Harriet Peterson is asked to defend Judge Justice Bebbington on a drink driving charge.
Defending the judge who was twice over the limit causes further pressure on her. James Eliot tells Harriet that he conducted a similar drink driving case in front of Judge Justice Bebbington and managed to get him off on a technicality. The same defence that judge is now using. In James case the defendant was a senior policeman.
Harriet feels she is being used and it could all blow up in her face when it comes to bad publicity. Especially when she has reapplied to take silk.
We live at a time where there are lawyers who specialise in legal loopholes when it comes to road traffic cases. "M'lud my client, a famous football manager was speeding simply because he needed a pit stop, thereby rushing home."
I just find too hard to believe that legal loopholes did not exist then or the Judge would not take advantage of it.
The story comes across as cack handed. What were the chances that the judge got involved in a blameless accident straight after similar fact case that he presided over. Then there was James Eliot rushing to the court and interrupting Harriet's cross examination.
I could not even fathom why Harriet would be singled out for blame, the defence solicitor was alright with the facts and he too could had been on the firing line.