Murder Trial

Documentary1x120 for Channel 4

A television first inside a British Courtroom.

After three years of negotiation, the Scottish High Court gave permission for this extraordinary and unique access - to film the case of a man accused of murdering his wife. Her body has never been found, there is no weapon, no crime scene and her husband appears to have a cast iron alibi for the day she disappeared.

For the first time in British history, remotely-operated cameras have been placed inside a British criminal court to capture a murder trial in its entirety for this brand new feature-length documentary. Recorded over six weeks, this film shows the process of justice in a Scottish High Court like never before. With over 70 witnesses and 104 pieces of evidence the complex case is dissected firstly by the Prosecution QC Alex Prentice and then the Defence QC John Scott. The victim in the case is Arlene Fraser and her family who have now been waiting over 14 years for justice.

Nat Fraser was first brought to trial in 2003 for the murder of his wife – he was found guilty. But Fraser argued that the trial was a miscarriage of justice and challenged the verdict in the highest courts in the land. The case became a cause celebre. Eventually, after years of protesting his innocence, the conviction was quashed in 2011. In April 2012, Nat Fraser was sent back to the High Court in Edinburgh for a fresh trial, 14 years after his wife’s disappearance. A new jury was sworn in to hear all the evidence against him. Would they find him innocent or convict him of murder?

Director Nick Holt
Producer Marina Parker
Executive Producer David Dugan , Kate Barker
Production Manager Gillian Goodlet
Production Assistant Charlotte Hailstone
Editor Ben Brown
Assistant Producer Emma Whitehead , Clare Cameron
Composer Jon Wygens

Grierson Trust Awards 2014: Winner of Best Documentary on a Contemporary Theme
BAFTA TV Awards 2014: Winner of Best Single Documentary 
RTS Awards 2014: Winner of Best Single Documentary
Broadcast Awards 2014: Winner of Best Documentary Programme
BAFTA Scotland Awards 2014: Nominated for Best Single Documentary 
BAFTA Craft Awards 2014: Winner of Best Director Nick Holt