Law and Order

1 9 7 8 (UK)
4 x 80 minute episodes

Debuting on Thursday 6 April 1978 on BBC2, this four-part miniseries dealt with an investigation presented from the perspectives of the police force, the criminal, the solicitor and the prison system.

The series showed police officers taking bribes and “fitting up” a villain for a crime of which he was innocent, his defence by a corrupt solicitor and his final breaking in prison by bullying warders.

The Metropolitan Police and the Prison Officers’ Association protested. The police demanded undertakings from the BBC before cooperating in any future documentaries and the prison officers withdrew facilities for any documentaries about prisons. Both sanctions were withdrawn later.

A principal source of contention was that the fictional story was so realistic that it might be regarded as factual by many viewers.

The BBC decided not to repeat the series and not to offer it for sale abroad. However, it eventually began a second showing on BBC2 in March 1980.

Jack Lynn
Peter Dean
Cathy Lynn
Deirdre Costello
DI Fred Pyall
Derek Martin
Alex Gladwell
Ken Campbell
Clifford Harding
Alan Ford
Micky Fielder
Roy Sone
DS Eric Lethridge
Billy Cornelius
DCI Tony Simmons
Fred Haggerty
DCI Trevor Watson
Barry Craine
DCI Chatt (AIO)
Dominic Allan
DI Graham McHale
Mike Horsburgh
DI John Redvers
Terry Walsh
DI Alan Welch
Shaun Curry
DI Maurice Head
David Sterne
Det-Supt Ernie Jeymer
Jan Harding
DI Frank Polden
Tom De-Ville
DS Jack Barcy
Douglas Sheldon
DC Warren Salter
Robert Oates
DC Roger Humphries
Colin Howells
DC Peter Fenton
Geoffrey Todd
DC Ray Jenkins
Alan (Nobby) Clarke
DS Ian Middlewick
John Hogan
DS Tony Shields
David Stockton
DS Lewis
Chris Hallam
Terry Clark
Charles Cork
Brian Finch
Stanley Price
David Shepley
Billy Dean
Billy Little
Cy Wallis