“A heartbreaking true story”: Sheridan Smith’s I Fought The Law is the "harrowing" drama to watch tonight

When it comes to dramas that stay with you long after the credits roll, no one does it better than Sheridan Smith. The proof - if anyone should need it - can be found in ITV's harrowing series I Fought the Law. The drama, which first aired last year and is now available to stream, sees Sheridan bring a heartbreaking true story to life and it’s a rather tough - yet brilliant - watch.

In what is easily her most moving drama to date, Sheridan steps into the shoes of Ann Ming, the heartbroken mother who campaigned to change the Double Jeopardy Law and ensure that her daughter’s murderer was convicted. Covering the brutal circumstances of her daughter's murder and the subsequent 15-year battle that followed, it's one of those series you can't help but spend many hours thinking about.

With the series available to watch tonight (or now, if you like), here’s everything you need to know about I Fought the Law before you tune in, including the cast, plot and details of the real-life story behind it.

What is I Fought the Law about?

The four-part series portrays the real-life story of grieving mother, Ann Ming, and her fight to change the Double Jeopardy Law and see her daughter, Julie’s murderer brought to justice. Based on Ann Ming’s 2008 book, For the Love of Julie, the drama recounts the mother-of-three’s 15-year battle to ensure her daughter’s murderer finally faced justice, having been acquitted following two mistrials.

The moving series covers how Ann and her family dealt with Julie’s disappearance in Billingham, Cleveland, in November 1989 following her late shift at a local pizza parlour, as well as their tireless campaigning in Julie’s name to change the Double Jeopardy law, which had previously stopped Julie’s murderer from facing justice.

Ann Ming, has acted as consultant throughout the production process, and opened up about her experience. "My daughter’s killer was wrongfully acquitted, and a number of years later confessed to her murder, for which he could only be prosecuted for perjury due to the 800-year-old Double Jeopardy Law. I wasn’t going to let this stand in my way of getting justice for Julie," she told ITV.

Sheridan also commented on her role, saying: "I am so honoured to have been asked to play the role of Ann Ming, a mother so determined to fight for justice for her murdered daughter that she spent 15 years campaigning for the Double Jeopardy Law to be changed. She is a truly courageous and remarkable woman to whom we all owe a debt of gratitude."

What happened to Ann Ming and her daughter Julie in real-life?

Ann's daughter, Julie Hogg, was just 22-years-old when she was murdered by William Dunlop in her flat in Billingham. Tragically, Ann found Julie’s body concealed in the bathroom of her house in January 1990, 80 days after it was hidden behind the bath panel by her killer. Despite extensive searches of the property by police forensics teams, they had failed to detect her body.

Dissatisfied with Cleveland Constabulary and their investigation, Ann challenged senior officers and applied pressure on the police to discover what had happened to her daughter and to prosecute the man who was guilty of her murder. Ann took on the Criminal Justice System, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Law Commission, eminent Defence Barristers in television debates, the Government, the Lord Chancellor, the Attorney General, and two Home Secretaries as she “fought the law.”

Thanks to her campaigning, double jeopardy laws were eventually overturned and, in 2006, Julie’s murderer was jailed for life.

Who's starring in I Fought the Law?

The cast of I Fought the Law includes:

• Sheridan Smith as Ann Ming
• Daniel York Loh (Scarborough) as Charlie Ming
• Enzo Cilenti (The Crown) as DS Mark Braithwaite
• Marlowe Chan-Reeves (Doctor Who)
• Olivia Ng (Phoenix Rise)
• Jake Davies (Grace)
• Victoria Wyant
• Kent Riley (Mr Bates vs. The Post Office)
• Jack James Ryan (Passenger, Vera)
• Andrew Lancel (Unforgotten)
• Rufus Jones (Hijack)

Is there a trailer for I Fought the Law?

Yes, a trailer has just been released and you can watch it below.

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How can I watch I Fought the Law?

All four episodes of I Fought the Law are available to watch now on ITVX.