Justice (BBC Crime, Robert Pugh, Gillian Kearney)

Daytime drama series Justice takes us inside the Dovefield Public Justice Centre in Liverpool. As the series begins the centre has only just opened its doors and Judge Paddy Coburn (Robert Pugh) (who is returning to his home town after 40 years away) is already finding the going tough. Not only are the public not keen on the idea of the centre neither are the media. Coburn realises though that the centre is a major leap forward and an attempt to bring a new angle to tackling the crime, drugs and anti-social behaviour that is rife in the town.

Judge Coburn can send offenders to prison like any other judge – but he also has a range of unconventional programmes at his disposal; community reparation projects, educational workshops and drug treatment. he open-plan offices force a wide-range of services to sit cheek by jowl – uniquely the Police, Crown Prosecution Service, Probation Service, Youth Offending Team sit on adjacent desks, along with drug, alcohol, housing and debt advisors. A major part of Coburn’s team is probation office Joe Gateacre (Gary Mavers) meanwhile local journo Louise Scanlon (Gillian Kearney)is doing her best to make the centre headline news and local bad boy Jake Little (Jake Abraham) also proves problematic for Coburn.

A high standard is maintained with this BBC Daytime offering, strong casting and scripts mean it could quite easily have stood up as a prime time drama too. There was a guest role for an up and coming Jodie Comer as well as one from boxing legend John Conteh.

Cast: ROBERT PUGH as Paddy Coburn; GILLIAN KEARNEY as Louise Scanlon; GARY MAVERS as Joe Gateacre; CHRISTINE TREMARCO as Marie; JAKE ABRAHAM as Jake Little; ELLIE PASKELL as Kaz Kenny; JODIE COMER as Sharna Mulhearne; TOM GEORGESON as Father Jim Kelly; LOUIS EMERICK as PD; TRICIA PENROSE as Haley Gosling; CHRIS MASON as Peter Catley; JOHN CONTEH as Leonard Hancock; KELLI HOLLIS as Kelly Catley; NOREEN KERSHAW as Saarah Myerson; ALICYA EYO as Angie Sparks; SHEILA REID as Alice Sparks; NICKY BELL as Darren Green

Producer: Colin McKeown

UK | BBC One / 5×45 minute episodes / Broadcast 4 – 8 April 2011 Weekdays at 2.15pm