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Bentley, Road To Justice

    by Bev Clark
“ …hugely impressed with the concept and with the endeavour which had gone into the creation of every aspect of this play..." 
Drama Play Script: 'Bentley, Road To Justice' by Bev Clark

Synopsis

On 28th January 1953, Derek Bentley was hanged for the murder of a policeman, even though Chris Craig pulled the trigger. Derek’s sister Iris campaigned for forty years for his full pardon. This is her story.

Iris Bentley, sister of Derek, campaigned to prove his innocence for the murder of a policeman in 1952.  The case eventually contributed to the abolition of the Death Penalty but Iris had to wait for forty years before a pardon was eventually awarded, after her own death from cancer in 1997.

This stylised ensemble piece re-enacts her story from what happened before, during the court case and through her long fight for Justice.

In 1992 Roger Cook, a TV producer, became involved and helped find new evidence and witnesses to prove Derek’s innocence to the final findings of the Supreme Court of Appeal held in 1998. Following this, the then Home Secretary, Michael Howard, awarded a full pardon to Derek Bentley and the story could finally be laid to rest.

Duration
45-50 mins approx

Characters

  Principals (2m, 1f)
  • Iris Bentley
  • Derek Bentley
  • Christopher Craig

  Support 
Part One Part Two
  • Mr Bentley
  • Mrs Bentley
  • Man from the Ministry
  • Doctor
  • Schoolmaster
  • Norman - Craig‘s friend
  • DC Fairfax
  • PC McDonald
  • PC Harrison
  • Mrs Miles
  • Policeman
  • Clerk of court
  • MP
  • Body of PC Miles
  • Maria
  • Ben Birnberg - solicitor
  • Roger Cooke - TV producer      
  • Carole Peters - reporter           
  • Man from the ministry          
  • Craig as an older man            
  • Claude Pain                
  • Maxwell-Fyfe - Home Secretary
  • Spokesperson
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