't come for him cos they're shorter than we are.

Frank, I think this one's a nutter.

Why?

Dunno, just do. We should two him up. I don't think we should leave him on his own.

Two him up, OK. Get Garvie.

All right. Garvie!

All right, bruv. Have you finished, mate?

-I told you, I haven't finished the game yet!

-What do you mean, you haven't finished?

-'Ey!

They're keeping hold of Garvie. Doc'll see him later.

'Ey! 'Ey! Put down those cues now! Give me that!

Did you not you move him, Frank?

I warned you...

Oh, Christ!

Frank!

Stephen! Stephen!

ALARM BLARES Oh, God, what have you done? You stupid idiot, what have you done?

Frank!

Help me!

GARY! Back to your cells now!

Help me, get the MO!

Back to your cells now! Gary, number eight now!

Move back, get out of the way!

-Get the Number One Governor down here quick.

-Get in your cell...

You, get back, get back!

-Go on!

-He's dead!

-Big poofta!

What are you going to do now, sir, eh? What are you going to do?

Another one bites the dust.

Get in your cell, Jonno, you lot get back!

He didn't have the bottle, he didn't have he bottle like me...

SHOUTING CONTINUES

Oi, Jonno, he's dead!

SHOUTING AND LAUGHTER CONTINUES

Great fucking sign, the little prick.

SHE COUNTS RHYTHMICALLY

SHE COUNTS AGAIN

SHE COUNTS AGAIN

Leave him.

CONTINUES COUNTING

Don't touch anything. Leave everything exactly as it is.

I asked you to two him up.

I was going to.

Come on, let's go.

We can't leave him like this.

Got to. It's a crime scene now.

Why did you leave him on his own, Frank?

Had he been written up? Tell me he hadn't.

The Governor wanted to know whether Stephen Cartwright

had been written up as at risk of suicide, is that correct?

-Yes.

-And had he been?

-No.

I also informed the Governor that the Medical Officer,

that'd seen Stephen in the reception, had no concerns about his state of mind.

Did you yourself have any reason to be concerned?

No. His probation report hadn't been received at that point.

And Stephen Cartwright had not threatened to harm himself in any way?

Not to my knowledge.

Um, the lad's death was a tragedy,

but all of the proper procedures were followed.

-His death could not reasonably have been prevented?

-No.

Know anything about this?

I hear he was writing to his mum, sir.

It'll have to be entered as evidence.

You OK? Do you want to see the MO?

-Do you want to go home?

-I'll keep an eye on her, sir.

I'm fine, thanks.

-Any reason to anticipate problems over this?

-No, sir.

Officer Dakin?

No, sir.

Good. There'll be an inquiry, obviously,

but everything should be perfectly straightforward.

Nothing to worry about.

Who are you visiting?

My lad. Stephen Cartwright.

Is there a problem?

No.

No, no problem.

What's up?

Where's the Senior Officer?

He's out there but he's with the Number One Governor. Why what's up?

That's his dad.

Whose dad?

Who do you think, Gary?

Oh, shit!

Why would you say that to me?

Don't go.

-'Ey! 'Ey! Don't you fucking go.

-Jonno!

Don't you dare go, you stupid bitch.

-Jonno!

-Come back here, you stupid bitch!

-Jonno!

-You stay out of it.

-You keep your nose out. Right!

-Sit down!

-You keep your fucking nose out!

-Sit down.

We've had a suicide, Jonno.

Otherwise I'd be dragging you right up to the governor's office. Do you understand?

Right, Miss.

Visiting is hard enough without people like you making it even harder.

So shut it.

-I'll find out what's going on for you, yeah?

-Yeah.

BELL RINGS

Oh sir, he's here. Stephen Cartwright's father.

I know. I'm waiting for confirmation from the pathologist.

It's just he's not been told.

You've not said anything?

No.

Good.

We shouldn't be long. But we do need to confirm that it is suicide.

He's just been sitting there for over an hour you see, sir.

I'm not going to tell a man that his son has killed himself

until I know for a fact that he's killed himself.

We'll be in as soon as we can.

-Now can I suggest that you...

-PHONE RINGS

-Yes? Hello...

What's going on?

-I think the governor wants to see you.

-Why?

-I don't know.

-I think you do, love.

To tell you the truth, I'm getting a bit suspicious

and a bit nervous. Can you tell me what's going on?

I don't know.

I don't believe you.

My son is here, isn't he?

-Yeah.

-And he's OK?

-Yeah.

So, can I see my son now, please?

Can I PLEASE see my son?

The Governor's here. He'll explain.

-Mr Cartwright?

-Yes.

I'm Mr Ferris, the Governor. Would you come with me, please?

No, I'd like to see my son first, thank you very much.

-This would be easier if we could go somewhere more private.

-Why?

-Please, Mr Cartwright.

-Why would it be easier?

Mr Cartwright, I'm sorry to have to tell you this,

but your son is dead.

What?

Your son, Stephen, is dead.

Dead?

I'm very sorry. My sincere condolences.

How?

There's to be a full investigation, naturally,

but there's every indication that he took his own life.

How?

How did he take his own life?

He hanged himself.

Where?

In his cell.

We'll go somewhere and talk.

You too, Officer Dakin.

He seemed like a normal lad.

No sign of anything wrong with him at all.

And you brought him in?

I picked him up from Grange in a taxi, sir, and travelled in with him.

And he seemed fine to you?

Yes, sir.

Not depressed or...?

No, sir.

It wasn't depression.

He used to think that people were talking to him from the telly.

Politicians, people like that.

Any sign of that?

No, sir. When I put him into his cell there was no sign of that.

And later?

No, sir.

I checked on him the next morning.

He'd slept well and everything seemed fine.

You weren't concerned about leaving him on his own?

Definitely not, sir.

And did you see him again?

Only when...

I took an inmate to sick bay, sir. I was there for some hours.

When I returned, I checked on Stephen immediately

and I found him.

-And you tried resuscitation?

-Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Mr Cartwright?

Why was he on his own?

It's policy.

Even if they're ill?

We didn't know he was ill.

If he was ill, we should've been told.

That's a mistake, I know, but it's down to the people at the other end, the people in Grange.

Here we did nothing wrong, Mr Cartwright. I promise you that.

Thank you.

Hiya, yeah, can you go in late?

Just a couple of hours.

-I owe you one.

-Yeah, I know!

An hour, then. We've had a suicide.

-I'd've done the same for you.

-Thanks.

Why DID you leave him on his own?

I forgot he was there.

You were in sick bay with Garvie for hours.

-God knows what you were doing in there...

-Hold on, there was no-one to take him off my hands.

Me and Gary, and Gary's as good as two men short.

I never had a minute.

-Oh, God, it's warm!

-Blow heaters. Are you OK?

Yeah. Where d'you get them?

You've had suicides before.

Yeah, I found him though.

Oh, love.

Oh, I'm so sorry, love.

You're a taxi driver?

I am.

And you work for Omega Cabs in and around Manchester?

I do.

You do contract work?

Yeah, yeah.

Members of the jury, would you mind leaving the court for a few minutes?

I need to discuss a matter of law with counsel.

I do not think there could be any perception of bias in relation

to this present case but if you wish to make representations, please do.

It was I who sentenced the young man who died, you see.

Mmm, ooh, I could get used to this, Ray.

What time are the kids back?

Eight, she said.

Put them straight to bed.

Mmm.

We could pop up there ourselves before they get back.

No, it's too cold, Ray.

Down here then. On the rug.

Yeah, all right.

Do the washing up first, though.

OK.

I told his dad a pack of lies, Ray.

Do you know what he said to me at the end of it?

"Thank you."

Why didn't you think?

I had no time.

One minute he's dead, then his dad's in,

and Frank's lying through his teeth, I've got to do the same.

You can't go on lying.

I've got to.

You lie under oath and it's perjury.

Prison officer plus perjury -

five years minimum, I'd say.

Half an hour ago I was on a promise.

I don't suppose you understand printers, do you?

Wireless printers. I set it up as per,

did exactly as I was told...

-I'm gonna ask to see the governor, Frank.

-Eh?

I'm gonna ask to see the governor.

Why?

Er...to tell him the truth.

I did ask you to two that boy up. You didn't and he died.

I'd lie for you, Frank, I would. I'd lie through my teeth for you, you know I would.

-Well, that's all I'm asking you to do.

-No, mate.

There'll be an inquest, won't there?

I'll be under oath. I can't lie under oath.

Right.

-I've got three kids, Frank.

-I know.

I'd get five years and I'm a prison officer.

Do you think I'd be able to keep that quiet for five years - I'm a screw?

No way. They'd crucify me.

Right.

-For God's sake, Frank...

-I understand your dilemma. Right?

You only go down if you're caught. How are you gonna get caught?

-I don't know.

-There's no way.

There's only two of us know the truth so you can't possibly get caught.

-I can't take that risk.

-There's no risk! There's none.

-I'm sorry, mate.

-I've got family too, you know.

Yeah, I know that, Frank. That's why I've thought it through really clearly.

-You'll come out of it squeaky clean, I promise you will.

-How?

-Just tell the truth.

-The truth?

-Yeah.

What? "She said he was a nutter, sir. "He needed two-ing up, and I totally forgot about him."

Yes. An experienced officer forgot about a lad like that. Why? Cos we're totally run off our feet.

We're two POs short, and that's before anyone's off sick. That is why mistakes happen, Frank.

He won't hear any of that.

He'll hear you blaming me, that's all.

Just blaming the way things are, not blaming you in any way whatsoever.

I don't want you to do this, Tina.

I've got to, I'm sorry.

Good luck, mate.

Put you in instead, shall we, Jonno?

Why me? Why are you always on my case?

-Don't go in there! Don't go in there cos you'll never come out again!

-In you go.

No.

You're perfectly safe, go on. Go on!

Right. A few ground-rules. Don't damage prison property.

Don't kick your door. Don't shout out the window.

Don't press your panic button unless you are dying. Don't seal your outgoing mail.

Everything else you can pick up as you go along. All right?

I'm scared.

Are you suicidal?

Just scared.

Good.

DOOR SLAMS

-Did you ask to see the governor?

-Yeah.

Has he agreed?

-Yeah.

-When?

Four o'clock.

OK, I've got three points to make, Tina. Will you listen to them very, very carefully?

Yeah...

OK.

One...

..I'll tell you what killed him.

It was all the shit that brought him here, it was nothing to do with me.

That was always gonna happen. Short staffed or overstaffed,

we can't watch them 24 hours a day.

I know that, Frank, but I've still got to tell the truth.

OK.

Two...

..he stabbed a woman, didn't he?

Yeah.

-Scum.

-Yeah.

So you are putting scum

before a mate and a colleague. Scum.

I've got to.

Three-quarters of this scum will reoffend, Tina.

Every boy in here is three times more likely to reoffend as not to.

Three times more likely to rob an old woman,

three times more likely to destroy some poor old bugger's life.

You know the only one who's not is Stephen Cartwright cos he's dead.

He's dead cos I fucked up.

By fucking up I did some poor old bastard somewhere a favour.

Why kick off over that?

Why make a fuss over scum?

I'm not doing it for scum, I'm doing it for my family.

All right, three. And I didn't want to get to three.

What is it?

If you're not prepared to watch a mate's back, why should a mate watch yours?

Oh, right, is that a threat, Frank?

No, of course not.

Officer alone here.

Officer Best!

Oh, God!

SHE SCREAMS

Don't do this, Jonno. You don't want to do this!

You love it, you bitch. You absolutely love it.

You get off on it, don't you, strutting your stuff, sticking your tits out, waggling your arse,

all the lads looking and gagging for it...

SHE GASPS AND SCREAMS

No!

We all know you love it.

No!!

So, sound, here it is.

SHE SOBS

Now you're getting it.

Now you're getting it. Right?

And I'm sorry it's hurting a bit, Miss, you know what I mean,

cos you're used to that husband of yours, aren't you?

That little prick with the very little dick,

so this is a bit of a surprise for you, isn't it?

HE BREATHES HEAVILY

HE GRUNTS AND PANTS

-I've got to go home, Frank.

-Why?

Not well.

-You OK to drive?

-Yeah.

-You're seeing the governor at four.

-Can't.

-I'll tell him.

-Thanks.

Do you want me to make another appointment for you or shall I just leave it?

What are you doing home?

Not well.

What is it?

Tummy.

-Time of the month?

-Yeah.

-Well, I won't ask to get in with you then.

-No.

Shall I make you a cup of tea?

Yeah, thanks. Don't you need to go and get the kids?

-There's plenty of time. You want one?

-Yeah.

-Right.

-Can you pull the door over, keep the heat in?

-Right.

The Governor wants to see you.

Is it this?

Jonno gave it in.

How did he get it?

Why does the governor want to see you?

Can I go, please?

Can...

I...

go...

please?!

-KNOCK AT DOOR

-Come in.

You wanted to see me, sir.

This boy's got something to say.

I'm sorry, Miss.

And?

It won't happen again,

I promise.

I've given him two weeks' loss of privileges

and if it does happen again, he's on H Wing.

-You think you'd like H Wing?

-No, sir.

I will not tolerate anyone swearing at my officers.

Particularly in front of members of the public.

Particularly during visits. Is that clear?

Yes, sir.

Take him back please, Officer Dakin.

Sir.

Move!

I couldn't do this job with gobshites like you sniggering behind my back.

-That's why I've kept my mouth shut. Right?

-Right.

-Will you keep yours shut?

-Yes, Miss.

You'd better.

The thing about rape, Jonno,

you leave a lot of DNA behind.

Right, I've got it to come on at six, go off at 8.30,

on again at four for the kids, yeah?

Three.

Three it is.

-Off again half ten, yeah?

-Yeah.

And any time you want, just press over-ride and it'll come on.

Thanks.

Great boiler. What did it cost you? Two grand, something like that?

A lot more than that.

-What are you doing!?

-The windows, Miss.

Your water's filthy.

I know, Miss.

Well, change it then.

Where, Miss?

Where, Miss?

-Scousers, eh?

-What?

"Scousers - always up to something."

Jack Straw.

Oh, right, Frank, what exactly is he up to?

Compensation, isn't it?

He's got to show us he's traumatised

cos he's got some lawyer on it, expecting megabucks.

-Miss, where?

-The tap! Over there, go on!

He says he wants to see the cell his lad died in.

-We've got to show it to him.

-I'm not doing it.

I was the last person to see him alive.

You were the last person to speak to him. We've got to do it.

You do it. I'm not.

I can't do it on my own.

Mr Cartwright, you've met officers Dakin and Best.

Yeah.

Right, well, I will leave you to it for now

but I will see you before you go.

Right, thanks.

I wasn't thinking straight last time we met.

That's understandable.

But I've had a bit of time to think now so I've got a couple of questions.

-Right.

-We spoke in the visits room, right?

-Yeah.

-Right after you found my son?

Yeah.

-Right after you tried to resuscitate him?

-Yes.

But you didn't mention the small matter of him being dead.

-No.

-Why not?

-I couldn't.

-Couldn't cos you were upset

-or couldn't cos your boss wouldn't let you?

-Both.

Why wouldn't he let you?

I don't know.

-Is it cos he was cobbling a story together?

-No.

-I don't believe you.

-Mr Cartwright!

-When you returned from the sick bay you immediately checked on my son, is that right?

-Yeah.

Why?

Erm...

I'm sorry?

Why immediately?

I just did.

-Well, you must've been worried about him?

-Yeah.

-Why?

He was new, so...

He was new and you just always worry about the new ones.

Shall we..?

You left him in here on his own?

Yes.

-How long for?

-Well, we checked on him quite a few times.

-How long was he on his own for?

-About 28 hours altogether.

How did he do it?

He ripped up the sheet

and tied the pieces together.

The radiator.

Show me.

Please.

He had it round here like this, and then it was tied on to there.

I was told that he'd hanged himself.

-Yes.

-That's not hanging, that's strangling.

There's a world of difference between the two, isn't there?

You hang yourself, there's no going back.

No matter how unbearable it gets, there's no going back. But strangling...

You've got to be pretty determined to strangle yourself to death.

This must be some shit-hole to make him strangle himself to death.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

You said that you checked on him.

Yeah.

So were you the last one to see him?

-No.

-Who was?

What was he doing?

He was writing a letter.

-Writing a letter?

-To his mum.

We can't show it to you right now cos it's evidence.

-Why was he writing a letter to his mum?

-I suggested it.

-You suggested he writes a letter to his mum?

-Yes.

His mum's dead, love.

You suggest he writes a letter to his dead mother

and then five minutes later he's dead too.

Can we go now, please?

You looked at your watch.

What?

Just now in the cell.

Yeah?

He was talking about his son!

You looked at your watch.

Cos we've got jobs to do.

-Hello?

-'Hiya, love.'

-Hi, love, you all right?

Yeah, listen, I'm just about to go in and see the governor.

I've got something to tell him but I wanted you to know about it first.

'What is it?'

Eight days ago, a boy called John Tomkinson raped me.

Frank set me up for it.

He did it because I was going to tell the truth about the death of Stephen Cartwright.

Which is?

Stephen Cartwright wouldn't have died

if Frank Best had done as I asked and two-ed him up.

You told that boy's father he was fine,

no cause for concern.

I lied.

Did you investigate her allegations?

Of course.

Did you find there was any truth to them?

None whatsoever.

You claim you had serious concerns

about failures and deficiencies in the current prison system?

Yes.

So had you written to your MP about it?

No.

Or perhaps put your concerns in writing to the Governor, Mr Ferris,

or to the Board Of Visitors, or the Chief Inspector Of Prisons?

No.

Maybe you had approached the government?

The Prisons Minister, say?

No.

What did you do, then, about these serious concerns?

Nothing.

Nothing.

No further questions.

Can I say something, please, your honour?

Yes.

I'd just like to say to Mr Cartwright

that I am so sorry for lying to him.

And can I say that the look he gave me

when I was telling those lies

will stay with me for the rest of my life?

And I am so, so sorry.

Married, Miss?

What?

Stop the car.

-Here?

-Yeah. Please.

What are you doing?

Go.

-What?

-Just go.

-Tina, what are you doing?

I'm letting him go.

How long are you doing, lad?

Twelve.

Twelve! He's killed someone.

I don't care. Go.

-You'll get twelve. They'll send you down for this, you cracked mare.

-I don't care.

You'll die in there love. Go on, go.

-Home?

-I'm blowing it in.

-No, anywhere but there, they'll find you there.

You won't make it in there. It's not safe in there. Now go, go on. Go please.

Now, now. Just run. Run!

006 to base. She's let him go.

The mad bitch has let him go.

The report said that there'd been a lot of damage to his sternum

and his ribs and I couldn't understand how that could happen.

So I asked the pathologist and he said that it's because somebody fought like mad

to save him, to try and resuscitate him.

Someone didn't give up on my son...

..and that someone was Prison Officer Tina Dakin.

Thank you.

SHE SOBS

SOBBING CONTINUES

Members of the jury, are you agreed upon a verdict?

We are.

Do you find the defendant guilty

or not guilty of the charge of assisting a prisoner to escape?

Guilty.

And is that the verdict of you all?

It is.

Christina Dakin, you have been found guilty of a serious offence,

one that has led already to your dismissal from the Prison Service

and that now merits a custodial sentence,

for whilst I accept that your intentions were honourable,

your actions were thoroughly misguided.

I send many young men to detention or young offender's institutions.

It was I who sentenced Stephen Cartwright. I sentenced him to six years.

I did not anticipate that he would, in fact, die in custody.

Christina Dakin, I sentence you to one year in prison

but I will suspend it for one year.

You are free to go.

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