*** INTERVIEW ROOM - 4:10 PM ***

Walton is sitting in the interview room looking calm, cool and composed.

DC Lennox:

Come on, at least give us your name.

Walton doesn't reply. He just stares at a spot on the wall above Duncan's head.

DC Lennox:

We can lock you up even when we don't know your name, you know. It'll be a lot better in the long run if you co-operate.

Walton stares sullenly at Duncan.

James Walton:

Nguta t'aryah misu.

Duncan looks perplexed.

DC Lennox:

Look, we know you speak English. We have a police officer who heard you speaking it.

Walton grins at Duncan but does not reply. Duncan sighs, leans back and turns on the tape recorder.

DC Lennox:

This is a recorded interview at Sun Hill Police Station on the eleventh of October at sixteen-ten. Present are...

Duncan gives James a penetrating look.

DC Lennox:

DC Lennox.

Liz continues sharply.

DS Rawton:

DC Rawton.

Gina Richards:

Gina Richards, social services.

Walton smiles at the Detectives but does not reply.

DC Lennox:

Your name, please. For the tape.

Walton leans back and starts rocking in his chair. Duncan gives up in disgust.

DC Lennox:

Suspect refuses to give his name.

Liz clasps her hands on the table, looking sympathetically across at the young lad.

DS Rawton:

Right, well since you won't tell us your name, how about telling us where you were late last night? Between the hours of twelve and one in the morning.

Walton starts picking at his teeth with his fingers. He does not reply.

DS Rawton:

What happened to your eyes? You were receiving medical treatment at Saint Hugh's when are officers arrested you. You wanna tell us what that was about?

Walton scratches the stubble on his chin absent-mindedly. He starts humming softly to himself.

DC Lennox:

Answer the question.

Walton looks at Duncan with contempt.

James Walton:

Why the hell should I?

Liz remains calm.

DS Rawton:

Because we think you've been lurking around alleyways. We think you've had a few shall we say, 'run-ins' with a couple of our PCs. Now, I'll ask again. Why were you seeking treatment this afternoon?

James Walton:

None of your business, you snotty cow.

Ms Richards turns to her client.

Gina Richards:

Look, as I said before, I really think it's in your best interest to co-operate, given the severity of the crimes that you're under suspicion for.

Liz nods in gratitude to the social worker, turning back to the youth.

DS Rawton:

Well?

Walton looks at the social worker with amusement.

James Walton:

You can get stuffed and all. How much are they paying ya to say that?

Liz raises her voice, getting frustrated.

DS Rawton:

Your social worker is here to help you. You can get rid of her at any time or you can actually listen to her!

Walton scowls and Liz and does not reply.

DS Rawton:

Right, well then, since you don't want to co-operate our hands are tied. Now your social worker's explained to you the charges: rape and assault of police officers. Our Superintendent can order the taking of an intimate sample, it can then be sent away for analysis, if you're found guilty then it's anything from fifteen years to life. But given these circumstances, they'll throw the book at you! Feeling anymore talkative?

Walton smirks, not at all the reaction that Liz was expecting.

James Walton:

Is that what they give adults who do that?

Liz looks across at Duncan awkwardly.

DS Rawton:

What do you mean by that?

James Walton:

Is that what you get for raping a police officer when you're a grown-up?

DS Rawton:

Yes, so?

James Walton:

Well I'm not a grown up, am I? I'm fifteen.

Walton looks self-satisfied and smug. Liz doesn't even blink.

DS Rawton:

Yeah and I'm twenty-five. Who are you trying to kid.

James Walton:

There's only one kid here and that's me. What have you got to say to that, sourpuss?

Liz glances across at Duncan, slowly taking in the suspect's words.

DC Lennox:

I don't believe a word of it. Prove it.

Walton digs into his pocket and pulls out a battered wallet. He slowly pulls out a faded, torn document.

James Walton:

That's me birth certificate. I don't have anywhere to live so I have to carry everything round with me.

Walton passes the document to Duncan . He reads through it carefully. Liz looks over Duncan's shoulder, her expression one of pure disgust.

DC Lennox:

It says the third of October, 1986, Sarge.

Liz looks back at the boy.

DS Rawton:

Why this you withhold this information?

James Walton:

There's no law saying you have to tell people your age is there?

DS Rawton:

You mean you're fifteen!

Liz sits backwards, still shocked. She motions for Duncan to take over. Duncan holds up the birth certificate and examines it carefully.

DC Lennox:

So your name's James Walton is it?

James Walton:

Wow, you can read fatso! Congratulations.

Duncan shakes his head with disgust and Liz takes over again. She taps her pencil on the pages of notes.

DS Rawton:

So, James. You think you're off the hook? We can still throw the book at you and don't think your age will save you from doing time either. I really would start co-operating. I'll ask you for the third time, why were you seeking medical treatment earlier today?

Walton grins at Liz.

James Walton:

Because there was something wrong with me. Isn't that usually why you go to hospital?

Liz smiles patronisingly.

DS Rawton:

Very good. What was wrong with you?

Walton looks across at his social worker.

James Walton:

Is it a crime to be sick now?

DS Rawton:

No but the reason you were sick, may be. Shall we try for four time? What was wrong with you?

James Walton:

I had something in my eyes! Jeez Louise you people are boring.

Walton is slightly wound-up.

DS Rawton:

Now we're getting somewhere. What did you have in your eyes?

James Walton:

I dunno, use your imagination darling. What would a boy like me be likely to get in his eyes?

DS Rawton:

I'd prefer not to speculate. We've established that you were at the hospital having something cleaned out of your eyes. Why couldn't you clean it out yourself? Were your eyes hurting too much?

James Walton:

Darling, my eyes were sore. I went to the hospital to get them fixed up and two of your gorillas jumped me and brought me down here.

Liz is getting extremely frustrated.

DS Rawton:

The nurse at Saint Hugh's contacted us, because upon examining you, she found the substance in your eyes, to be that of CS spray. This is a chemical carried in a spray bottle by all Metropolitan Police Officers, to be used either in self defence or as a means of restraint. Was this not the substance you had in your eyes?

Walton shrugs.

James Walton:

I found an old tin down by the docks and it blew up in my face. That's how I got the stuff in my eyes. That's all I'm saying.

DS Rawton:

That's rubbish and you know it! Look, if you won't co-operate we'll don't this the hard way. Without your support.

James Walton:

The hard way? Sounds exciting.

DS Rawton:

Fine then. We'll have a superintendent order the taking of an intimate sample, have it analysed and you'll be banged up within the week. End of story. No-one will ever hear your side.

Walton whistles under his breath.

James Walton:

Sounds kinky. Your superintendent goes in for that sort of thing does he?

DS Rawton:

I don't think you know what you're getting yourself in for. Raping a police officer? They'll tear you to bits inside!

James Walton:

Not what I've heard sweetheart. Guys who rape coppers are quite well thought of in jail. Not, of course, that I did rape a copper.

Liz shrugs.

DS Rawton:

Maybe by the inmates, sure. But it's the screws I'd be watching out for. And they have the power, remember.

James Walton:

Look, are you just gonna sit there all day spouting off this crap or are you gonna let me get out there so I can earn enough money to eat tonight?

DS Rawton:

Well actually, we were planning on holding you in our five-star accommodation known as the custody suite. That is until we have the evidence to charge you.

Walton gets angry for the first time.

James Walton:

But I have to be somewhere! Don't you get it, you silly cow?

Liz looks intrigued.

DS Rawton:

Where do you have to be, James?

James Walton:

I have to work.

DS Rawton:

Where do you work?

Walton folds his arms but refuses to elaborate.

James Walton:

That's my business.

Liz looks the boy up and down, noticing his scruffy clothes and unkempt hair.

DS Rawton:

You got a home to go to?

Walton shakes his head.

James Walton:

I live on the streets.

Liz glances over at Duncan, realisation slowly dawning on her.

DS Rawton:

Are you a rent boy, James?

Walton kicks the interview table.

James Walton:

What if I am? You interested?

DS Rawton:

Are you confirming that you are?

James Walton:

I might be. What's it to you?

Liz makes a note on the pad in front of her.

DS Rawton:

How did you get the CS Spray in your eyes, James?

Walton is getting annoyed.

James Walton:

Would you stop asking the same bloody questions again and again?

Liz softens her voice.

DS Rawton:

I wouldn't have to if you'd just answer them.

James Walton:

Oh, get lost, you're doing my head in!

Walton's head sinks down into his hands.

DS Rawton:

Where were you last night, between the hours of twelve and one in the morning?

James Walton:

I dunno, I was out on the streets.

DS Rawton:

Which streets? Which area do you work?

Walton scratches his head.

James Walton:

Siskin Road, sometimes Rudkin Road. Anywhere where the punters are prepared to pay.

Liz slowly.

DS Rawton:

You didn't happen to see any police officers in your travels then?

Walton laughs pathetically.

James Walton:

Do you know what it's like out there on the game? You're always seeing police officers snooping around. Not just on the streets, I'm sure a couple of the guys I see are in the police too.

Walton leers at Duncan.

DC Lennox:

Dream on sunshine.

James Walton:

As a rent boy I see an awful lot of the seedy side of life. You're living there in amongst the dirt and the filth and you get all these rich businessmen coming up to you. The only think you have to live for is the next time that you get paid. If the police get in your way then you have to take steps to stop them, don't you? I mean, you have to show them who is boss and who is in charge of the situation!

Liz clears her throat, surprised by the anger in his voice.

DS Rawton:

That sounds as if you did have a bit of an altercation last night. Am I right?

Walton sighs. He is fed up.

James Walton:

So I ran into your silly girl copper out last night and she squirted me in the eyes with something. Big deal. She deserved it, the silly tart. Everyone thinks that they can just push me around! Well they can't. I'm not going to stand for it any longer.

DS Rawton:

So, James, just how many police officers did you run into last night?

Walton hesitates.

James Walton:

Just some girl. Short, black hair I think she had. She didn't even listen to me, all she did was squirt that stuff into my eyes! Can you blame me for getting angry?

Liz shakes her head lightly.

DS Rawton:

I guess not. Unless she had a reason to use CS Spray. Did she have a reason James?

James Walton:

Nah, I wasn't going to attack her... I was worn out already. I just get so angry thinking about it! Why did she have to do that to me?

DS Rawton:

You mean spray the CS in your eyes? Well, according to the officer, it was because you were indecently assaulting her. Is that true?

James Walton:

No, I didn't lay a finger on her! Silly cow, I wish I had have now. It would have shut her up good and proper!

DS Rawton:

Right. So can we just go over your movements last night. What were the circumstances leading up to you been sprayed with the CS spray?

Walton thinks back.

James Walton:

I was just cruising the streets, as you do. I was walking around when this big guy came up to me and started hassling me. Normally I wouldn't have minded but I made a lot last week so I didn't really need the money. And the guy was big and muscular so I didn't really fancy him. But he kept on and on at me. In the end, I had to fight him off to stop him from groping me. I told him that he could have it if he paid double price but that just made him madder. He started feeling me up and saying that he'd have me for nothing. I struggled but he was bigger than me so I didn't stand a chance. I was really mad at this stage, then I saw your two officers running towards us.

Walton pauses before continuing.

James Walton:

The guy ran off and I followed him. Eventually I moved over into the shadows and waited there. I knew that sooner or later the police officers would run past me. I just hoped they wouldn't notice me.

Liz places the pencil on the table, cupping her hands in her lap.

DS Rawton:

Then what happened?

James Walton:

The silly policewoman saw me, didn't she? I had to grab her before she yelled out to the other one. I mean, I had to, didn't I?

Walton is confused.

DS Rawton:

So, what happened? You grabbed her as they were running past? Then what?

James Walton:

Well she kept struggling. The other one ran right past us but the one I had wouldn't stay still. I would have let her go, honestly I wanted to but she kept fighting me every inch of the way.

Liz scoffs.

DS Rawton:

Well I can't really blame her under the circumstances, can you? Go on.

James Walton:

Nah, what do you care? You don't give a damn about me so why the hell should I tell you?

Walton is getting worked up.

DS Rawton:

I think you've dug yourself into a nice little hole James. The best you can do is start crawling. Now go on.

James Walton:

Well she called me some right choice names while she was struggling. I had to show her that she couldn't speak to me like that. She thought she was so good, a real little miss goody-two-shoes so I had to take her down a peg or two.

Walton looks appealingly at Liz.

James Walton:

I just didn't have any choice.

DS Rawton:

And just how did you accomplish that, James?

James Walton:

Well I was really excited, you know? And her struggling against me, well it was too good an opportunity to pass up. I thought that it'd teach her a lesson! How dare she look down at me when she's just as much a slut as anyone else. The uniform doesn't make any difference, you know. Underneath it she's still a woman.

Walton is panting slightly as he remembers.

James Walton:

I have sex with men for the money but this was different. I just kept sliding in and out of her and she was groaning and that excited me all the more. I think she liked it, the slut.

Liz raises an eyebrow at Duncan, slightly disgusted. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she continues.

DS Rawton:

Go on.

James Walton:

Well I was holding her down and she wasn't complaining so I went the whole way. I had to slap her around a bit before she'd stop but it felt really good. For once, it was me in control, me calling the shots. And the silly tart couldn't do anything about it despite her uniform and her bloody respectability. I was in charge.

Liz sighs.

DS Rawton:

So you raped her? You're telling us that you knew exactly what you were doing and you raped a police officer?

Walton shrugs his shoulders.

James Walton:

Yeah, so what if I did? I bet she's done it with a hundred men before.

DS Rawton:

You realise the seriousness of this, don't you?

Walton nods slowly.

James Walton:

What's gonna happen to me?

DS Rawton:

Well, it depends. Gives your age, you'll naturally receive a lighter sentence. And since you eventually co-operated, this will be taken into account. Is there anything else you'd like to add, James?

Walton shakes his head.

James Walton:

Only that I never meant to hurt her, I just lost it when she started fighting me. She wouldn't have been hurt if she'd just kept still.

DS Rawton:

Right. Interview terminated three-fifteen PM.

Continue...