Previously, “Criminal Record” on Apple TV+ offered a little more insight into the Errol Mathis case. While Hegarty kept investigating the shooting incident, June covertly looked into Errol’s potentially unjust conviction. However, Hegarty got a hint of her continued investigation and made her life even more difficult. Nevertheless, she became even more determined to disclose the connection of Hegarty and his boys (other male officers) to the case, who were potentially connected to an unjust, racist verdict. Now, “Criminal Record” Episode 5 shows the conflict in June’s personal life as she confronts Tony about mishandling Errol’s case. With her son being targeted, she takes a daring step to put a stop to Hegarty’s silencing attempts. Spoilers ahead.
Criminal Record Episode 5 ‘Possession with Intent’ Recap:
Why did Errol Mathis lie in his confession?
“Criminal Record” episode 5 begins with a discussion between June (Cush Jumbo), Leo (Stephen Campbell Moore), and a guest about the neuropsychiatry that may have led to Errol’s (Tom Moutchi) unfair conviction. Earlier, June learned that Errol forgot the events after he witnessed Adelaide’s dead body in his car crash. He mentioned that his memory is blank about this period. Still, he confessed to having committed Adelaide’s murder. So, June wants to know how that can be the case. The guest reveals that our memory, in traumatic cases, works like an oil painting – that can be repainted.
Because of this, people may not have access to their memories. So, someone likely fed information into Errol’s mind that he considered to be the truth. After this conversation, June checks for information about the rise in cases against police officers. She goes to meet Clive Silcox (Andrew Brooke), who recently got arrested for the murder of a woman who called the police helpline. June previously learned that Clive and Errol went to the same school, and both are connected to Adelaide (the woman Errol was accused of killing). So, June suspected Clive had some connection to her murder. But, Hegarty (Peter Capaldi) ensured that she did not get much information out of Clive.
What does June learn from Clive Silcox about Hegarty and other white police officers?
June goes to meet Clive in prison and asks about his involvement in a Combat League. She wants to know whether Hegarty, Kim Cardwell (Shaun Dooley), or Tony Gilfoyle (Charlie Creed-Miles) were part of it. Clive cannot remember Hegarty or Kim being connected to it but recalls Tony being quite well-known in that circle. So, right after, June drives to Tony’s house and asks him whether he was a part of this Neo-nazi group called Bloodline. But instead of answering her, this racist bigot calls her a bully – and threatens to take action against her by calling the officer in charge of her department. Then, scared, he calls Kim and shares his wish to silence her sooner than later.
Kim informs Hegarty that June has not stopped looking into this case. Besides delving into this case, Hegarty pays a man called Stefan to take care of a flat. Meanwhile, Sonya (Aysha Kala) manages to get photos of Hegarty at a cash point – referred to as a shop of carpets & rugs but is for dealers of drugs. Turns out, Hegarty meets Miras Mansur, a wholesale dealer of heroin, at this shop. Sony suspects either he is getting blackmailed or he has a side-line in the drug trade. While that happens, two white police officers suddenly decide to check three school-going black kids, including Jacob (Jordan A Nash). The man takes out a small bag of heroin and claims that Jacob has it in his backpack.
Why does Jacob get arrested?
The white police officers bring Jacob to prison under the charge of possession of drugs with intent to resell. They show him no kindness and treat him as a drug handler. While Jacob tries to call June from that station, he can’t reach her. So, he calls his grandmother Maureen (Zoë Wanamaker) and asks her to help with this issue. She heads out to do so but gets overwhelmed by the memories of her husband getting manhandled by cops. While she loses track, Leo cannot reach Jacob on his phone. He finds it particularly strange because Jacob was really looking forward to his football match. So, Leo calls June to ask her the same. She cannot reach him either.
Soon after, June learns about Jacob’s arrest from his father and reaches the police station. She confronts the white female officer in charge for how she mismanaged this case. But June understands that these efforts are futile. Besides, she suspects Hegarty is behind this random frisking and arrest. Back at home, Jacob’s father and others try to cheer him up and say that he can still pursue a sports career – even if he missed the recent match. Unlike June, Leo does not firmly believe that the likes of Hegarty or Kim are behind frisking a bunch of 12-year-old boys. It breaks June’s heart that Leo is not on her side and is giving in to his ignorance toward racial prejudices.
Criminal Record Episode 5 ‘Possession with Intent’Ending Explained:
What does June do in the aftermath of Jacob’s arrest?
June shows up at the salon Hegarty frequents to arrest Miras Mansur. She apprehends him on the same charges her son faces. While driving, she notices him trying to call someone. She figures he is trying to reach Hegarty. So, she tells him to get Hegarty to meet her. Upon meeting, she questions Hegarty about Mansur’s crimes. Hegarty does not answer and, instead, orders her to let him be free. So, she informs him about her son’s unjust arrest. That’s the first time he hears about it. Nevertheless, he claims that Tony was not a neo-Nazi but just working undercover. Eventually, in exchange for clearing out Jacob’s name on the police records, he tells her to let Mansur go.
After his argument with June, Hegarty heads straight to Kim’s house and confronts him about his involvement in Jacob’s arrest. Kim claims that he only wanted to intimidate June because she was getting close to exposing Tony’s malicious past and their link to him. It frustrates Hegarty because, now, he cannot take any strict action against June as he has planned. Since Kim ruins it, he damages Kim’s car before heading home. Meanwhile, Patrick (Rasaq Kukoyi) enters an apartment that Hegarty paid for. While this old, white cop keeps this young black boy under his spell, June tries to sensitize Jacob about the issues he might face because of the color of his skin.
Later, June and Sonya go meet Doris (Cathy Tyson) to let her listen to the call from Carla that hinted at Errol’s arrest being unfair. While they hope to fight against the years of damage it caused her son, Hegarty remains haunted by Errol’s ghost, probably making him question his actions all those years ago. That is probably why he has been making sure that Errol’s son stays happy and feels indebted to him. In that way, the kid will respect him more than his father.
