You are being charged.
One count of rape - Rebecca -
three counts of sexual assault of a minor - Christina.
It's not about punishing him, I just feel like if I don't get this
straight in my head now I'll never, ever be happy.
Her claims that he assaulted her in his car over three nights,
all those claims are false.
We're going to say I slept with her.
Slept with who? Rebecca Thornton.
I know how I feel. It's not much but it's all I've got.
They knocked on your door that day. They were interrupting you for me.
Who knocked on your door? It wasn't a runner.
You can make money, you know.
You can make money out of me. I won't.
Because I don't want the attention.
Can I come home, Dad?
You're my daughter.
And I don't love anyone as much as I love you.
Are you sure you didn't hurt her?
I wouldn't, you know that.
I'm not sure I know anything any more.
A police mate told me once that the only way to divide the innocent
from the guilty was that the guilty could sleep in
their cells but the innocent never could.
Got friends in the police force!
What were you looking at?
Out of the window. You had this really intense look on your face.
Go back to bed.
A habit going back to my druggie days.
If anyone else was up and I was conscious, I generally was up too.
It'll soon be over, Mum.
You shouldn't have come home.
Mr Finchley, how are you pleading at the trial?
BARRAGE OF QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS BECOME MUFFLED
Members of the jury, you must try this case only on the evidence
you will hear in this court.
Now, this trial will feature evidence about alleged rape
and sexual assault, a highly emotive topic, and you may well have
heard of the defendant, he's a very well-known individual.
Therefore it is essential...
Nice make-up.
What?
The jury.
Majority women, bit ethnic.
It's great. Is that right? Yeah.
You don't want white men.
Why not? They convict.
Was there a place you'd always stop the car?
No, it would be different places.
Er, car parks for DIY stores...or the back of parks.
Deserted places.
And what would happen then? We...
He liked me to hold my hands behind my back.
He liked to undress me slowly, which...in a car wasn't easy.
And then as soon as he was turned on it was over pretty quickly.
So he'd start by touching you? Yes, that's right. Touching...
I'm sorry, but I am going to have to be specific.
Touching your breasts, your vagina?
And my anus.
He touched my anus quite a lot. Always liked it.
Called it my rosebud.
And, again, apologies for asking this question,
but as a 15-year-old girl, how developed were you?
Well, my body didn't look like it does now!
MURMURING
Sorry. Er, Exhibit 1 as procured by the prosecution.
This is a photograph of you at the time that you were baby-sitting
for Mr and Mrs Finchley, is that right?
I'm sorry. Yes.
Did he ever comment on that, how your body looked?
Not that I remember. But he was sexually excited by it?
By your body?
Yes. Your breasts?
Yes. Your vagina?
Yes. Your anus?
Yes.
I can still remember exactly how he breathed. This...
intense snuffle.
His nose used to whistle sometimes. He sounded like a horse.
Do you rent or own? Your home, I mean.
Rent.
Expensive renting in London right now.
Yes.
But you get support for your two children?
One gets supported, the other... Well, his father is...less reliable.
So money is hard?
What's this got to do with anything?
How much money are you being paid for your story, Christina? Sorry?
You're being paid for your exclusive story after this trial is over.
How much?
Do I have to answer?
Yes.
30 grand.
MURMURING
Life-changing money. A deposit on a house.
Well, I didn't see how it could do any damage.
Coming out to court, being here, telling the police,
has changed your life.
Well, he did this to me.
The money is not the reason I am...
The trouble is, that, coupled with the fact you haven't
remembered key details, none of this could have happened in the Chevy.
I don't understand. It simply wasn't there.
I know that...but... You saw his picture in the paper.
You saw the other alleged, unfounded allegations against him.
You saw an opportunity. You constructed a story.
And you looked to profit from it.
(I am telling the truth.
(I am.)
No further questions.
BARRAGE OF QUESTIONS
You a cricket fan, Marie? No.
In five-day test matches, at the close of play,
the experts will pronounce who won the day.
Well, this is my expertise, and today we won the day.
BIRDSONG
DOORBELL
Haven't brushed my teeth, but...you can kiss me if you like.
HE INHALES
Oh, I didn't know you were...
HE EXHALES
It's a recent thing.
Late-onset asthma.
I'm regressing to teenagehood.
Me chest gets tight after exercise.
SHE CHUCKLES
How are you feeling?
OK.
"OK!" That's your response. "OK!"
Is that really how you... or...was that just for me?
You disappointed? No.
No, it's just...you were so...polite.
Polite?
I think that's probably the worst review I've ever been given.
But gentle. Or would you have rather that I'd been more...
animalistic?
No!
No.
40 fucking years.
I've waited for that for 40 fucking years.
Not worth the wait, I'm guessing.
It was worth it.
Karl...I need to ask you something.
Well, if you want me to do that again, I'm not sure I have the politeness in me.
Jerome says that Rebecca remembers her and Paul being interrupted.
And they think it was an on-set runner.
But I actually think it was you. You were fetching him for me.
Because Dee was in hospital and I sent you to get him.
Or...you might have volunteered.
Did you hear anything that day?
Because if you did, Karl, you have to tell them.
When you give your evidence, you have to tell them.
It was such a long time ago.
You remember something.
You were there.
I know you were.
SHE BREATHES DEEPLY 15 to...54.
Two for a pair and one for his nob.
Ah, save me, Mum, Dad's trying to teach me cribbage. Jerome's idea.
He said we needed to try something unusual every morning.
To, er, take our minds off the impending.
So tomorrow I'm going to try and persuade Dad to go rollerblading.
Mm. We could re-enact some tampon adverts together. Mm!
Where you been, sweetie?
I could make eggs, as a treat.
I think I'll stick to the cereal.
No, thanks, Mum. OK.
Have I ever told you mornings suit you?
Each day as it comes, that's all.
I met him in a restaurant in Bedford.
Um... Um, I got to serve him
and then we decided to try and track him down later.
And who is we? Me and my friend Grace.
Who is now passed away?
Cancer.
Where did you find him? In a pub in Bedford.
Um... Sorry.
He... She, Grace, asked if we could join him and, um...
..he said yes and then we sat down and then he bought us drinks.
He bought you drinks? Yeah, actually,
we were going to offer to buy his drinks, but he insisted
and he kind of made a joke about it and he said that if he'd paid by
cheque, then the bar staff just keep his cheque for the autograph and the
secret was not to sign too many cheques or something.
And what time was this? Four o'clock.
And then he asked you to come to set with him?
He asked if I wanted to see the set.
They were doing some other stuff with the supporting cast and, um...
..then they were going to do another shot when the sun went in,
on him and Karl, and he asked if I wanted to come and watch.
Grace didn't come to sit with you?
Um, she wasn't really a fan of his like I was.
I told him I had a boyfriend.
I thought I'd made it clear that that mattered to me.
Were there any other celebrities at the time that you were interested in
other than the defendant? No.
I'm not... Wasn't, um, one of those, like a, a fan-type girl...
I wasn't one of those at all.
It was just Paul Finchley?
Yes. It was only ever him.
Exhibit three, as procured by the defence.
Do you recognise the handwriting?
Yes. It's your handwriting, isn't it?
Where did you find this? Read through the letter.
It's quite a fan letter, isn't it?
In it, you apologise for missing him at one of his fan events.
You even tell him you'll not miss another one.
I was a fan, I've never denied being a fan.
You wrote this letter, didn't you?
It's your handwriting and the paper is the same.
I recognise the paper. And that's even your address at the top, isn't it?
In case he wanted to write back.
I... I always put the address on my letters.
I just want to be very clear, Rebecca.
This is your letter?
I don't remember writing it, but I think so, yes.
Exhibit four, also procured by the defence.
Do you recognise the handwriting on the envelope?
Yes. It is your handwriting, isn't it? Yes.
And the envelope matches the paper, they're the same shade of purple.
Yes. Can you see the postmark in the corner?
What does the postmark say?
1st November 1994.
A year. A whole year after you allege my client raped you,
you wrote to him, extremely eager to see him again.
Not personally even, at a fan event.
I don't understand.
Well, give it some thought.
See if you can explain it.
We're not in any hurry.
I can't explain it.
This is the letter, is it not,
of someone still in love with Paul Finchley?
Not someone reacting to rape?
Why did you come forward when you did?
You were the first to accuse Paul Finchley.
Why did you come forward?
QUIETLY: My friend died.
If you could lean forward so the microphone could pick you up, Mrs Thornton.
My friend died.
Grace died and um...
She was the only person who knew and she'd always said I should report it
to the police and so, when she died, I did.
You never told your husband about it?
No. That must have been something of a shock for him.
I was very confused for a really long time and...
I mean, I don't know why I wrote this letter to him,
but I do know what he did.
What you say he did.
I just...
I must have been looking for something from him or...
We have other letters you wrote. None of them ask for anything.
They simply express devotion.
Well, I was obsessed with him.
I think you can be abused by someone and still stay obsessed...
Obsessed with them. I'm not here to attack you, Rebecca.
You haven't sold your story to the paper.
But I suggest that this case is as a result of years of confusion for you.
Paul Finchley has accepted that he had sex with you.
He didn't have sex with me, he raped me.
Coupled with which, you had a boyfriend
and you felt a little ashamed of yourself...
No, I did not feel ashamed of myself!
I felt destroyed by him because he raped me.
Then you went home and the ideas, they festered in your brain,
these ideas that you tried to fight against
by maintaining contact with my client, but these ideas,
they eventually, they overwhelmed you...
No, they didn't overwhelm me because I know what happened!
I'm not lying.
No further questions.
MUFFLED VOICES FROM OTHER ROOM
VEHICLE APPROACHES
Hi.
Hi. Are you coming in or are you just loitering suspiciously?
Because I've been watching you, Uncle Colin.
I've got to tell you, I'd rather you didn't come in.
Oh? Yeah, they're talking,
Mum and Dad, and I think they probably really need to.
Right.
I'll come back another time.
Or you can have a fag with me.
I don't actually smoke anymore. Doctor's orders.
Remind me never to get old.
Oh, don't worry.
The way you live, there's very little chance of that.
You're in the witness box tomorrow. For my sins.
MOCK-OFFICIOUS VOICE: Called by the prosecution against his own partner.
Just to verify the dates they claim were important.
They're still arguing about whether Dad's going to say his bit.
Are they?
Yeah. Dad wants to say it, he thinks he needs to,
but there's some discussion...
don't want him hoist by his own petard.
I was always jealous of you as a kid.
Were you? Yeah, you got all his time.
I really didn't. People thought of him and they thought of you, not me.
You were "anded" to him, Karl "and" Paul.
I never could be.
That's still true.
I suppose.
Yes.
When he's thought of, I am, too.
And the other way around.
For richer for poorer, and in sickness and in health.
For better, for worse. Yeah.
Right.
40 years. We worked together, off and on, for 40 years.
Not for the last five or so, but for the 35 years prior.
Why have you not worked together in the last five years?
Some sort of falling out? Simply a lack of attractive offers.
I think we knew we were toast when Milton Keynes wanted us to give our ugly sisters.
LAUGHTER
How would you categorise your relationship in that time?
Fruitful. I don't know.
We worked well together.
And you liked each other?
Some days more than others.
These filming days, they can be pretty intense, am I right?
Budgets have always been tight on the work we've done.
And when you weren't on camera, you'd have your own trailers?
Once we were established, yes.
How much time would you spend in each other's trailer?
Generally quite a bit.
We worked on scripts, did private rehearsals, that sort of thing.
And you'd be aware if each other had visitors or...?
Yes, but privacy was possible. We weren't in each other's pockets.
To be clear, I am asking you if Paul had women in his trailer,
you would generally know about it?
Generally.
Did he have many women in his trailer?
He was a philanderer, I think that's been established by now.
Did his philandering ever cause issue for you?
Yes. I liked his wife.
Like his wife.
So were you privy to many moments of his relations with women?
How close do you think we were, sir? LAUGHTER
If you could answer the question.
If you're talking sexual acts,
I never saw him do anything with any women.
Never heard anything you shouldn't?
No.
How many women would you say you saw him with?
I wouldn't like to estimate.
And you never saw a woman leave his room in a state of distress or...?
No.
You seem unsure. No, I'm not unsure.
But can I say,
I never saw any action from Paul or anyone else that would suggest him
capable of rape.
Let me take you back to Bedford...
Oh, I can't remember Bedford.
Can I just...? I'm an old man.
I've had a busy life. I can't remember anything of that day.
Believe me, I've tried.
I remember this.
I don't remember much, but I remember this.
Watching me shave?
Shaving always seemed like a very peculiar type of savagery to me.
Cutting things off yourself using metal strips.
And it's weird.
It is weird.
It feels good to be here.
It's nice that you're here.
You need to calm down. You don't need adrenaline for this one.
Look, shall I send Jerry out for a chamomile tea?
I could procure you a stronger relaxant if you prefer?
Some Xanax? Weed?
I'll be fine.
Do you think I could talk to my husband alone, please, Jerome?
OK.
Two things - one, Hamish is a persistent motherfucker.
He'll set traps. Don't fall into them.
I'll do my best.
Two - be ready for the curveball.
Don't curve one back at them.
I'm still pissed off you went to the police about Rebecca
without talking to me first. Understood.
Legally procured weed!
That would be something, wouldn't it?
He's very competitive.
Yeah, we chose well.
Simon chose well.
We paid handsomely for your innocence.
Well, for a good defence, yes.
They destroyed those women up there.
Well, I don't think we've won it yet.
There are layers of you, aren't there?
Are there?
You don't lie. I don't think you lie...
I think you believe everything.
But you exist...
..on one layer, quite purely.
Good husband layer, good man layer...
..and then there's another layer.
And on that, you're less good.
But you... You treat them both separately.
And then there's the third layer.
And on that...
..you are capable of anything.
Now is not the time for this conversation.
I think you did it.
I do.
I'm about to go and take the stand. Do you really think...?
Be brave, Paul.
Try and remember the man you are, try not to lie.
Look through the layers.
You've never loved me the way you thought you did.
You changed your account in relation to Rebecca Thornton.
I did. In your interview, you made it quite clear
you didn't remember her. What jogged your memory?
It just suddenly returned to me, I can't explain it. My...
My memory's just like that, I'm afraid.
You've had sex with a lot of women.
Yes. When is it clear for you that a woman has consented to
have sex with you?
If someone says no, then I stop.
Always have, always will.
That's a woman not consenting.
I'm asking how you know a woman is consenting.
You just know. Do you?
What signals does she give?
I can't describe it. It's a body language thing, I think.
Body language? Yes.
Do you recall what body language suggested to you Rebecca Thornton
wanted to have sex with you?
I may have misspoken,
but you know when you kiss someone whether they're kissing you back.
OK. And how do you decide whether someone wants to be kissed?
You're trying to trip me up.
I'm trying to understand.
You sense it when someone wants you to kiss them. You sense it.
So the sex with Rebecca Thornton started with you "sensing"
that she was consenting to you kissing her?
Yes. And after the kissing, there was foreplay?
Yes. Because when you kissed her, she kissed you back?
Yes. Do you remember what the foreplay consisted of?
As I recall, I...
..touched her, then stripped her.
No, I stripped her, then touched her, then she stripped me.
You touched her genitals before she took your clothes off?
As I recall. She was completely naked.
You were clothed and digitally penetrating her.
As I recall. Was she reacting pleasurably?
Yes. And she then stripped you?
Yes.
Do you like it when a woman strips you?
I like not to strip at all, that's why I remember it.
Because she insisted. You don't like to strip at all?
I don't like my body.
Is that just the weight, or are there other issues?
Just the fat.
So she stripped you naked.
Did she touch you?
Yes. Touch your penis?
Yes. Put it in her mouth?
Not that I recall.
Do you recall whether she orgasmed?
I think so.
Do you recall whether she seemed scared or disorientated afterwards?
No.
No. We laughed afterwards together.
That's why this makes no sense.
And then somebody banged on the door of the trailer and told me about Dee
and then I had to leave.
What particularly excites you about sex, Mr Finchley?
I couldn't specify.
Does violence as part of sex ever excite you?
No.
Not even consensual violence, slapping, hair pulling?
No. Do you like sex with prostitutes?
Do you have sex with prostitutes, Mr Finchley?
I'm sorry, I don't know where my learned friend is going with this.
Yes, I do have sex with prostitutes.
Your honour, the defence has an objection to this prosecution line
of questioning. I'm comfortable answering his questions.
I think the jury need to hear the truth.
I think they need to understand the man I am.
Do you ever engage in role-play or sex games with prostitutes?
Yes. What sort of games?
BDSM? Am I right?
On occasion, you like to spank,
you like to tie people up?
Yes, BDSM, yes.
Sex with women who aren't prostitutes never gets violence,
but sex with prostitutes sometimes can?
They consent to everything that happens.
You pay them to consent.
But with other women, no violence?
No. No, you have a code.
If I'm paying for it, I can do whatever I like.
But with other women, I will not do whatever I like.
Yes. That must involve restraint on your part?
I mean, clearly, you like violence as part of sex, otherwise,
why would you pay for it? I don't engage in BDSM with women
who are not prostitutes. You hate women, don't you?
No, I do not. You want to exert power over them.
No, I do not. Maybe you feel powerless in the rest of your life
and you want to reassert yourself when it comes to sex?
No.
I'm not proud, I am...
..ashamed.
I'm ashamed of
how I've behaved. It's a recurring theme, your shame.
I wonder, has it ever occurred to you to maybe, instead of
feeling shamed, to challenge yourself to behave better?
You haven't understood me at all.
I have challenged myself to behave better.
You're getting angry with me.
No, frustrated.
Frustrated? Yes, you're trying to paint me
as a guilty man and I am not one.
And yes, that frustrates me.
But I'm also frustrated with myself and ashamed of myself,
the way I have behaved. Did you know any time you talk of shame,
or damage, it's your wife you look at?
Is that right? Why do you think that is?
Strength.
My wife's a strong woman.
She knows everything I've been.
I've kept nothing from her.
So she knows the man you are?
Yes.
I think sometimes that's not been very nice for her.
Which is why I'm asking for her forgiveness.
She knows about the prostitutes, the other women?
She knows everything that's important.
The attacks, the women?
She doesn't know about them cos they didn't happen.
It must be very complicated being married to you.
You know, for a long time, I felt all this being brought upon me
was some sort of cruelty.
I now realise it's not.
I'm not a good man.
I've been careless with people.
I've been a serial adulterer, having sex with women I shouldn't have.
This whole case exists because of my carelessness.
And when I look at my wife...
..I realise...
..of all the people in this room...
..I've affected her worst of all.
And for that, I'm deeply sorry.
I will do better.
Mr Finchley, you are a serial rapist,
an opportunist.
You're mistaken. You have done damage to those you've worked with,
your close family and women you barely know.
All because you couldn't control your anger towards women.
I am not perfect...
..but I did not do this.
GIRL WHISPERS: One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
How you going, mate? OK?
Cheers, thank you.
Ta, pal.
Six.
SLOW RHYTHMIC DRUMBEAT
You, the jury, have to decide whether you are sure
that the complainants are telling the truth.
Now, if they've forgotten or misremembered some details,
this does not necessarily mean that they've misremembered
other crucial details.
Now, all that matters is the central question that you're considering.
Which is whether the prosecution have made you sure
that Paul Finchley is guilty of the crimes of which he's been charged.
So...
This is where the magic happens.
Wow.
Well, I say that...
unclean underwear, plenty of it.
Magic? A little less. You're so funny.
So we'll have to make our own magic, won't we? Just like that.
Yeah.
HE STAMMERS Look, Sarah, but then again,
I'm not surprised, them cows are a moody bunch.
Genius.
I've got a boyfriend.
I've got ten boyfriends.
Let's keep the boyfriends out of it, shall we?
I really wouldn't want to...
No, thank you.
I'm a fan.
I'm a fan of you, dearie.
Can you feel it?
Just like that!
Would the foreman please stand?
Will you answer my first question with either a yes or a no?
Has the jury reached a verdict upon each count of the indictment
upon which you are all agreed?
Yes, we have.
GIRL: Carl! HIGH-HEELED FOOTSTEPS
Carl, I need to find Paul!
He's in his trailer, I'll get him.
He's with the director, I think. I'll extract him, I'll run.
HEAVY BREATHING, GIRL WHIMPERS
On account one of the indictment,
do you find the defendant guilty or not guilty?
Not guilty. LOUD SIGHS OF RELIEF, APPLAUSE
On count two of the indictment,
do you find the defendant guilty or not guilty?
Not guilty.
No!
Mr Finchley...
..you have been found not guilty on all counts.
You are free to leave the court.
I've normally got a good nose for these things.
My nose is off, I'm telling you.
Off.
Off with his nose.
Our witnesses were clearly better than the other side's.
It couldn't mean nothing.
All we did, all we've done.
And it would have, if he'd been guilty.
And for you, and particularly for Dee.
You'd never have been able to live it down.
So it's probably for the best.
So what do we do now?
I've spoken to the channel already.
Now, obviously, they're aware they've little choice in the matter
because we'd sue their arses off.
But good news, they actually want you back.
Have you seen Marie? Oh, and we need to talk about a book.
I've already got some guys looking into it with me.
Yeah, I must... I must find Marie.
Lee. Eh. Good to see you.
I wouldn't miss it. Sorry I didn't make the trial dates.
I wanted to have a word with the world
about what they were saying about you. Look at you, free man.
Thank you. I know I keep saying it.
You're a surprisingly tricky man to deal with.
I thought you'd be easier, but you've got attitude.
He's got class. That's what it is, class.
I really have to find Marie.
I haven't talked to her properly since the verdict.
Great party. Freedom party.
"They may take our land, but they'll never take our freedom."
Is that how it goes?
Pretty good show, I'd say, all told.
You're ta-ta-taking my lines.
You were very impressive up there.
You sound surprised.
Oh, I think I'd have voted not guilty.
Have you seen Marie? No.
Happy for you, mate.
Happy for both of us.
Marie?
Well done, Dad.
I'm proud of you.
For which bit?
All of it.
A bit more celeb-tastic, this party, isn't it?
Oh, yes.
Who invited them all?
Simon, I think.
I'm looking for your mum.
Jerome asked me out. What?
Yeah!
Yeah, I was shocked, too.
I said, no, I've got too much to sort out in my head.
Good idea.
The thing is, Dad, I understand shame.
I know you do, darling.
But I'm not sure it's shame I see from you.
Oh, come on, let's not do family therapy on my big day.
Your support meant the world to me.
I'm truly grateful.
But don't go backwards, Dee.
Always look forwards.
That's the way.
Kitchen. She's in the kitchen.
Marie?
SHOUTING: Marie?
Marie?
Subtitles by Ericsson