S1 • E1
Pregnant Gemma's world collapses when her husband Steve is remanded in custody on suspicion of murder, having been seen in a pub car park where a man was shot. Overwhelmed by her first prison visit she is befriended by wealthy,brassy Francesca,whose husband Ian is serving sixteen years for international drug-running. Further down the social ladder is tenement-dwelling,soft drug peddling Lou,who is taking her seven year old son Mason on his first visit to his father Sean. Gemma is determined to believe in Steve's innocence but her faith is jolted when she discovers a gun hidden in his mother's caravan and he admits to knowing the dead man.
S1 • E2
Francesca is forced to get work as a hospital cleaner when her house is seized under a criminal compensation order. Despite Paul's displeasure she enjoys the independence and the company of handsome co-worker Lukasz but quits after her husband sends heavies to warn Lucasz off her. Whilst Gemma,accepting that the shooting was an accident,takes the gun from the caravan and throws it into a lake, Lou's visit to Sean makes it apparent that he took the blame for her crime and nervous,middle-class Harriet visits her son Gavin,who is less than welcoming to his mother.
S1 • E3
Francesca and her two teenage children are evicted and move in with her father Frank. Harriet confesses to prison chaplain Ian that Gavin blames her for his imprisonment as she alerted the police out of concern for his being in bad company and they found a gun in his possession which he was 'looking after'. Gavin is beaten up and asks Harriet to smuggle in drugs as currency to prevent further beatings. She is almost caught but saved by Lou who arranges for Sean and Paul to be the boys' bodyguards. Lou herself is visited by Social Services after Mason behaves badly at school and she asks Gemma,who works at the school,to find out more details but the headmaster catches her. Going home Gemma sees Steve's partner Andy being beaten up by two men. She tells the police she thinks Steve is guilty and helps them find the gun.
S1 • E4
Whilst Harriet and Gavin reconcile Francesca is angry with Paul for tricking her into attending a cosy marriage guidance group and walks out. That night he rings her to declare his love,leaving her feeling confused. Gemma omits to tell Steve that she is now fully cooperating with the police,leading to their raiding his firm and arresting Andy for using illegal workers. Mason works out that his father is in prison and Lou determines to stop drug dealing but,whilst she is at the Job Centre,odious local pusher Tapper uses the little boy in a deal that goes wrong. As atonement he makes Lou pick up a packet of cocaine but she is caught by the police. Mason is taken into care and Harriet,who had been baby-sitting him for Lou,takes home Lou's 'magic pot',containing her savings for a new flat.
S1 • E5
A nervous Gemma is unsettled to find Andy released on bail. Detective Sergeant Hunter confronts Steve with the news that his gun has been found and whilst Hunter keeps Gemma out of the conversation Steve has his suspicions that Gemma told him about it it. Having guarded her money for her Harriet lets Lou move into her house as a bail address and,despite initial differences,the two get on well and,at Lou's insistence,Harriet successfully applies to be Mason's temporary foster-mother. However Sean is angry with Lou for her drug involvement and Gavin is also annoyed that his mother seems more interested in Lou than him and trashes his cell,ending up in solitary confinement.
S1 • E6
Life is good for Harriet. She makes her peace with Gavin - who is about to convert to Islam - and dates Ian after helping him run a support group. She also adds the newly-released Sean to her household so that,although she is sentenced to six months,Lou now has a brighter future to look forward to on discharge. Things are looking up too for Francesca as she can now afford a flat but it is with the money from a drugs deal,which appalls her father. Gemma however feels threatened when Andy tells her Steve deliberately killed the victim to stop him exposing his people trafficking. DS Hunter puts her in a safe house but she is pursued by a gun-toting Andy and gives birth in a toilet whilst hiding from him. With Andy also locked up Gemma tells Steve that she will never be visiting him again.
Harriet
Francesca
Lauren
Paul
Matt
Gavin
Lead Imate Don
Frank
Ian
Prisoner