The future at Brookfield looks Rosie, and will Home Farm be home no more? Discuss The Archers here.

[PseudoBadger]

And there’s some rubbish about an ex-stripper policeman?

I like Freddie, nope I'd hate him as a son, but as a character he is interesting and realistic. And has a hope of growing up sometime (via a spell in a young offenders institution).
Pip on the other had is wooden and so self entitled. Old Pip was irritating but believable - new Pip is treated as so Golden which makes it deeply annoying.

I like Johnny, although he was a bit sanctimonious but maybe he'll come around if Freddy shows remorse?

My plot prediction is a spin off show (produced by the interim editor?) maybe on R4 extra - life in Borchester Prison. Characters so far: Clive, Freddy, Brian, Ellis, Russ...

I reckon that Freddie will eventually grow up (unlike Kate) prison will probably be what he needs to straighten out his dopey teenage rebellion stuff. Johnny's attitude was what he needed too.

Toby was very good intervening with Pip and Josh, acknowledging both points pf view and getting to a compromise.

Beka

I’d cancel everything to listen to that!

But Freddie has to escape somehow. I couldn’t bear harsh punishment for him, or Elizabeth.

Freddie reminds me of spoilt young people I’ve met in RL. I hope he receives the proper punishment, people die from taking MDMA etc.

I think Freddie still doesn't understand how much shit he's in, because as far as he's concerned, he's not a "proper" drug dealer, and everyone will come to see that.

Either he'll end up in prison (what is the age limit for YOIs? He's 18.) Or he'll spill about Ellis and get a suspended sentence and/or community service.

(I know nothing about sentencing, mind you.)

From what one hears prison "is a bed of roses" now isn't it Gruach ? The 'short sharp shock' policy has finished now, it must be true someone on R4 said so!

Too many 'nows'

I know people who work in Prisons (mainly Chaplains), and you can't believe everything you hear on radio 4.
I think YOI s go to 21.
Of course drugs in prison is a big problem, so say they are easier to get than outside.

I really hope Freddy does get a custodial sentence. His confidence that it will all go away after Mummy pays his fine so he can carry on as normal needs to be severely shaken.

I recently dealt through work with a kid who spent some time on remand in a youth custody facility. He found it pretty hellish, and he's quite a tough kid. I can't imagine a whiny upper class pillock coping at all.

I suppose it would make or break him (sorry for the cliche` but it's quite apt )

Gosh ... Really?

To me Freddie is someone hanging on by a thread. He lost his father in ghastly circumstances - his mother has a dicky heart (he didn’t forget that even during the mushroom era) and until recently he’s lived under the shadow of a cleverer sister. And he was bullied into dealing for Ellis. (?)

I want him to be scared - not to have his future ruined.

I've heard more than one quote supposedly from a former public schoolboy claiming to find prison a breeze after school, but I suspect there's a lot of bravado there. In any case, Freddie didn't go to boarding school. I also think he needs a custodial sentence.

I hate to hear of cases where rich, well-connected families pull out all the stops to get their criminal offspring a suspended or community sentence - promises of sending them for private addiction treatment, psychiatric evaluations which medicalise perfectly normal adolescent angst, lengthy sob stories about the difficulties they've faced which are completely dwarfed by what most poorer kids contend with every day, character references from teachers and people they've met through activities that the family's paid for. Freddie had one dreadfully hard knock - Nigel's death - but that's it. He has had a very easy life indeed in every other respect. He has no excuse whatsoever for what he's done and he's extremely lucky not to have caused a death.

If Freddie came from Meadow Rise he'd already be in a YOI on remand.

You have a kind heart, Gruach! In this respect, I have a heart of stone.

This won't ruin Freddie's future. Nothing can take his inheritance away unless Elizabeth somehow persuades the trustees to sell LL to pay for the legal costs all the way to the ECHR. His future is goldplated.

I work in a prison and I can assure you it's tough. Especially tough for someone like Freddy who would stick out like a sore thumb. Also true that the places are swimming in drugs - far easier to get hold of the stuff inside than out. Sad, but true.

I too don't want Freddie to have his future ruined. The trouble is that he's not scared by the prospect of a fine and community service, and if he's still focussing on his South Africa trip he's clearly not too bothered about helping to his mother to save the business he's put in danger. So I suspect a custodial sentence is the only thing that will get home to him and, as D0do says, it certainly won't ruin his future. In fact, it could be the making of him - maybe he'll go into something involving helping young offenders once his eyes have been opened to reality.

Hmm ... Just to be boring - the boarding school boys I know right now completely love their school lives and would die of shame and remorse if they found/put themselves in Freddie’s position. Actually their attitude would be pretty much the same as Johnny’s. I suspect the word ‘dick’ would be flung around unrestrainedly.

(Though I’m actually quite hurt, on Freddie’s behalf by the whiny upper class pillock label!)

Well, Freddie has been a pillock about the whole drug-dealing thing, and is currently being even more pillocky. He's undoubtedly upper class, and he's undoubtedly being very whiny. The label seems entirely accurate to me.

I don't think that Freddie is upper class. He's 'solidly' middle class. He consorts with farming stock, not anyone smart like aristocracy or old money.

I know lots of “there but for the grace of God” Freddies.

Lily and Freddie are both vulnerable because of their dad but also both pretty entitled. Look at all the 'advice' Lily has enjoyed dishing out to the other young women over the years.

We don't know his paternal grandparents lineage but I would say they are upper middle \upper. It's true that many many children are from single parent backgrounds. IMO He has more emotional security than a number of whole term boarding school children.

But you're right, I had forgotten Gruach he was , and still is being bullied by Ellis, who obviously mentioned Noli's drug taking to the police to let himself off the hook and incriminate Freddie further. He's a fool for not pointing the finger directly at Ellis.

Coming back to Pip (sorry!), I've just remembered that Josh had a dig about Rosie being the "wonderchild" in front of Pip, although there didn't appear to be any reaction from Pip.

So we have the contrast of the two uncles, Rex and Josh, one doting on Rosie and the other resentful of her. I wonder how David and Ruth will react to Josh's attitude once they realise?

IMO He has more emotional security than a number of whole term boarding school children.

Dang ... It’s not for this thread.