Kent Law School presents...

A young woman is drawn into a sect. Under the influence of the sect, she separates herself from her mother and her friends. Desperate to “rescue” her daughter, as she sees it, her mother and her friend trick the daughter and keep her locked in the bedroom of a flat, where they begin the process of “deprogramming her”. Days later two young men from the sect turn up at the flat. There is a discussion and events get out of hand. At the end of these events, one of the young man is stabbed and has to be rushed to hospital to save his life. The two women now stand charged with Attempted Murder and Wounding with Intent to Cause Grievous Bodily Harm.

On 22nd March 2025, at the Gulbenkian Theatre, the trial of these two women will be heard. The judge is a real judge. The jury will be selected on the night from those in the (in person) audience who volunteer to be placed in the pool. 12 will be selected at random. The barristers are students or former students of law school. The witnesses are all young actors The Prosecution will call the two young men from the sect and the daughter to give evidence. The Defendants will give evidence. The barristers and the actors have no script. Anything can happen. The verdict will be up to the jury. At the end, the actors will perform a “dramatic reconstruction” of the events, showing the audience what REALLY happened. It is going to be a unique and highly entertaining events.

For lawyers and law students an opportunity to see a mock trial which is unscripted and where you actually get to know the answers at the end. For non-lawyers, a chance to see how a trial really works with all of the drama and suspense that entails. Directed by Professor Bernard Richmond KC and Senior Lecturer of Law and Barrister (non-practising), Darren Weir.