The jury file into court for the final day of the trial, when the barristers make their closing speeches and the judge sums up.

The jury then retire to begin their deliberations, with Michael Portillo leading the discussions.

They review the evidence that has been presented to them, including the physical and forensic evidence. Is this enough to convict the alleged rapists? While some have great sympathy for Anna, others find the secret recording of her talking to her friend, Clare, about the rape unconvincing and think they may have concocted the story together.

The discussion is intense, emotional and heated and the jurors are acutely aware of the level of responsibility they carry. Several change their minds during the deliberations as they struggle to reach a unanimous or majority verdict.

Finally, they return to the court. The clerk asks the juror selected as foreman to stand and he is asked whether they have found the defendants guilty or not guilty. The verdict has been reached and it is delivered to uproar in the courtroom.

On the third day of the trial, internationally famous footballer Damien Scott continues giving his evidence in the courtroom, followed by the hotel porter and then by Damien’s friend, James Greer.

Interviewed by the defence, the porter says that he saw the girls chatting and having fun with the footballers. However, the prosecution suggest that this is because they are regular customers and good tippers, so it is in his best interest to protect them. Read more & comment »

The End Violence Against Women campaign has slammed BBC Two’s newest reality show The Verdict today and accused it of trivialising the ordeal of rape.

The show centres around a fictional rape trial in which 11 celebrities act as the jury and are left to decide whether the two alleged rapists are guilty or not. Read more & comment »

Last night saw the launch of the BBc’s most controversial show this year so far, The Verdict.

The show follows a fake rape trial with well known celebrities (including Jeffrey Archer) making up the jury.

Reviews have been mixed on the show, and it might be too early to tell if the show will be the success that the BBC is hoping for. Here are a few that have appeared in newspapers today.

Matt Baylis in the Daily Express said:

“We could all probably think of things we’d rather be doing than watching The Verdict. Performing a gall-bladder operation on oneself, for example. Or reading Patrick Kielty’s autobiography. Drinking oil, maybe?” Ouch.

The Guardian’s Nancy Banks-Smith said:

“The Verdict…is reality TV with a touch of class and should be very popular.”

Thomas Sutcliffe in The Independent said:

“With another three episodes to go, it’s a little too early to say whether The Verdict is innocent of the charges of sensationalism and celebrity exploitation that have already been laid against it, but I suspect the defence team will be feeling quietly confident.”

While James Walton in The Daily Telegraph called it

a “very peculiar programme indeed…The sense of tackiness never goes away – but at the same time there’s no denying that it’s often a gripping watch.”

What did you think of the show? Be sure to share!

The second day of The Verdict opens with evidence from two expert witnesses, a forensic scientist and a doctor, who explain how there is physical evidence that could point to the footballers’ guilt. The evidence from the doctor acting for the prosecution particularly concerns the defence, who move quickly to try to secure an opinion from their own doctor.

Next to take the stand is the publicist who sold Anna’s story to a national paper. He attempts to convince the jury that Anna’s best friend, Clare, approached him and secretly taped her friend not because she was interested in money, but because she wanted justice. Read more & comment »

Twelve well-known faces, including Michael Portillo, Ingrid Tarrant, Stan Collymore, Jennifer Ellison and Honor Blackman, start jury service in The Verdict.

Over the next four days, they sit in judgement on the trial of a high-profile rape case in a real courtroom, presided over by a real judge, His Honour Neil Denison, QC, with real barristers prosecuting and defending. On the last day, the jury will retire to the jury room to begin their deliberations. Viewers will be able to see exactly how a jury reaches its conclusions.

The other jurors are author and former Conservative MP Jeffrey Archer; head of the Ann Summers empire Jacqueline Gold; Blur band member Alex James; So Solid Crew member Megaman; Brit Teen Entrepreneur Dominic McVey; actress Patsy Palmer; and the mother who campaigned for Sarah’s law following the murder of her daughter, Sara Payne. Read more & comment »

The Verdict is due to begin in early February on BBC2.

The Verdict – Day One

Twelve well-known faces, including Michael Portillo, Ingrid Tarrant, Stan Collymore, Jennifer Ellison and Honor Blackman, start jury service in The Verdict.

Over the next four days, they sit in judgement on the trial of a high-profile rape case in a real courtroom, presided over by a real judge, His Honour Neil Denison, QC, with real barristers prosecuting and defending. On the last day, the jury will retire to the jury room to begin their deliberations. Viewers will be able to see exactly how a jury reaches its conclusions.

The other jurors are author and former Conservative MP Jeffrey Archer; head of the Ann Summers empire Jacqueline Gold; Blur band member Alex James; So Solid Crew member Megaman; Brit Teen Entrepreneur Dominic McVey; actress Patsy Palmer; and the mother who campaigned for Sarah’s law following the murder of her daughter, Sara Payne.

The characters of the two men accused, the alleged victim and the eye witness are all played by actors. One night, last September, the actors took part in an unscripted improvisation. This trial treats the events of that night as if they were real. During the following days, the characters were all questioned by real police officers and forensic evidence was retrieved. Arrests were made, statements were taken, solicitors were instructed and three of the UK’s leading criminal barristers began to prepare their cases. During this trial, the prosecution and the defence are free to argue their cases as they see fit. The trial is totally unscripted.

The case begins with the testimony of 19-year-old Anna Crane, who claims to have been raped following a night out in London with her best friend Clare Golding. She explains how, after seeing a show, she met internationally famous footballer Damien Scott and his friend, James Greer, in a hotel bar.

Breaking down, she says that following an argument with Clare, she was left alone in the room with the men. She claims she was raped by both of them, as well as by one other unknown male.

In the afternoon, Clare takes the stand and tries to explain why she secretly recorded her friend and sold her story to a national newspaper.

Over dinner that evening, the jurors have the opportunity to discuss the case all together.

BBC2 have just announced the lineup for their show surrounding a mock rape trial, which will feature 12 celebrity jurors.

The full line up is:

Jeffrey Archer – former Tory MP and author;

Honor Blackman – actress;

Stan Collymore – footballer;

Jennifer Ellison – actress;

Jacqueline Gold – head of the Ann Summers empire;

Alex James – Blur band member;

MegaMan – So Solid Crew member;

Dominic McVey – millionaire teen entrepreneur;

Patsy Palmer – actress;

Sara Payne – mother who campaigned for Sarah’s law;

Michael Portillo – former Conservative MP and broadcaster;

Ingrid Tarrant – separated from TV presenter Chris Tarrant.

The trial lasted for four days and Stephen Lambert, head of TV company RDF which made the show, said: “We were amazed by how seriously they treated the task and how emotionally involving it became for all of them.” He added that despite accusations of sensationalism, they decided on a rape case “because it is so clearly two interpretations of reality.”