The Confession

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An engrossing documentary about a case I was not familiar with that unfortunately takes the form of a giant spoiler from the opening frames. The fact that the murderer (yes, I'm choosing my words carefully) conducts his smirking interviews from the comfort of his own home throughout rather gives away the ending. But still, the court case is reconstructed skilfully enough that you still cross your fingers and hope the jury foreperson will say the magic word - guilty. Of course, he is found not guilty because the judge decided recorded evidence of him confessing to the crime was not admissible. (To correct a previous review - this was not the fault of the jury. Although we don't get to find out much about the conduct of court case, apart from the ruling about the recording, all they got to hear was circumstantial evidence). The judge was entitled to make this decision - in fact, I was amazed that the police operation took this form at about the same time as the Rachel Nickell/Colin Stagg case (similarly amazingly, this case is never mentioned, nor is the timeline, so we don't get to find out which honeytrap was played out first). The husband is an obnoxious narcissist. He can't resist being in front of the cameras when a dig for his wife's body is being carried out. After the court case, he revels in a TV appearance - however, the audience tears him to shreds, while his solicitor desperately tries to stem the flow, like the little Dutch boy and the Dyke. The solicitor desperately manages to keep a straight face whilst telling us that this is an example of how wonderfully fair the British justice system is. The killer is completely lacking in self awareness - he chuckles as he brags about getting one over on the police. He says to his "girlfriend" (actually an undercover police officer) "they've been trying to get me to crack for ages, but I'll never crack". Hardly the indignant and outraged reaction of somebody wrongly accused of the killing of his wife. I have to mark it down to 7 because of the format, where a lot of the tension is removed. At almost 2 hours, it's possibly a little overblown as well. But if you want to know that the "fairness" of the British justice system can produce examples of grotesque unfairness as well, then this is a very illuminating documentary.

Don't waste your time - it's just another story of a whiny (and wildy unattractive) white guy killing his wife and getting away with it. Looks like the UK 'justice' system is as big a joke as the US. I feel for Pat's family, they've had to live with this terrible loss, with no justice and no resolution. Pat's children are oddly never even mentioned, but what a tragedy that they were likely raised by the monster who killed their mother. Just so sad and infuriating. Really pleased the tapes were released though - nos the jury can realize their own stupidity and the world knows that Pat was stran go led by her loser husband and then placed in an in incinerator. I hope he is vilified and miserable as long as he's alive. A worthless waste of chemicals.

I really liked this documentary of 2 episodes. Entertaining and very interesting. I'm a big fan of true crime stories. Much better than others I've seen based on true events. It is well detailed and edited, which leaves you thinking and analyzing, did he do it or not? Who did it? It's very personal, that's why you should see it and judge for yourself. If you like crime stories, just don't miss this one. I imagine that the children were too young to be questioned, even so I would have done it, perhaps years later, I would have tried. How strange that there are only 2 reviews. I advise you to see it, without a doubt.

So his wife goes "missing" (or as he says himself he killed his wife and dumped her body in an incinerator) so no evidence... no crime scene.... no blood - he disposes of the body and dumps the car a few miles away and walks home - he knows he got away with murder - no one saw anything... except the kids... but for some reason they are never interviewed or talked about - his wife said before her death he strangled her and almost killed her - its totally evident to everyone that he killed his wife 30 years on he still refuses to admit he killed her - case closed - the documentary doesn't uncover anything - just a waste of 1.5hrs of my time and watching an ugly man with a bowl hair cut tell us he didnt killl his wife when he knows we know he did - why not do a polygraph then? Film makers made no effort to uncover the truth.

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