Clive is in Oxford, prosecuting three students accused of sexually assaulting a waitress. Up against an intimidating defence counsel, Clive begins to waver, but a chance encounter with an old friend helps him discover a passion for prosecuting he did not know he had. When the case is in danger of collapsing, Clive is faced with one of the biggest decisions of his career.

Meanwhile, Martha is defending Ricky Armitage, who trashed his local mini-mart and attacked the shopkeeper. His level of violence and lack of remorse is astounding, yet Martha tries to divert the self-destructive path that Ricky was fated to walk.