This Monstrous and Unnatural Woman Doctors

Look, we've both had enough of house-hunting.

-I haven't.

-Why not stop for a while and focus on something else?

-Like finally fixing a date for the wedding?

-Yeah.

-After lunch?

-Yeah, we'll go through my spreadsheet.

-Spreadsheet?

Karen! What're you doing?

It's for the re-enactment.

That murder trial thing Jack's doing, isn't he?

And Rob.

Dr Carter is playing defence. He will be magnificent.

Come on.

Mrs Tembe, you shouldn't lift it like that, you'll put your back out. Jimmi, give them a hand.

Nice 'tache, Dad.

It's driving me mad already.

-How did I ever let you talk me into this?

-I think beer was mentioned.

Head of Law can't make it, gastroenteritis, or so he says,

so I'm standing in.

-You make a fine figure of a man.

-Thanks.

Right everybody, we go live in an hour. So let's focus.

We're filming in the Chancellery Room. The university will use it as a teaching aid.

I'm Justice George McKenna.

Grumpy, gout-ridden, a hanging judge.

Thought women couldn't argue logically because of their female brains.

He'd turn in his grave if he knew a woman was playing him.

For the prosecution, Oliver Nash.

Brilliant, ruthless, single-minded,

arrogant, bit of a ladies' man, but very charming.

For the defence, Edward Templeton.

He'd take on hopeless cases, and usually win.

He had a very colourful dress sense.

He could reduce the public gallery to tears

by the sheer strength of his defence speeches.

Sometimes ladies even swooned.

So, no pressure then, Heston!

The accused, played by Kate.

Amelia Watson was 19-years-old when she allegedly murdered her baby son.

At the time, she was considered one of the most hated woman in Britain.

The press referred to her as "this monstrous and unnatural woman."

Accused on the evidence of Sarah Treadwell,

Watsons' maid, played by Rose.

Sarah was only 19,

and she was the key witness in this high-profile murder trial.

She became a celebrity, even though at 13 she'd left school

and was barely literate.

Typecast again.

Shut up!

And last, but not least, PC Albert Leys,

played by Robert Hollins.

When Jack told me his dad was a policeman, I couldn't resist.

Now, any questions?

Where's the jury?

They're online.

There's going to be cameras all round the courtroom, so by all means play to them.

We're going to be encouraging viewers to phone in, e-mail or text their reactions,

as well as vote.

And we know the verdict.

Well, we know what the verdict was.

But maybe it won't turn out that way.

It's up to you and Heston to argue for and against - everything to play for. It's up to you.

-Is it going to be on all day?

-It's 2pm, which is going to be any minute.

I might watch some of it. Sounds like fun.

Fun? This is what Jack is going to be doing for the rest of his life.

-Parading around in silly costumes?

-Being a lawyer.

-Rob has never acted before.

-SHE SNIGGERS

I am just watching it for Dr Carter.

He is a real actor. The rest are amateurs.

Right, there you go. Leave it like this. Don't touch anything.

Thank you, Dr Tyler.

So, how was your holiday?

Now I know why they call it Sin City.

How did you get Kevin to lend you his laptop?

I told him I'd make tea for the rest of the month.

-I don't think he realises it's the 31st today.

-THEY LAUGH

How's your house-hunting going?

Well, we saw the perfect house.

-But Jimmi doesn't like it because it needs rebuilding...

-Ssh! It's starting.

TV THEME MUSIC

Amelia May Watson, you are charged

that on 22nd September last,

you killed your infant son James.

-How do you plead?

-Not guilty.

Then I call upon the Counsel for the Prosecution, Mr Oliver Nash.

Look at Jack! Isn't he brilliant?

Gentleman of the jury, I will show that this woman before you,

Amelia May Watson, is a cold, calculating liar.

I will also show that on the night in question,

she committed the crime of murder.

I call upon my first witness, Miss Sarah Treadwell.

I swear by almighty God, that the evidence I give

shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Miss Treadwell, in April 1909,

you were engaged as a maid

-by William and Amelia Watson at Oakfield Farm?

-Yes.

Mr Watson worked so hard to make a go of the place.

-He was very kind to me.

-In what way?

He'd walk around the farm with me, show me things.

He knew every tree and bird and flower.

He confided in me, you could say.

And Mrs Watson?

She was the mistress.

I obeyed her orders. I worked hard.

But you never got a smile or a "thank you", not from her.

And then the baby was born on 18th September 1909.

Yes. They married in January, so it was only eight months after.

Eight months.

Mr Nash, I'm sure the jury can count. Proceed.

The birth of a child - a happy event, surely.

Mr Watson was pleased as punch, to have his first child a son.

But the mistress...

Well, it's not my place to say.

It is your place, Miss Treadwell. That's why you are here.

Well, she couldn't even nurse him, so we had to raise him on bottles -

like a calf or a little lamb.

I cared for him, more than her.

Sometimes I'd give him his bottle and I'd sing to him.

And Mr Watson'd come in to say goodnight,

and he'd see us there all content,

and it was as if me and him were the parents

and James was our child.

We were the ones that loved him.

And Mrs Watson?

If the truth be told, she didn't love him.

She never even played with him.

She was a cold woman and that's the truth.

And now we come to the night in question -

22nd September last.

There was a terrible storm.

Stormy weather within, too, I believe?

Yes, sir. The master and mistress had an argument.

What about?

She told him that James wasn't his.

I suspected as much, born eight months after the wedding.

And then there was his hair.

The baby's hair?

James had red hair.

Neither the master nor the mistress do.

I pointed that out to the master, said it was strange.

I think he'd started to suspect.

And she knew he was on to her so she confessed that James was a bastard.

Strike that word from the record.

"Illegitimate", you mean?

Whatever you call it, it's the same.

So, who was James' father?

Michael Fletcher, a soldier.

I don't know where he is - India or some such place.

And how did Mr Watson react to this shocking news?

He came in, and he looked at James in his crib.

Was he violent? Did he threaten the child?

No. He was crying.

I spoke up, I said, "It's not the baby's fault."

The master said he knew and that he was going out riding to clear his head.

And we never saw him again.

Then what happened?

Baby James fell ill all of a sudden.

He had a convulsion and fever, it was burning him up.

What did you do?

I offered to walk into town, though it was five miles,

to fetch the doctor.

But she said there was no need.

She told me to go to bed, but she looked strange.

I didn't want to leave the baby with her.

Then she said she'd give him something.

What did she give him?

She mixed up 12 drops of laudanum,

water, sugar, and camomile.

James was so weak, he could barely swallow.

But she made him take it all.

She said that he'd sleep, and then he'd be all right.

And was he all right?

No.

He died.

She poisoned him in cold blood!

I saw it with my own eyes.

How can any woman do that to a child?

She's a monster.

She has the right to a defence.

Now we will see some acting!

Miss Treadwell...

Sarah...

..I'm sorry to make you recall such distressing events.

It's all right. I don't mind what I have to do as long as she hangs for it.

You haven't come here to see justice done,

establish the facts?

I know what she's done. And I know what she deserves.

You hated your mistress, didn't you?

Yes.

You hated her from the moment you began working -

more than a year before the alleged incident.

"She was a cold woman," you said.

"She didn't love her husband or her son

"or anyone but herself."

But, of course, we only have your word for that.

I'm telling the truth.

The way you talk about her husband is very different.

Mr Watson was kind you said.

He showed you around the farm,

pointing out the trees and the birds and the flowers.

"He confided in me."

Tell me, during these bucolic rambles,

did he ever declare his love for you?

No. He didn't love me. He loved her.

And you couldn't bear that, could you?

-You were in love with him. You were jealous.

-No, I...

You helpfully pointed out that James

didn't really look like Mr Watson,

sowing the seeds of doubt between husband and wife.

I told him the truth.

She lied to him!

You said, "It was as if me and him were the parents

"and James was our child."

You wanted Amelia Watson out of the way -

-disgraced, thrown out, dead - so you could take her place.

-No, that's not...

You did everything you could to destroy the marriage.

Even having an innocent woman convicted of murder!

My Lord, I protest. I will not have my witness bullied in this way.

You go too far, sir. Temper your language.

No more questions.

He's got no right to bully her like that.

He is only doing his job.

You should hear what Rob says about defence lawyers.

-I've found the perfect house!

-You're always finding the perfect house.

Yeah, but this one really is.

-I went on the website and found it.

-'I call upon PC Albert Leys.'

Oh! Look at his moustache!

Constable Leys,

-you were on duty very early on the morning of 23rd September?

-Yes.

You went to Oakfield Farm?

Just give us a minute.

Yes, I did. And it was my sad duty to inform Mrs Watson

of her husband's death.

How had this happened?

Er, he'd been out riding, and he'd taken a fall from his horse,

broken his neck and been found by Mr Squires, the local farmer,

who'd taken him to hospital, but it was hopeless.

When you arrived at the Watson house, what did you find?

A dead baby.

The...maid was very distressed.

But the mistress didn't shed a single tear,

which I found to be very unnatural.

Did you examine the baby?

-Er...yes.

-There was a post-mortem, was there not?

-Yes.

Is that Rob?

And what were its findings?

It was an overdose. It was the laudanum.

I went through over it last night - know it better than him.

-Sergeant, what were the findings of the post mortem?

-I don't have to do this.

The findings were that the baby died from an overdose of laudanum.

And you had a message to pass on, did you not?

He wanted a message to be given to the wife.

He was very, very insistent.

That he forgave her!

He forgave her, no matter what she had said.

-It's like listening in stereo!

-Sssh!

"No matter what she'd done."

'Done, done!'

'Thank you. No further questions.'

'I now call on Mr Templeton to cross-examine.'

NO!

-It's the laptop. You need to switch it off and on again.

-Kevin said not to touch it.

-What? What's happened?

-Hey, the screen's frozen.

It does it sometimes.

For goodness' sake. I thought someone had died!

I'll make you a cup of tea.

-"Pity they couldn't find someone to play a believable copper."

-We've had tonnes of emails, texts and calls -

all overwhelmingly in favour of Amelia being guilty.

I've lost.

Not necessarily.

Have you read all the briefing papers I gave you?

Maybe you should look again.

From your perspective, not Templeton's.

Kate.

Oh, they're coming back in.

Oh, that's where you got to. Shall we...

-I'm watching this now.

-There's nothing going on!

Oh, blast that QOF report. I'm going to watch some of this.

OK. So it can't be Easter Holiday or the Bank Holidays or school holidays

as no-one's going to be around, and it can't be during the Olympics.

-Shh!

-Snooker...

Cherry! We're trying to watch!

Let's go to the room.

Mrs Watson.

You lived on a farm with a maid who hated you,

very far from friends and family.

It must have been very lonely?

Yes.

But you did have one very good friend -

-Sophie Hurst.

-Yes.

She was like a big sister.

You used to write to each other.

She would give you advice on household matters,

-and babies?

-Yes.

Your Honour, I would like to read from a letter

written a few months before this awful incident.

"Dearest Amelia, Emily has been so ill.

"For an awful night, we thought we'd lose her.

"She had convulsions, and a high fever.

"I mixed up 12 drops of laudanum

"with sugar, water and camomile, and got her to drink it."

"The fever broke, and she slept peacefully.

"By morning, thank God, she was better."

Laudanum, sugar,

water, camomile...

..is exactly what you gave your son

when he had a fever and convulsions.

We have Miss Treadwell's corroboration for that.

You were trying to cure your son?

Yes.

In your desperation, you didn't realise

it was too high a dose for such a small child.

Emily, Sophie's child was 12. But James...

I gave him too much.

And he died.

You didn't weep?

I couldn't.

The shock of it, and William dead as well.

I didn't know what to say or do.

Some people cry and wail and carry on and get everyone's pity.

I couldn't do that. I still cannot.

Gentleman of the jury, this letter changes everything.

The woman before you, accused of killing her son,

was actually trying to save his life

and is entirely innocent of his murder.

Poor thing.

Trust Heston to overact.

I now call upon Mr Nash to cross-examine.

Mrs Watson,

-you had a child to another man and passed it off as your husband's?

-Yes.

So you lied to your husband?

Not once or twice, but for almost two years?

I hated lying. And I loved William, he deserved the truth.

If you loved your husband so much, then why did you have a liaison

with another man a month before your wedding?

I didn't want that to happen.

Mr Fletcher was William's best friend.

Which makes your betrayal even worse.

I tried to be friendly to him for William's sake.

You were very friendly with him. At the village Christmas dance, you were seen talking with him, flirting -

and then nine months later you had his child.

He forced me.

Mrs Watson, you've lied about everything else.

-Why should this be true?

-It is true!

Very well.

Let us suppose, for a moment, that this child was a result of rape.

You would have every reason to hate it, to want it dead.

If, on the other hand, you had gone with Mr Fletcher willingly,

then the child was an inconvenience,

a constant reminder of your shame,

-and you still would have wanted him dead, wouldn't you?

-No! I loved him.

Let us examine the facts.

Your child was desperately ill.

Your husband was not there.

Miss Treadwell offered to fetch a doctor,

you told her there was no need. And then you sent her to bed.

-She was worn out. I thought she should sleep.

-No, Mrs Watson.

You wanted to make sure that there were no witnesses

-to see you poison your own son.

-I didn't poison him!

-You did, and we have proof.

Not the word of a maid, but the testimony of a medical expert.

And there was no need.

Your husband, as angry and hurt as he was, was prepared to forgive you.

Those were his last words.

But they came too late.

You had already killed your baby.

No. I was trying to save him.

This remarkable new evidence. Why wasn't this presented before?

I didn't think anyone would believe me.

The defence assures us that this letter proves your innocence,

that you mistakenly administered an overdose of laudanum in an attempt to save your son.

However, I put it to you that this letter was deliberately concealed

because it demonstrates what you've been trying to hide all along.

You poisoned your baby,

-knowing full well what dosage was required to do so.

-No.

No further questions.

I'm confused now.

It is quite clear. She is innocent.

Jack is bullying her.

Oi!

-I'd hate to be on a real jury, wouldn't you?

-I think you forget, we are the jury.

All right, ladies? How's it going?

The accused is giving her evidence.

So, Mum and Dad are on their cruise

mid-April to the end of May.

Well, we'll have to go back to March.

-What about the 24th?

-You've got your police surgeon course.

No. That's 24th February.

24th March is free.

And Marlborough Hall is available.

We've done it.

Can I have my lunch now?

-No! You've got to come with me somewhere.

-Where?

-Surprise.

Miss Treadwell said that Mrs Watson never smiled,

never seemed happy.

Some women, after the birth of a child, are in low spirits.

I think Mrs Watson suffered from this oppression.

But being unhappy is not a crime.

If it were, how many of us would be in the dock?

This is a mother who, in spite of everything, loved her child,

fought for his life and lost.

She deserves our sympathy, not condemnation.

She is innocent, and has suffered enough.

I will now ask the jury to retire and consider their verdict.

Well, it was obvious. She had post-natal depression. So, what happens now?

You have to vote, you phone or text, guilty or not guilty.

Where's the jury?

Duh, Zara! We're all the jury. We have to decide.

I think she is innocent

I know, and she looked so guilty, didn't she?

-Is it much further?

-No. We're here.

Da-da!

Oh! Cherry, I thought we agreed to stop house-hunting?

No, we didn't agree. You said.

I went back on the property website, and I saw this place. At least let's have a look.

-We fixed a date for the wedding, we got over it.

-Got over it?

-You mean you don't want to get married?

-No, of course I...

Right, well, we're here.

Will the prisoner please stand?

The verdict is as follows.

On the charge of murder,

the jury find the defendant,

Amelia May Watson...

..not guilty.

CHEERING

I knew Dr Carter would do it!

Well?

It's...so clean.

Mmm.

It's perfect.

Told you.

We've come home.

Finally.

Amelia'd been raped.

Why didn't Templeton use that?

He couldn't. He only had Amelia's word for it.

It'd just remind the jury

that she'd lied to her husband and had a child out of wedlock.

-The only other person she had told was William, for good reasons.

-You mean, she'd have been blamed?

Oh, worse than that.

If she'd admitted that Michael Fletcher'd had sex with her, got her pregnant,

they might have forced her to marry him.

That's horrendous.

Yeah, but it happened.

-Templeton did his best, but he didn't use Sophie's letter.

-So Nash won.

And Amelia was hanged.

It was unusual for a woman to be executed,

but all the evidence against her was unarguable.

And she had no witness to stick up for her.

That calmness she showed when she given the bad news, I've seen that. People react in all kinds of ways.

Shock, post natal depression - we know about it now.

So Amelia got sentenced to death because she didn't cry enough?

Partly, yes.

Oh, Kate, I've got something that you might be interested in.

This is the last letter that Amelia wrote from prison.

I'd like to read this aloud, if people don't mind?

"My dear Sophie.

"The execution date is set,

"there's no stopping it now.

"Don't grieve for me, I'm glad to be done with this world.

"They say hanging's very quick, and you barely feel the pain.

"I'm not afraid now I've made up my mind to it.

"I've no fear of Hell. God knows I am innocent.

"Tomorrow, I will be with William and James again,

"and we will be a proper family in Heaven

"as we never could be on Earth.

"Kiss Emily for me. Your loving friend, Amelia."

Amelia's family disowned her.

Templeton never forgave himself for losing.

It haunted him that he couldn't win this one.

COMPUTER BEEPS

There's an e-mail form Fothergill.

"The department's delighted.

"Brownie points all round."

Heston didn't stick to his brief!

It was supposed to be a re-enactment,

but it was more of an "enactment".

We've changed the course of history.

We haven't.

Amelia's still dead.

Yes, we'd like to make an offer on 8 Priory Road.

OK. Could you hold?

Has it already gone?

No. But the owner's off to the States, so she wants a quick sale.

David? We've already sold our property, so that will be fine.

Yeah, let's get cracking. Cheers.

You just lied to him.

Ooh, I lied to an estate agent. How terrible (!)

We'll just have to sell ours quickly.

It'll be OK. It'll be worth it.

Why don't you start to use the brains you say you've got?

You'll have to trust me. You can't electronically tag me.

I want to know what happened upstairs.

Divine retribution is what took place.

The infection is going to make this complicated,

but that's one of the inherent risks

of wanting to look like a door knocker display at the ironmongers.

I can't believe how lucky we are. It's everything we hoped for.

Do you fancy a pint?

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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