Silence in court! Discuss The Archers and shout from the gallery here. Send him down.

[PseudoBadger]

What day is it again?

Just marking. Another fab episode tonight.

I missed today's episode and Lowfield hasn't updated yet...

If Jess tells them about rob turning up to threaten her with Henry in the car - will that look good in the custody case?

and Jack's

re: public knowledge of his conception

Wonderful episode. All the chit chat taking place out of court so we could hear what was going on in the witness box. The whole episode felt much better constructed and more realistic. I did love the prosecution asking Helen why having decided to leave Knob she didn't just go - how many times have we discussed that very point? She should have said "SOC made me do it - he made me stay".

The sperm donor story was rubbish at the time. There was a worldwide shortage of donor sperm and a typical 2 year wait. But Helen just magics some up from the Netherlands (or other northern european country).

By the way Gruach I loved your description of dashing in from Evensong and crossing the quad at sunset - very atmospheric. I'm picturing Oxford Crown Court for the trial since that's the one I know best - just over the road from Christ Church so it seemed particularly evocative.

I keep thinking about an episode in early days of their courtship maybe 2 yrs ago. Helen was putting on some coverup foundation and asking Rob if anyone would notice - at the time it was ambivalent whether it was late night eye bags or a bruise. Anyone remember this?

Thanks for the new thread Psuedo. I went away for a week at the end of July and only had about 5 pages of this thread to catch up on. Today I go out for the afternoon and we're already on page 7
Good episode tonight, and after all this time Pat is back

...poor Henry with all the locals knowing about his conception.

I can imagine all the school parents shunning him and stopping their kids playing with him because his birth father was a donor and his step father being a rapist

I meant ambiguous. Sorry ms truss

I really felt for Pat tonight as well - it was a really heartbreaking episode.

Also thought that the judge was sympathetic towards Helen and that this may bode well for Jess. The prosecution barrister was so aggressive towards her and so dismissive of her situation. Awful to listen to. I know its his job and an adversarial system but it must be tough doing that to another person.

BOOPS all round it seems

I hope the prosecuting barrister was in the meantime having a furious internal monologue along the lines of 'FFS, I can't prosecute this case if he withholds crucial information from me. Why didn't he tell me he was a multiple rapist, the evil scumbag?!'

Just caught up. That was emotional - listening to Helen saying she was raped not once but that it had happened again. And again. And again. Etc. Jesus.

Lil'G I'm so rarely away from home these days - have to make the most of it for dramatic purposes!

Who said something about grounds for appeal? northerlurker? I was thinking along the same lines - either the judge refusing to allow Jess' evidence or being persuaded by Mr Prosecution Bastard to (arguably?) misdirect the jury regarding the weight that should be given to Helen's rape accusation. Because it does seem a little early for things to have turned Helen's way.

Which reminds me that, several lifetimes ago, I did once or twice appear in an Oxford Court. No stabbings involved - and I could have sworn the court was at the bottom of a road, nowhere near Christ Church. But I can scarcely recall any details.

Was it a lovebite she was covering up? In my memory it s associated with the whole jewellery course, lying to her family business.

And without his stick

Oh that was to anti at 21:44

Hope that not only does Jess tell the court that Rob tried to intimidate her into not appearing but that also Ian - totally independently - does likewise.

Are Ian and Neil supposed to be in ignorance of the proceedings? hows that going to work, Susan keeping schtum stretches plausibility too far.

BOOP for tonight's episode 🙂 In particular for Helen and Pat.

Even my DP (who normally ignores TA) has been going out of the way to listen, in fact spent half an hour talking about it this evening.

I hope Jess tells the court that Rrb loves tuna bake and they ate it a couple of times a month.

Place marking too! Only got permitted to use web/ds's machine an hour ago, and I had to read this and end of previous thread first.

Another good epi. Maybe bit predictable in terms of the prosecutor, but good acting too. So pleased not to have heard any chat from the gallery.

I really wanted to hear Arsula after the rape revelation. Esp after she was taunting Pat yesterday. Maybe rendered speechless and considering her life with Bruce, as others have said too.

For Knob, I too want him the face the music. In terms of demise, best of all would be if some fellow prisoner we've never heard of stabs him (to death this time) the night before he is due to be released.

to face not the

I love the title BTW - and it's great seeing so many lurkers/newbies, and new listeners, joining the thread.

the acting is extraordinary but i think the tide will turn tomorrow. jess's evidence won't be admissible, ian's evidence will be seriously undermined in some way and the pendulum will swing the other way. i think ultimately she'll be convicted of wounding with intent. the real question is who will get custody of the kids....

legal question - if she's languishing in jail will she be able to take him to court over the rapes? or once the allegation is made is it automatically taken up by the police and CPS?