australian television information archive

Part 3 of 6

Kat is questioned and advised to cooperate by pleading guilty, but she refuses. The only choices before her are a life sentence in prison or the death sentence. She is taken to prison, “the Bangkok Hilton.” She manages to get word of her predicament to Richard Carlisle, Hal Stanton’s solicitor in Bangkok. Carlisle visits her in prison but is reluctant to help her — he is not a criminal lawyer. Kat also tells him she still wants to meet her father and asks Carlisle to get access to her luggage — her mother’s diary is in it. Carlisle give the journal to Hal and reading it convinces him that Kat is his daughter. He has a change of heart: he decides to visit her in prison but plans to tell her he is only a friend of her father’s. He introduces himself to her as Bill Worthington, a lawyer colleague of Carlisle’s. He is touched by her innocence and doubtless reminded of Catherine as well. He leaves, saying he will try to talk Carlisle into taking on her case.

Carlisle and Hal take on Kat’s case together. An unpromising hearing puts her behind bars indefinitely. The charge is trafficking — a death sentence. She is put in a cell with other women in appalling conditions. Carlisle visits the Thai authorities and tries to get them to change the charge to possession. Hal is willing to help but tells Carlisle he can’t bring himself to go back to the prison — ironically, it’s the same prison he was in during the war.