The film details the real life events of the infamous Bentley / Craig case which saw Bentley, who had the mental age of an 11 year old, hang for murder in 1953. The words on Bentley’s gravestone read: “Derek William Bentley – A victim of British justice?”
The two teenagers Derek Bentley (Christopher Eccleston) and Chris Craig had been caught by police during a robbery. Bentley was arrested immediately on the scene but Craig, a gun-toting hoodlum, refused to give up his weapon. Bentley shouted out to his friend to “Let Him Have It!” causing Craig to fire at the officers chasing him; injuring one officer and killing another.
But did Bentley mean shoot the policeman or hand over the gun?