Law & Order (often referred to as Law and Order) is a series of four British television plays written by G. F. Newman and directed by Les Blair. It was first transmitted in 1978 on BBC Two.
Contents
The Tales
The four stories within Law & Order were told from the perspective of the Detective, the Villain, the Brief and the Prisoner.
A Detective's Tale
The first play (broadcast on BBC2 on 6 April 1978) focuses upon Scotland Yard, Detective Inspector Fred Pyall - played by Derek Martin. Pyall is open to corruption from villains and operates a system of 'checks and balances' where certain villains get brought to justice and some do not. After a meeting with his informant Mickey Fielder (Roy Stone), Pyall discovers that a villain from Kentish Town Jack Lynn (Peter Dean) is putting together an armed robbery of a supermarket in Putney. Prior to this Pyall had arrested Clifford Harding (Alan Ford), following a police raid of his home, which recovered an illegal firearm. Harding agrees to bribe Pyall to walk away from the firearms charge. Pyall however knows he can get more out of Harding and later on uses Harding's relationship with Lynn to make him turn informant and gain further information about the supermarket robbery. Pyall's informant Fielder reveals the date and time of Lynn's robbery but for some reason it does not happen. Pyall however is determined to nail Lynn and is willing to resort to 'fit up' tactics to gain a conviction - even if he has not actually committed the crime in question. Add to this a cosy relationship with a corrupt lawyer Alex Gladwell (Ken Campbell), and a seemingly blind eye to his activities from superiors within Scotland Yard it seems Pyall is almost a law unto himself.
A Villain's Tale
The second play (broadcast on BBC2 on 13 April 1978) focuses on Jack Lynn. After two of his 'firm' are arrested for an unconnected armed robbery, Lynn is short of personnel and sets about recruiting for the supermarket robbery. He approaches longtime associate John Tully (Barry Summerford), who is interested but has already made commitments to a 'firm' planning an armed raid on a British Gas depot in Romford. Lynn continues with his plans recruiting Tommy Haines (Mike Cummings), to act as a backup man, and procures firearms from Alf Coster an arms dealer with a middle-class grocer front (Philip Hayes). Lynn stores the weapons at a lock-up garage that he rented in a false name, and is ready to go. However he is under pressure from his wife Cathy (Deirdre Costello), to give up his life of crime and go straight. Furthermore, Lynn discovers Mickey Fielder is Pyall's informant and has given Pyall details of their supermarket robbery. Lynn decides to postpone the robbery and take retribution against Fielder for informing, giving him a severe beating and smashing his kneecaps.
A Brief's Tale
(Broadcast on BBC2 on 20 April 1978)
Alex Gladwell, brought in to represent Jack Lynn, will use any means to get his client off.
A Prisoner's Tale
(Broadcast on BBC2 on 27 April 1978)
Lynn is sent down, (to prison) but rehabilitation is not on the agenda.
Critical reaction
The series was highly controversial upon its release because of its depiction of a corrupt British law enforcement and legal system.