Justice: No Flowers – By Request (ITV 19 Nov 1971, with Richard Beckinsale)

In No Flowers – By Request Harriet has some real heavy villainy to deal with. Scrap dealer Fred Watson and his son Terry are being seriously intimidated by the town heavy Lucas over an attempted murder that they witnessed during a poker game.

The police know the Watsons know more than they are telling but can’t get them to talk. When Terry is later arrested for carrying a gun (he had decided he needed protection) Detective Chief Superintendent Vincent approaches Harriet to broker a deal implying they will go easy on the gun charge if he talks about Lucas.

An excellent episode with a case that ends up being about getting Watson off the gun charge rather than the prosecution of Lucas that we think it’s going to be at the start. In fact Lucas doesn’t even appear. The problem is that Harriet’s defence rests on the intimidation perpetrated by Lucas – its a defence that leads to a shocking final moment and leaves Harriet with a death on her conscience.

There is a nice reference to earlier episode By Order of the Magistrates when Harriet remarks that she has just finished an appeal case involving a father winning custody of his two boys from their slattern mother.

production details
UK / ITV – Yorkshire / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Friday 19 November 1971 at 9.00pm

Writer: David Lees / Production Design: Vic Symonds / Director: Christopher Hodson

Series: Justice Season 1 Episode 7

cast
Margaret Lockwood as Harriet Peterson
Jack Watson as Frederick Watson
Robert Keegan as Det Ch Supt Vincent
Richard Beckinsale as Terry Watson
Norman Jones as Det Sgt Andrews
Bernard Brown as Howard Roper
Carl Rigg as Dave Martin
Bill Dean as Charlie Keen
Bruce Walker as Magistrate
Margo Mayne as Hilda
Ann Davies as Secretary
Godfrey Jackman as Clerk
Donald Groves as Man