Willy Houlihan is in the holding cells beneath a Crown Court, awaiting the verdict of his trial. As he begins the long walk back up to his courtroom, viewers learn the events that brought him there. Willy was a hard-working plumber, with money pressures and a family who rely on him. But what did he get involved in?

Frankie, a young soldier on trial, starts the long walk back up to his courtroom to learn the decision of the jury. A frightening series of events led him to this place, but does the jury know the full story?

Helen (Juliet Stevenson) and Frank (Peter Capaldi) send their son Rob off to his first day as a temp at a local factory. When Rob doesn't return home, Helen sets out to find justice for her son.

Liam (Andy Serkis) is a taxi driver who is bored very everyday life and is desperate to escape it. One day Emma gets into his cab and he falls deeply and madly in love with her, he starts to dream that he can be everything she needs in life.

Kenny Armstrong (Marc Warren) is outraged to learn his daughter has been attacked in the park and, accompanied by two of his friends, sets off to find the culprit. However, the trio's assault on the man they suspect proves more violent than Kenny had intended, and while his cohorts are adamant that informing the police of their actions would be disastrous, his urge to confess grows. Jimmy McGovern and Esther Wilson's legal drama, with Joe Duttine, Jack Deam and Andrea Lowe

Alison, a working mother with a young family, stands accused. Will the jury find her guilty?

Mo Murray runs her hair salon with her friend Sue on an estate riven by gang violence. When Sue's son Sean is shot dead Mo spearheads a local group Women Against Guns,advocating informing on drug dealers in the area. She is therefore appalled to discover that her own son Jake shot Sean on behalf of the gang to which he belonged but is dissuaded from giving him up by her mother,who helps her hide the gun. They plan to leave for Portsmouth but are arrested and appear in court,Mo's sentence being made the harsher by Sue's reaction.

Peter Cartwright engages Charlotte,a nurse,to tend his dying wife Katherine and,several months after Katherine's death,begins to date her,finally marrying her. Whilst Peter's younger son Dom gets on with her his brother,17-year-old Stephen,becomes obsessed with the idea that Charlotte killed his mother and is now trying to poison him. He hears voices from the television warning him but refuses to accept that he needs psychiatric help. Indeed when he goes on trial for trying to kill Charlotte,he clings to his story that it was self defence to prevent her killing him and Dom.

After a row with a drunken bigot transvestite Simon gets into a taxi with Tony Baines. Tony is fascinated by Simon's alter ego Tracie and the two men begin an affair. Simon has feelings for Tony and is shocked to learn that he has lied about being married. Following a confrontation between the two men Tony confesses all to his wife before telling Simon that he has left her and the pair set off to make a new life together. However Tony makes a terrifying admission as a result of which Tracie must come to the aid of Simon in court.

Stephen Cartwright begins his sentence at an under-staffed young offender unit where his wing officer is Tina Dakin. She is concerned at his withdrawn attitude and unsuccessfully attempts to prevent him from killing himself. When his father comes to visit his son Tina is instructed to tell him that everything is alright until the cause of death is confirmed. She had relayed her anxiety about Stephen to senior officer Frank who, being under pressure, did nothing, and now she regrets being involved in what will be a cover-up. Peter, however, sees her as the principal person who lied to him. Feeling disgusted with a system which causes such misery she allows another inmate, Jake Murray, to escape - which leads to her own appearance as the accused.