In Denial of Murder

Dramatisation of the Stephen Downing case which involved the conviction and imprisonment in 1974 of a 17-year-old council worker, Stephen Downing, for the murder of a 32 year old legal secretary, Wendy Sewell, in the town of Bakewell in the Peak District in central England. Following a campaign by a local newspaper, his conviction was overturned in 2002, after Downing had served 27 years in prison. The case is thought to be the longest miscarriage of justice in British legal history, and attracted worldwide media attention.

Full Cast of In Denial of Murder

Stephen Tompkinson as Don Hale

Stephen Tompkinson

as Don Hale
Jason Watkins as Stephen Downing

Jason Watkins

as Stephen Downing

Jason Watkins is an English stage, film and television actor. He played the lead role in the two-part drama The Lost ...

Caroline Catz as Wendy Sewell

Caroline Catz

as Wendy Sewell

Caroline Catz (born 19 October 1969) is an English film, television, theatre and radio actress, best known for her ro...

David Troughton as Ray Downing

David Troughton

as Ray Downing

David Troughton was born on June 9, 1950 and is currently 74 years old.

June Watson as Nita Downing

June Watson

as Nita Downing
Lisa Millett as Christine Downing

Lisa Millett

as Christine Downing
Judy Flynn as Kath Hale

Judy Flynn

as Kath Hale
Wayne Foskett as David Sewell

Wayne Foskett

as David Sewell
Jennifer Hennessy as Jackie Dunn

Jennifer Hennessy

as Jackie Dunn

Jennifer Hennessy was born on January 1, 1970 and is currently 55 years old.

Neil Boorman

as Ron Duggins

Malcolm Raeburn

as Adrian Duggins

Andrea Mason

as Lesley Shooter
Ewan Hooper as Charles Hale

Ewan Hooper

as Charles Hale

Jeanne Hepple

as Doreen Hale

Bill Rodgers

as Reg Ollerenshaw

Richard Standing

as Roy Eyre

Ruth Mitchell

as Christine Smith
Bobby Knutt as Ernie Charlesworth

Bobby Knutt

as Ernie Charlesworth

Brian Southwood

as Eric Clough
Ryan Sampson as Marcus Edwards

Ryan Sampson

as Marcus Edwards

Ryan Sampson was born on November 28, 1985 and is currently 39 years old.

Luke Gell

as Stephen Downing, aged 17

Helen Atkins

as Amanda Hatfield
Chris Brailsford as Chief Constable Wood

Chris Brailsford

as Chief Constable Wood
Roger Brierley as Lord Pill

Roger Brierley

as Lord Pill
Tom Chadbon as Ed Fitzgerald QC

Tom Chadbon

as Ed Fitzgerald QC

Tom Chadbon was born on February 27, 1946 and is currently 78 years old.

Brendan Charleson as Prison Officer

Brendan Charleson

as Prison Officer

Deirdre Doone

as Mrs Justice Hallett
Hazel Douglas as Mrs Hallam

Hazel Douglas

as Mrs Hallam

Stephanie Fend

as Heidi Warrington
Dave Hill as Norman Taylor

Dave Hill

as Norman Taylor

Simon Molloy

as Julian Bevan

Paul Opacic

as Detective
Andrew Readman as Det Supt Stokes

Andrew Readman

as Det Supt Stokes

Irene Skillington

as Madge Crawshaw

Robert Stone

as Minder

Kate Wood

as Social Worker