S1 • E1
Judge Patrick Coburn returns to the area of Liverpool he fled forty years earlier,to preside over a new Public Justice Centre. There is some local mistrust and a memo from the Ministry of Justice suggesting it is not cost effective is stolen and leaked to court reporter Louise Scanlon from the Liverpool Mercury. Backed by probation officer Joe Gateacre Patrick exposes and sacks the mole but Louise is anxious to dish the dirt on the judge. She is also perturbed that local gym owner Jake Little has once again been acquitted of charges involving drug selling and prostitution by intimidating likely witnesses Kaz and Sharna,two young girls in care. Little threatens Patrick to stay off his territory if he wants his court to succeed.
S1 • E2
Patrick deals leniently with Peter,a young drug pusher who is genuinely determined to turn over a new leaf and support Jessica,the schoolgirl he impregnated and their baby. Joe believes Patrick has been soft on the boy but Patrick admits he does not want Peter to go the same way as himself as he left Liverpool having fathered a daughter,Mary,a drug addict who died before he could meet her. Sharna is appalled that Kaz is working for Little and warns her that he is grooming her for vice as he did with Sharna's mother. Patrick pulls off a successful P.R. exercise in his old street but Louise is getting nearer to unearthing the skeleton in his closet.
S1 • E3
Community worker Sarah Myerson impresses Patrick and he visits her Social Centre for fact finding. He learns that Alice,an elderly woman,is shop-lifting to sell goods to pay Little for drugs he supplied to her grand-daughter Angela,who is now in debt to him. When Angela is charged with possessing drugs Patrick sends her to a rehabilitation unit to get her out of Little's clutches. Father Jim,the much-loved local priest,tells Patrick that he has a grand-daughter. Sharna knows that it is her and threatens Little with her relationship with the judge. However Little goes straight to Louise Scanlon with the news - though Patrick is equally determined to get something on Little.
S1 • E4
Patrick gets in the first blow against Little by jailing one of his thugs. However he and Joe are perturbed that young probationer Darren is spending time at Little's gym and missing appointments. When Leonard Hancock,once a famous boxer now down on his luck and committing petty thefts to get sent down,appears in court Patrick gives him a community order teaching Darren to box,thereby saving two lives. Louise publishes her story Judge Named In Paternity Scandal but gives Patrick Sharna's address. He visits but she refuses to see him. Instead she goes to help Kaz,who at last has woken up to Little's plans for her, to escape from him.
S1 • E5
Father Jim,Darren and Leonard close ranks against Little when he interrupts a social evening at Sarah's club to get Kaz back. He torches Darren's car in the car park,which Joe sees as the ideal opportunity to nail him though Patrick fears that the case will collapse for lack of evidence,meaning that Little has won again,as in his Crown Court trial. Father Jim agrees to give evidence against Little but dies of a heart attack and nobody else seems brave enough to take his place,despite the efforts of Joe and Louise,now anxious to help the judge against the gangster. At Father Jim's funeral Patrick gives a moving speech,urging somebody to come forward. And somebody does, leading to Little's imprisonment and Patrick's decision to stay in Liverpool,with Sharna.
Judge Patrick Coburn
Joe Gateacre
Father Jim Kelly
Louise Scanlon
Jake Little
Sharna Mulhearne
Kaz Kenny
PD
Haley Gosling
PC Paul