UK / ITV – Granada / 1×30 minute episodes / Broadcast 18 April 1973
Series: Crown Court / Season 1 Story 28
Writer: David Blunt / Production Design: Knowles Bentley / Producer: Michael Dunlop / Director: Gordon Flemyng
Regina Vs Burton
An elderly colonel is accused of shoplifting, representing himself in court (he was a practicising lawyer in China and India for many years) he makes a very strong case for himself. His weekly benefit payment was stolen and he hadn’t eaten for five days leading him to commit theft by necessity.
This was, unusually for Crown Court, just a single episode case, its a good one though with a very strong central performance from elderly film actor Roland Culver.
cast
WILLIAM MERVYN as The Hon Mr Justice Campbell
TERRENCE HARDIMAN as Stephen Harvesty
ROLAND CULVER as Colonel Alfred Horatio Burton
JOHN RAINER as P.C. Donaldson
EDITH CARTER as Irene Makepiece
ISHAQ BUX as Mr Patel
DEREK HOCKRIDGE as Clerk of Court
JOSEPH BERRY as Usher
RALPH LAWTON as Jury Foreman
VOICE OF PETER WHEELER as Court Reporter