Accused

An English teacher's transvestite alter-ego is involved in a love triangle that leads to a terrible crime of passion.

Mo Murray runs her hair salon with her friend Sue on an estate riven by gang violence. When Sue's son Sean is shot dead Mo spearheads a local group, Women Against Guns, advocating informing on drug dealers in the area. She is appalled to discover that her own son Jake shot Sean on behalf of the gang to which he belonged, but is dissuaded from giving him up by her mother, who helps her hide the gun. They plan to leave for Portsmouth but are arrested and appear in court, Mo's sentence being made the harsher by Sue's reaction.

Stephen Cartwright begins his sentence at an under-staffed young offender unit where his wing officer is Tina Dakin. She is concerned at his withdrawn attitude and unsuccessfully attempts to prevent him from killing himself. When his father comes to visit his son Tina is instructed to tell him that everything is alright until the cause of death is confirmed. She had relayed her anxiety about Stephen to senior officer Frank who, being under pressure, did nothing, and now she regrets being involved in what will be a cover-up. Peter, however, sees her as the principal person who lied to him. Feeling disgusted with a system which causes such misery she allows another inmate, Jake Murray, to escape - which leads to her own appearance as the accused.