'I Fought the Law' review: Sheridan Smith leads harrowing true crime drama on Ann Ming's fight for justice
The four-part ITV drama I Fought the Law brings to the screen the true story of Ann Ming, whose 22-year-old daughter Julie was murdered in 1989. Following the initial acquittal of the killer, Ming led a 30-year campaign that resulted in the historic overturning of the double jeopardy law, ensuring Julie’s murderer could be retried and convicted.
Sheridan Smith stars in I Fought the Law, the true story of Ann Ming’s 30-year fight to overturn double jeopardy after her daughter’s murder.
ITV
The production captures both the unimaginable loss and the relentless determination behind Ming’s fight for justice. The legal reform, remarkable for overturning a principle dating back to Magna Carta, forms only the conclusion of the series. The greater focus rests on the deeply personal story of Ann and her family, from the moment she discovered her daughter’s body 80 days after Julie went missing to the devastating impact of multiple failed trials.
Sheridan Smith anchors the series with a moving portrayal of Ann Ming, embodying the resilience of an ordinary woman placed in extraordinary circumstances. Smith elevates a restrained script that remains faithful to the facts, supported by strong performances across the cast. Daniel York Loh gives depth to Charlie Ming, a grieving father initially too broken to share his wife’s drive for justice, while Jack James Ryan chillingly portrays Billy Dunlop, the man later convicted of Julie’s murder.
The series also highlights the flawed police investigation that delayed justice. Officers initially dismissed Julie’s disappearance as voluntary, suggesting she had left her son behind to start a new life in London. Forensics failed to uncover evidence during their early searches, and it was Ann herself who discovered her daughter’s body concealed beneath a bathtub. The investigative failures weakened the prosecution case, leading to two hung juries and Dunlop’s acquittal.
Dunlop later boasted publicly about the killing, confident he could never face trial again under double jeopardy protections. Ann Ming’s persistence, however, eventually led to the legal change that allowed him to be retried. His conviction removed a dangerous offender from society and reshaped British criminal law, though the Ming family’s loss remains irreversible.
I Fought the Law combines personal tragedy with landmark legal history, offering an unflinching portrayal of grief, perseverance, and the pursuit of justice.
