Sheridan Smith Shines in Harrowing DramaI Fought the Law
There are some television dramas that feel less like entertainment and more like lived history, and I Fought the Law is one of them. This four-part ITV series is based on the extraordinary true story of Ann Ming, a woman whose determination reshaped British law. And at the heart of it all is Sheridan Smith, who delivers a performance that is not just moving, but unforgettable.
The story takes us back to 1989, when Ann’s 22-year-old daughter, Julie Hogg, vanished from her home in Billingham. Police at the time insisted she had simply chosen to leave her young son and start a new life in London. But Ann, who knew her daughter’s routines better than anyone, refused to accept that. For months, she begged the authorities to investigate properly. When they finally did, it was far too late. Eighty agonising days after Julie disappeared, it was Ann herself who discovered her daughter’s body hidden under the bath.
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From that moment, Ann’s life was consumed by two unbearable realities: the devastation of losing her child and the brutal failures of a justice system that could not, or would not, act. Julie’s killer, Billy Dunlop, was eventually brought to trial, but after two juries failed to convict, he was acquitted. Under the ancient double jeopardy law, that should have been the end of it. Dunlop knew it, too. He was heard openly bragging in local pubs about the crime, safe in the belief he could never face trial again.
But Ann Ming would not give up. For 17 years, she campaigned relentlessly, challenging the very foundation of a law that had stood since Magna Carta. The effort cost her dearly—straining her marriage, exhausting her spirit, and placing her against institutions that seemed immovable. Yet she carried on. And in 2003, the law was overturned. Dunlop was retried, found guilty, and finally jailed for Julie’s murder.
The drama itself wisely focuses not just on the legal fight but also on the toll such a battle takes on an ordinary family. Smith’s portrayal of Ann is extraordinary—showing both the fragile grief of a mother and the steely will of a campaigner who simply refuses to be silenced. Around her, the supporting cast delivers performances that make the story all the more grounded. Jack James Ryan plays Dunlop with chilling ordinariness, while Daniel York Loh gives depth to Ann’s husband Charlie, a man broken by tragedy yet slowly finding strength to stand with his wife.
What makes I Fought the Law so powerful is not just its courtroom triumph but the human cost laid bare along the way. This isn’t a story about abstract legal reform—it’s about a mother who dug deeper than most could imagine to make sure justice was finally served. And thanks to Sheridan Smith, her fight is brought to the screen with the dignity, rage, and heartbreak it deserves.
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