Question for the armchair solicitors (not cycling related, just for fun)

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wiggydiggy

Legendary Member
In Coronation Street Tracey Barlow is on trial for murder, but she's confessed to her mother Deidre she did it.

Now her mum has admitted this to the defence solicitors and has admitted lying under oath (perjury).

Should the defence solicitors be stopping the case at this point, maybe speaking to the judge? I know it's a TV show and not real life but what would actually happen if a defence witness admits to perjuring themselves to the defence during the trial?
 
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Animo

Well-Known Member
A few professional duties at play here.
Client is owed a duty of confidentiality, and you're obliged to act in her best interests. You also have a duty not to mislead the court, I.e. you can't advance something you know to be false.

You're certainly not running to the judge as that would breach duties to client.

You don't really know if the mother is telling you the truth re the supposed confession. That said, if the trial is midway through you could be placed in difficulty in respect of the duty not to mislead the court.

In the first instance you'd probably take instructions from client as to what the mother has said.

I suspect a likely outcome is you'd have to tell the judge that you're professionally embarrassed (without saying why) and then withdrawing from the case.
 
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wiggydiggy

wiggydiggy

Legendary Member
Thanks.

The solicitor has had a go at Tracey for trading on the sympathy for actual domestic abuse victims, as a means to an end of murdering her boyfriend. So I think the the solicitor definitely no longer believes her. But I understand that whilst also still engaged she has to act in her best interests.

But it was the fact her mum Deidre has admitted that's she lying under oath, I would have thought the solicitor would have to take action if only to protect a witness from perjuring themselves.
 

Animo

Well-Known Member
Thanks.

The solicitor has had a go at Tracey for trading on the sympathy for actual domestic abuse victims, as a means to an end of murdering her boyfriend. So I think the the solicitor definitely no longer believes her. But I understand that whilst also still engaged she has to act in her best interests.

But it was the fact her mum Deidre has admitted that's she lying under oath, I would have thought the solicitor would have to take action if only to protect a witness from perjuring themselves.

If the mother is mid-way through her evidence and has suddenly admitted she has been telling lies then you certainly couldn't continue with her evidence.
 
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wiggydiggy

wiggydiggy

Legendary Member
If the mother is mid-way through her evidence and has suddenly admitted she has been telling lies then you certainly couldn't continue with her evidence.

Yeah that's exactly what happened, Deidre had a panic attack and was taken off the stand. The solicitor went to see her and Deidre confessed she was lying on the stand, but she was allowed back up there.

I know, it's just Corrie, but it bugged me!
 
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wiggydiggy

wiggydiggy

Legendary Member
I remember being at Old Trafford cricket ground probably 20 years ago. A group of lads behind us were singing "Tracy Barlow, Tracey Barlow. Tracey Barlow is a dog."

I know that's not entirely relevant and probably not admissible as evidence.

You're closer to the plot than you think! David Platt has lied to say he saw the attack (in Traceys favour) to blackmail her into sleeping with him. Tracey has been playing along and I think she does sleep with him. He's 16 and she's 30+ BTW xx(
 

T4tomo

Legendary Member
I remember being at Old Trafford cricket ground probably 20 years ago. A group of lads behind us were singing "Tracy Barlow, Tracey Barlow. Tracey Barlow is a dog."

I know that's not entirely relevant and probably not admissible as evidence.

Evidence that cricket chants are often more entertaining than football ones...

not watched Corrie since the 1980's but pretty sure the boyfriend had it coming...
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
Evidence that cricket chants are often more entertaining than football ones...

not watched Corrie since the 1980's but pretty sure the boyfriend had it coming...

I think what had happened was that they had spotted a Corrie actor taking his seat, whose character was having an affair with Tracey Barlow.
 

T4tomo

Legendary Member
You're closer to the plot than you think! David Platt has lied to say he saw the attack (in Traceys favour) to blackmail her into sleeping with him. Tracey has been playing along and I think she does sleep with him. He's 16 and she's 30+ BTW xx(

Have we fallen into a time warp or are you watching repeats. Pretty sure David Platt was around in the80's maybe 90's so much be 30+ and Tracey Barlow must be 50 by now?
 
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wiggydiggy

wiggydiggy

Legendary Member
Have we fallen into a time warp or are you watching repeats. Pretty sure David Platt was around in the80's maybe 90's so much be 30+ and Tracey Barlow must be 50 by now?

Oh this is Classic Corrie, we're in about 2006 now. Since I'm now old I watch the old ones I wasn't interested when I was young lol.

Modern Corrie is awful, at some point Classic will catch up to when it starts getting rubbish.
 
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