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Episode 1

Joe Miller, respected barrister, successfully prosecutes in a murder case. He's a man on top of his game. As he awaits the verdict he tries to call home, causing his wife Juliet to become increasingly panicked as she misses his calls.

Something's wrong. Juliet seems to be trying to cover her tracks. Upstairs, her daughter Ella plays with her best friend Kate Rose, who is staying to dinner.

When Joe arrives home he finds Juliet on the computer. She quickly hides what she's been doing. Joe checks up on her but she's wiped the internet history. Why? He looks at her medication packet and it appears that she's taken her anti-depressants.

Later Juliet is confused and it seems she's forgotten some of the ingredients for dinner. Joe suspects that Juliet is lying to him about her movements that day, but he makes sure dinner is fun for Ella and Kate.

Later that night the shocking and brutal stabbing of Joe takes place when he is in bed.

Juliet vanishes into the night deeply traumatised but calls 999 before she leaves.

Ella hears something and is horrified to find her father. Joe is rushed to hospital in a critical state. Police arrive at the scene and take Ella to the station, who is accompanied by social worker Norma.

Later Juliet turns up at the hospital where Joe is being treated and the police are in attendance. DCI Faber arrests Juliet whose behaviour is distressed and erratic. She's taken back to the station and is checked into the system. She's a fragile mess and DI Sexton knows it. Sexton's wife, Flo, swings into action and gets Juliet ready for interview. Jack Woolf, duty solicitor, advises Juliet not to say anything to anyone, but will she?

Episode 2

It's the next morning and Joe remains in a critical state. Juliet is examined by the police doctor but there are no signs of rape or physical abuse.

Juliet is refused bail but is full of hope that Joe will recover soon and will be able to look after Ella while she's in jail. Once in prison Juliet meets cellmates Angela and Jane – their troubles highlight her own.

Meanwhile, solicitor Jack and barrister, Anna, worry about Juliet's defence – things are not looking good. How are they going to piece together a winning story when Juliet is refusing to open up? She's admitted she stabbed her husband and not said what lead to such a heinous act.

In the outside world social worker Norma arranges for Ella to go and live with her best friend, Kate, and her parents – Dr Dominic Rose and his wife Amelia, friends of the Millers. Norma hopes it will provide Ella will some stability and comfort.

DI Sexton feels excited that he's already got the evidence to convict Juliet. He doesn't believe that she'll ever get off on self defence – it was a calculated murder attempt not a spontaneous action. DCI Faber tells DI Sexton he's got to maintain more of an open mind if they're to get to the truth. Things are never black and white.

Later in the cell Angela asks what Joe did to Juliet; she replies that Jack Woolf believes he raped her and she hasn't denied this claim. Jane is listening from the top bunk. The next day Jane says she's being transferred to another prison.

Norma believes it will help Ella to start to come to terms with what has happened if she sees her mother; so arranges for her to visit Juliet in prison. The meeting between mother and daughter is painful and breaks down when Juliet tells Ella that she did it for her.

Episode 3

A few months have passed and Juliet goes into labour four weeks early while she's on remand. Her daughter is born in hospital under prison guard. The baby gives Juliet a renewed sense of purpose but her future is not looking any less bleak.

Meanwhile, DCI Faber visits Joe's clerk Saul who clearly has a very biased view of events and would like to see Juliet convicted.

Dr Dominic Rose confides to Norma that his family are coming under increasing strain due to Ella's worsening mental state and they will not be able to foster her baby sister.

Now that Joe is dead, Jack and Anna will be able to use provocation as a defence if only Juliet will give them some detail about what happened between her and Joe.

Saul seems to be trying to groom Ella against her mother.

Norma tells Juliet there are no Mother and Baby Unit places free; so her baby will have to be fostered, but at the last minute a place becomes available. Juliet's delighted.

A care plan has to be agreed for the baby's longer term future however. At the Family Court Juliet is quizzed on her suitability to mother considering her record of violence. Jack hopes that this experience and the court decision will make Juliet realise she will have to open up at the criminal trial if they are to save her from conviction and the sure loss of her children.

DCI Faber and DI Sexton argue about the case once more. Sexton cannot countenance the possibility that Juliet might be freed and be allowed to keep her children.

Episode 4

Time is running out. Jack tells Juliet that she needs to talk if she wants to stand a chance of keeping children as well and her life as a free woman. This threat spurs her into action and she finally reveals to Jack the truth of her marriage. The trial begins and Ella takes the stand. The trauma of her daughter giving testimony is too much for Juliet. Ella breaks down in cross examination and in a heart-breaking moment, calls out for the comfort of her mother. How will the jury receive this? Which way will they go?

Episode 5

Criminal Justice reaches its tense finale at the Crown Court. What will the jury decide? And what will the outcome be for Juliet Miller and her children?'