Vera Drake Page #8

North 1

did unlawfully

and feloniously

use an instrument

on Pamela Mary Barnes,

contrary to section 58 of the Offenses

Against the Person Act, 1861.

Sit down, Mrs. Drake.

Inspector.

Detective Inspector

Earnest Webster,

G-division,

metropolitan police.

I swear

by almighty God

that the evidence I shall give

shall be the truth,

the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth.

As a result

of a telephone call

from Ward Sister

Coombes,

Detective Sergeant Vickers,

W.P.C. Best and myself

went to the North London

General Hospital...

"I know why you are here.

I help young girls

who are in trouble.

I help them

to start their bleeding."

I said, "You mean you

perform abortions?"

She said, "That's not what I call it.

I just help them."

She admitted performing an illegal

operation on Pamela Barnes

and on hearing of the girl's critical

condition, became distressed.

I arrested

and cautioned her

and at my request she produced

the equipment used in the operation,

which included a Higginson's

syringe and a cheese grater.

Mrs. Drake accompanied us

to the police station,

where she made a voluntary

statement under caution.

Mrs. Drake was

cooperative throughout

and is not previously known

to the police.

We will not be opposing bail

for this defendant.

Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, sir.

My application for bail

Is based on

the grounds...

that Mrs. Drake

is gainfully employed

as a domestic

in several households.

Um, she has a permanent

residence

and is married

with two children,

in addition to which,

there is an aged mother,

all of whom rely upon her

for domestic duties.

I understand that she

has cooperated fully

throughout the police

investigations

and... and has not received,

nor sought to receive

any remuneration

for performing

this operation.

She has no previous

convictions.

Um, however, she is unable

to provide a surety.

Yes, I shall

grant bail.

Much obliged,

Your Worship.

Stand up, Mrs. Drake.

I shall admit you to bail

in your own recognizances

in the sum

of 50.00

to appear in this court

three weeks

from today...

on December

the 18th, sir.

That is at 10:
00 A.M.

On the 18th

of December.

Thank you, inspector.

I don't think I can go

to prison, Stan.

I'd better be getting off.

Gonna do a bit

of work?

I think I should.

Let's get your

coat off.

Sid?

Hello, Sid.

I didn't think

you'd be here.

Come here

and sit down, Sid.

I'm going to go up

to me room.

I've known her

since I was six.

She's been like a mom...

she was me mom.

The two of them...

- paid for me apprenticeship.

- Yes, I know all that, Frank.

All their savings...

When I left on me own,

I spent all me time round there.

She taught me how to waltz

in the front room.

She always

made us laugh.

Stupid cow.

How can she be

so selfish?

So now you both know

what we know.

I wish I didn't know

any of it, Dad.

Well, we all

wish that, Sid.

I'm ever so sorry.

How could you do

those things, Mom?

I don't understand it.

I don't expect

you do, Sid.

Why'd you do it?

I had to.

It's wrong though,

ain't it? Eh?

- I don't think so.

- Of course it is!

That's little babies.

I mean, you hear

about these things,

you read about it in the papers, but you

don't expect to come home to it

on your own doorstep

with your own mom!

- You ain't got no right!

- That's enough, Sid.

Of what?

So what are we supposed

to do then, eh?

Sit round, playing

happy family,

pretending like

nothing's happened?

- I said that's enough!

- You lied to us.

- No, she never...

- She did.

- She never told us, but she never lied.

- Same thing!

No it ain't!

It's dirty.

- All right?

- Come on in.

It don't seem fair.

Look at my

own mom.

Six of us

in two rooms.

It's all right

if you're rich.

But if you can't

feed 'em,

you can't love 'em,

can you?

- Poor Sid.

- I know.

Everything's black

and white for Sid.

He's young.

I can't blame him.

He'll come round.

- I don't know, Stan.

- Here, come here.

I don't think I can

tell mother.

She don't need

to know.

It's all right.

It's all gonna come out, Sid.

Everyone will know.

Some people won't be able

to look us in the eye...

- cross the road to avoid us.

- Can you blame 'em?

You wanna be one

of them people?

Can't look your own mother

in the eye? Eh?

You know when you went

off into war,

You turned round to me, you said, "Sid,

you're the man of the house now,

you've got to look

after things." And I did.

I was only 13

Me and Mom, we pulled

together... and Ethel...

- she must've been doing it then.

- I know.

So how many has she done

over the years then, eh?

Dozens?

Hundreds?

And all right, fair enough...

she's kept it from me and Ethel,

but she didn't even tell you.

If she'd told me, I'd have put

a stop to it, wouldn't I?

I don't get it,

ain't you angry?

Of course I'm bloody angry,

you silly bugger.

- You're asking me to forgive her.

- Yes.

You can forgive her, Sid.

She's your mother.

She'd forgive you

anything, wouldn't she?

I know you think

she's done a bad thing...

but God knows, she's going to get

punished enough for what she's done.

We can't let

her down.

I don't know what

to say to you, Mom.

You don't have

to say nothing, Sid.

I'm scared for you,

that's all.

You'll have to look

after your dad.

'Course.

'Course I will.

I love you,

Mom.

Stand up.

Vera Rose Drake.

I commit you

for trial

at the central

criminal court

of the next session

commencing...

the 10th

of January, 1951.

I shall admit you to bail

in your own recognizances

in the sum of 50.00,

and I shall grant

a defense certificate.

Much obliged, Your Worship.

I don't want to see that woman, Frank.

I can't be near her.

- It's Christmas.

- I won't sit round the dinner table

With her, eating food.

- I'm sorry, I can't help it.

- He's me brother.

- What am I supposed to say to him?

- I don't know.

We ain't never going

to have a Christmas by ourselves!

Just you and me.

All right, I'll go.

For you.

I ain't staying though.

We'll have a quick drink

and then we'll leave.

All right?

Now I have received

a reply from

three of Mrs. Drake's

four employers.

Mrs. Wells has not even had

the decency

to respond to my second

letter, I'm afraid to say...

and whilst they all speak

very highly of Mrs. Drake,

I'm afraid that none of them,

under the circumstances,

feel able to appear as a character

witness on your behalf.

Uh, Miss... uh, Miss Kitchener uh, does,

however, send her blessing.

On a more

positive note,

I have secured the services

of Mr. Hampton Ward,

who is an excellent

barrister,

and will present our case

in the best possible light.

Now, the judge may see fit to give us

the minimum sentence,

which could be as little

as 18 months.

I'm afraid I'm unable

to offer you

any more hope

than that.

I'm sorry.

You been feeling

all right, Joyce?

Yes, thank you.

You gonna have one

of your chocolates?

Oh, yes.

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