The Trial is a one-off drama special as part of Channel 5's Lawless Britain season
Stephen Graham’s Adolescence triggered a national debate about the causes of child crime.
Now Channel 5’s The Trial is about to pose the question of parents’ role and responsibilities in the same issue.
The chilling new drama explores a plausible near future in which parents are held legally responsible for the crimes of their children, raising unsettling questions about justice, culpability, and the limits of state control.
Producer Richelle Wilder, from Adorable Media, said: “This is our first time working with 5, whose extraordinary support allowed Adorable Media to produce a highly original, thought-provoking and emotional drama.”
Paul Testar, Channel 5’s commissioning editor drama, described it as a “fascinating story” which will spark conversation.
What is The Trial about?
Set in Britain in 2035, parents Dione and David Sinclair find themselves at the centre of a harrowing legal ordeal when their teenage daughter Teah commits a grave crime.
After a public and humiliating arrest, they are thrown into the clutches of the Office of Judicial Inquisition, a powerful new branch of the Ministry of Justice.
They are charged with a violation of Milligan’s Law, a controversial statute which holds parents criminally responsible for the actions of their children.
Brought to a repurposed magistrates’ court, now a tribunal exclusively used to prosecute guardians as accessories to juvenile crimes, the Sinclairs come face to face with judicial inquisitor Sarah Willis.
She is a relentless enforcer of the law, who is determined to uncover every flaw in their parenting. No detail of their past will be off-limits.
With no legal counsel, no jury and no margin for error, Dione and David must defend their integrity before a single, unwavering authority.
As the trial unfolds, the line between justice and persecution becomes blurred.
If found guilty, the consequences for the couple are devastating. They both face life sentences for a crime they didn’t commit but for which they will be held responsible.
Who is in the cast of The Trial?
Ben Miles
Ben Miles stars as David Sinclair, father of Teah and one of the co-defendants.
The 58-year-old actor will be well known to television audiences after his role as Peter Townsend in the Netflix series The Crown.
He also played Patrick Maitland in the sitcom Coupling, Sir Timothy Midwinter in Larkrise to Candleford, Commander Daniel Hart in The Capture and Tay Kolma in Andor.
On film, he has appeared in V for Vendetta, Woman in Gold, Red Joan, Napoleon and Canary Black.
Claire Skinner
Claire Skinner plays the role of Teah’s mother, Dione Sinclair.
The British actress, 60, rose to fame in another maternal role playing mother-of-three Sue Brockman in the BBC sitcom Outnumbered.
She has also appeared in Life Begins, Trinity, Critical, Hilda and McDonald & Dodds.
She played Magda in the Bridget Jones movies and has appeared in two Mike Leigh films Life is Sweet and Naked.
India Fowler
India Fowler stars as Teah Sinclair, who is accused of committing a serious crime.
Fowler is known for her roles as Poppy in The Agency and young Zoe Walker in the Netflix series White Lines.
She has also starred in The Nevers, The Amazing Mr Blunden and Insomnia.
Saoirse-Monica Jackson
Saoirse-Monica Jackson plays Sarah Willis, the ruthless judicial inquisitor who will hold the Sinclairs to account.
Northern Irish actress Jackson is best known for her role as Erin Quinn in the BBC series Derry Girls.
She was the narrator in Murder in the Badlands, Bluebell in The Doll Factory, Misia in The Decameron and recently played Cheryl Crawford in This City is Ours.
The cast also includes:
- Jaz Hutchins as Lieutenant Malik Simons (The Return, Peacock, Black Ops)
Where was The Trial filmed?
To create the imposing and formal setting of the inquisitor’s court, filming took place in a real court rather than on set in a studio.
Adorable Media chose a disused magistrates’ court in Watford, Hertfordshire to film the judicial proceedings in January this year.
Watford Magistrates’ Court, which closed in 2017 along with the adjacent police station, is soon to be demolished as part of a new development scheme which will see 314 new homes built on the site.
How many episodes of The Trial are there, and when is it on?
The Trial is a one-off, hour-long programme which will be shown on Thursday 8 May at 9pm on Channel 5.
Paul Testar, Channel 5’s commissioning editor for drama, said: “This marks an exciting new direction in our drama slate, embracing one-off, high-impact storytelling that sparks conversation.”
It will also be available to stream on My5.
