As doors slam shut in Rob's face and behind SOC, a new door opens for the next Archers editor. Are we expecting some New Tricks, or just Archenders?

[PseudoBadger]

Welcome one and all. No spoilers please!

It's like Helen has gained a superpower - all those flaming arrows that Rob shoots at her (via his solicitor) she just bats away.

Another question - surely now there has been a change in circumstances, Helen's release, Anna would be asking for an adjournment so consideration could be given to Helen's parenting now she's out of prison?

Part of me thinks it's looking worryingly good, and part of me is hoping that the criminal trial was just Part One of Rob's Downfall: next, losing Henwee and Gack, to be closely followed by an about-face by Justin, the police investigating the rape allegations and Stefan's triumphant return to point the finger for the flood.

I'm imagining various boarding schools getting very excited about their SEO/google results, not realising it's just Mumsnetters working out if Henry can go.

I've been AWOL for months from these threads - pregnant and listen gave me the rage or the tears and I can do with neither! Just caught up with 3 months of podcasts while on leave, so I'm back.

thanks for new thread
feeling trepidatious re Henwee and coercive control over him…poor little boy.

I agree it's looking too good. I'd be amazed if she doesn't get Henry. But there will be contact with Gack for Rob too.

That's dedication to the cause Stubble!

I can see them letting Rob keep the boys for dramatic purposes. It maintains the tension. However, it would be great if they went back to Helen, then we could have a well deserved break from this storyline.

I wonder if we will ever hear Rob admit about the bath. Robs case was so weak but agree to wishing we had heard him in the proceedings

Admittedly a lot had gone on, but I was seriously creeped out by all the Pip / Toby snogging >> vom

Thanks Tuktuk for kind comments at end of last thread😊 I just wish Justin would come to his senses!

As for tonight's episode, I love the idea of Helen having developed superpowers DadDad😀.

Agree that it does seem to be going too well. Also isn't Anna going to cross question Rob?

Maybe the judge will think Helen seems too strong and decides she can't possibly have been abused so leaving both kids with rob and another lengthy ee style story for her to get them back

Will the judge just say that because Rob is no threat to the children (ie no evidence given that he will harm or neglect them) that their time should be split 50:50 between H and R. That sets us up for endless mindgames.

Is it normal to have a barrister doing your family court hearing?

No a criminal judge would not ever do a family court hearing.

No the criminal defence barrister would not do the family court hearing

However ridiculously badly written storyline (post stabbing) has hardly been notable for a realistic portrayal of the criminal justice system so who knows ? Maybe Judith Chalmers is the Court Recorder

Why do you think that Career? Many judges sit as criminal and family judges, and some barristers likewise. You are appointed to be a Circuit Judge and have "family" and "criminal" and "civil" jurisdiction - either some or all of these depending on your experience and training. Nowadays more and more barristers are one or the other but it's useful to be able to represent a client in both courts when there is a lot of overlap etc in the issues as here.

I have an acquaintance who does do criminal as well as some family law.

Some of the questions to Pat were so ludicrous, as if Helen shouldn't be allowed to the hair dressers? Really? And I can't imagine that any court would award custody of a child to the step parent.

I was working this evening so missed the ep. I'll LA soon. In the meantime, I take it from catching up here that it didn't largely feature Jill helping Alan with some church admin, Neil gathering the bell ringers for a practice, and Fallon practising her cake for the f&p?

Thanks for the new thread Pseudo

Great new title, Pseudo. Thanks.

I'd like to point out that Henry couldn't go to Queen Ethelburga's till he can mange big words. And who was she anyway?? I know I could look it up - or ask one of my relatives who have encyclopaedias fitted in their brains.

And what's this about Denis Lawson? Maybe he could come up this way again to visit his relies - and take Charlie back with him.

I guess quite a lot will depend on what Henry told the Cafcass person or whoever it was. Bearing in mind that he'd been carefully coached, he's likely to have said, at the very least, that he loves Daddy and possibly that he wants to stay with him. What a 5 year old says would never be conclusive, but it could well mean that the judge will decide that he should still see a lot of Rob, particularly as Rob has been in sole charge for the last four months or so.

I'd like to think that now Helen is found not guilty the Archers will see Henry at least half the week. It would be good though if Knob got one day a week at a contact centre. And Tom or pat can ask him not to greet Henry on any other day.

What a flibbertigibbet. The hairdresser!

If she hadn't ever been to the hairdresser, that would have been evidence of her unstable character, unable to care for herself, let alone her children.

Ethelburga was a queen of one of the Anglo-Saxon kings. She got to be a saint on account of causing her husband to convert, and after his death, setting up a nunnery.

I had the impression that Anna's speciality was representing abused women, which would presumably involve a combination of criminal and family court, separately or together as with Helen.