*** COURTROOM - 1:10 PM ***

The usher leads Polly up to the witness box. She reluctantly steps inside.

Court Usher:

Place your hand on the bible, please. Then repeat after me.

Polly looks nervously around the courtroom before placing her palm on the dusty book.

Court Usher:

I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. So help me God.

Polly Page:

I thwear to tell the twuth, the whole twuth and nuffink but the twuth, so help me God.

The usher nods, takes the bible back and sits down. Daniel gets up out of his chair and carefully rearranges the notes on his lectern. Polly rests her hands on her stomach. She looks thoroughly uncomfortable.

Daniel Harker:

Would you care to take a seat, Polly?

Polly nods nervously. The usher fetches a chair and places it in the stand. Polly sits down.

Polly Page:

Fank you.

Daniel Harker:

Now are you feeling all right, Polly? Is everything okay?

Polly nods, some of her confidence returning.

Daniel Harker:

All right. I'll begin now. How old are you, Polly?

Polly Page:

I'm twelve.

Daniel Harker:

And you live with your mother, Ms Anne Page?

Polly Page:

Yeth, and my bwother Ian.

Daniel Harker:

Are you happy living with them, Polly?

Polly shrugs.

Polly Page:

I guess tho. But Ian can be a weal pain thometimes.

Daniel Harker:

Did you ever live with Mr Matthews, the defendant in this case?

Daniel points at Greg. Polly does not look at her former stepfather. She lowers her voice.

Polly Page:

Yeth.

Daniel Harker:

Did you like it when Mr Matthews was staying at your house?

Polly shakes her head slowly.

Daniel Harker:

Was he ever unkind to you, Polly?

Polly chews on her bottom lip and glances around the room at all the unknown faces. She does not reply.

Daniel Harker:

Polly? Did he ever hurt you?

Polly's gaze falls on Greg. She shudders as he glares at her and she turns back to Daniel.

Polly Page:

Yeth.

Daniel Harker:

How did he hurt you, Polly?

Polly Page:

He broke my arm.

Daniel Harker:

Deliberately?

Polly nods, wincing at the memory.

Polly Page:

He twisted it behind my back.

Daniel Harker:

Do you know why he broke your arm, Polly?

Polly Page:

Coz I wath gonna tell Viv about him.

Daniel Harker:

Did he ever hurt you in any other way?

Polly Page:

You mean the other stuff?

Daniel Harker:

Other stuff?

Polly takes a deep breath.

Polly Page:

The sexual stuff?

Daniel Harker:

Did Greg ever touch you in a sexual way?

Polly Page:

Yeth.

Greg jumps to his feet. His face is red.

Greg Matthews:

You evil little cow! How dare you tell such lies!

Polly looks across the room. She is terrified by Greg's booming voice.

Judge Richards:

Sit down, Mr Matthews! At once!

Greg reluctantly takes his seat, unwilling to annoy the Judge.

Judge Richards:

One more outburst of this kind and I will find you in contempt of court.

Greg manages to calm down. Daniel resumes his questioning.

Daniel Harker:

To spare Polly the ordeal of repeating her evidence, I will now play a recording of the taped interviews conducted by WPC Martella and DS Burnside on Friday August the seventeenth. I trust that the defence has no objections to this?

Daniel looks towards Alison. She shakes her head. Daniel breathes a sigh of relief and gestures towards the tape recorder. The court is silent for a moment then the interviews commence. Daniel looks pointedly at the jury as the recording continues until it has finished.

Daniel Harker:

'Please, please don't make me go back.' This girl was obviously utterly terrified by what the defendant did to her.

Alison is about to rise to her feet when Judge Richards interjects.

Judge Richards:

Mr Harker, the time for speeches is at the end of the trial.

Daniel Harker:

I am sorry, your Honour.

Daniel composes himself before resuming his questioning of the young girl.

Daniel Harker:

Are you pregnant, Polly?

Polly Page:

Yeth.

Daniel Harker:

Do you know who the father is?

Polly considers her reply carefully.

Polly Page:

I'm pregnant coz of what Greg did to me. But when the baby is born, she's gonna go to another family and they will be her parents instead.

Daniel Harker:

To sum up, Greg Matthews raped you and made you pregnant?

Polly Page:

Yeth.

Daniel Harker:

No further questions, your Honour.

Daniel sits down. Alison rises to her feet and stares icily at Polly.

Alison Ashley:

Is it okay if I call you 'Polly'?

Polly nods nervously. She feels intimidated by the tall, proud woman.

Alison Ashley:

Good. Do you like your step-dad, Polly?

Polly Page:

No.

Alison Ashley:

Do you hate him?

Polly nods decisively.

Polly Page:

Yeth.

Alison Ashley:

So if someone suggested a way to get rid of him for good, would you go along with that?

Polly Page:

Whatcha mean?

Alison Ashley:

Well, you hate him. He's harsh, he disciplines you and he's really mean sometimes, yeah?

Polly Page:

Yeth.

Alison Ashley:

Well, if you could get him off your back once and for all just by saying something then you would say it, wouldn't you? If it meant that you'd never have to see Greg again?

Polly is unsure of how to respond.

Polly Page:

I really didn't like having to live wiv him.

Alison Ashley:

Right. Now what about WPC Martella? Do you like her, Polly?

Polly smiles at the mention of Viv's name.

Polly Page:

Viv's heaps nice.

Alison Ashley:

Do you respect her? I mean, if she asked you to do something then you would do it?

Polly Page:

Of course. She was heaps kind to me when I bwoke my arm.

Alison Ashley:

So if WPC Martella asked you to do something that would get rid of Greg permanently then you would do it? I mean, you'd be helping Viv and getting rid of Greg by doing the one thing. Would you do that, Polly?

Polly nods hesitantly.

Polly Page:

I guess tho.

Alison Ashley:

Did WPC Martella ask you to tell tales about Greg, Polly?

Polly is rather confused by this question.

Polly Page:

How do you mean?

Alison Ashley:

Did she ask you to lie about Greg? In the interview that we just heard?

Polly Page:

No, she told me to tell her the twuth.

Alison Ashley:

Come on Polly, you've already admitted that you would do anything that WPC Martella told you to do. Plus, this had the added bonus of getting Greg off your back.

Polly stares down at the railing around the witness box. She is very confused now.

Alison Ashley:

It's all a pack of lies isn't it? WPC Martella couldn't find the man who did this to you so she asked you to set up your stepfather, didn't she?

Polly Page:

But it wath Greg. He'th the one that hurt me!

Alison Ashley:

Enough of your lies! We have a witness prepared to testify under oath that you are a compulsive liar and this casts serious doubt on your testimony. Save us all a lot of time and just admit that you made it all up!

Polly doesn't reply.

Alison Ashley:

Well? Do you have anything to say for yourself, Polly?

Polly Page:

I dunno what you're talking about!

Alison realises that she's not getting anywhere with this line of questioning.

Alison Ashley:

I don't believe you. Tell me about WPC Martella. Why do you like her?

Polly Page:

Coth she kept asking me about the stuff until I told her the twuth and she believed me. She made it so that Greg didn't live wiv us any more.

Alison Ashley:

She made it so that Greg didn't live with you any more? She obviously doesn't like Greg.

Polly Page:

No. Viv hates Gweg.

Alison Ashley:

Did she ever say that she wanted to get rid of Greg for you? Get him out of your life for good?

Polly nods.

Polly Page:

Coth of the bad stuff he did. She said that he had to go to prison.

Alison Ashley:

She wanted him to go to prison. Were you happy about that?

Polly Page:

Yeth I wath.

Alison Ashley:

Was Greg being really mean to you around that time, Polly?

Alison walks out from behind her lectern and leans on the edge of the witness box.

Polly Page:

Yeth.

Alison Ashley:

Did he ever slap you when you were naughty? I mean, he was very strict about disciplining you wasn't he?

Polly nods.

Polly Page:

He got weally angry if I was even five minutes late coming home from school.

Alison Ashley:

So he was always going on at you? I mean, I can understand that you would hate him if he was always on your back.

Polly Page:

It wasn't fair. None of the other girls at school used to get into trouble with their fathers like I did with Gweg. And I always got blamed if Ian was naughty.

Alison Ashley:

So basically, you couldn't stand the sight of Greg?

Polly shakes her head.

Polly Page:

He was always at home. I tried to stay over at Laura's place sometimes, but he hardly ever let me. He only let me go over once coz her Mum rang up and asked him first.

Alison Ashley:

Laura is one of your friends from school?

Polly Page:

Yes.

Alison Ashley:

Would she have a pretty good idea of what you are like? Personality-wise, I mean?

Polly Page:

I guess tho. We weren't weally friends but I liked hanging around with her. She's heaps older then me so she usually goes out with the older girls.

Alison Ashley:

So she's just about the only friend you had at Cheetham Road Girls School?

Polly Page:

Well, there used to be Jane but she went off with dumb old Jenny. They're best friends now.

Alison gets slightly impatient at the slow pace of Polly's testimony.

Alison Ashley:

Yes, but Laura knew you well. I mean, you stayed at her place one night so you were obviously good friends.

Daniel stands up.

Daniel Harker:

Excuse me, your Honour, but how is this in any way relevant to the case at hand?

Alison snaps back.

Alison Ashley:

It is relevant because we will be calling Laura as a witness later on.

Judge Richards:

Far be it for me to question the wisdom of the learned counsel for the defence, Mr Harker.

Daniel shrugs and sits down.

Alison Ashley:

Well, Polly? Would Laura know what you are really like?

Polly Page:

I guess tho.

Alison thinks carefully before asking her next question.

Alison Ashley:

Can you tell me what happened on the evening of August the sixteenth, Polly?

Polly pauses, thinking back.

Polly Page:

I fink that was the day Gweg broke my arm.

Alison Ashley:

You say that Greg broke your arm. Can you tell me exactly what happened on that day?

Polly sighs.

Polly Page:

I got home from school and I went straight up to my room to do an assignment. I'd only been in there for about ten minutes when Gweg called me out to the kitchen. Ian had spilt chocolate milk all over the floor and he wanted me to clean it up. Anyway, I cleaned it all up and Ian was being annoying, coz he wanted to play football with someone. I wanted to go and finish me homework so I told him to get Gweg to play with him. But Gweg said I had to do it coz he was busy.

Polly draws a breath and continues.

Polly Page:

So then I tried to explain that I had to do me homework and he said that I had to do what I was told and that the assignment was just school stuff. I told him that I'd gotten in trouble at school for not having the assignment done and that I'd tell Viv about him if he didn't let me do it. I could tell he was getting heaps angry so I tried to run back to my room but he grabbed me by the arm and pushed me up again the bench. That's how it got broken.

Alison Ashley:

He grabbed your arm. You were running away from him and he grabbed your arm. How long did he grab it for, Polly?

Polly shrugs.

Polly Page:

Just a few seconds. Then I ran off.

Alison Ashley:

So he grabbed your arm but you resisted him and ran off? He was intending to punish you for getting into trouble at school but you ran off and broke your arm instead?

Polly is unsure of what to say.

Polly Page:

Yeth.

Alison Ashley:

So it wasn't actually Greg's fault that your arm was broken. It was just a silly accident because he grabbed your arm while you were running away from him!

Polly shakes her head. She is becoming confused again.

Polly Page:

No, he pushed me up against the cabinet and pulled it behind my back.

Alison Ashley:

That's a lie. You just said he only held onto your arm for a few seconds. Tell the truth, Polly! What really happened?

Polly Page:

It only took a couple of seconds, I mean, it happened very fast.

Alison Ashley:

So you don't actually remember what happened?

Polly Page:

I do! I told you, he grabbed my arm and bwoke it!

Alison Ashley:

No, you just told me that it was an accident!

Polly Page:

But, but it wasn't. It wathn't an accident! He yelled at me, then he broke my arm!

Alison Ashley:

You said you ran away. Your story's full of holes, Polly. Why are you lying? Has someone told you to lie?

Polly is getting angry at the lawyer twisting her words.

Polly Page:

No, I meant that I ran away after he hurt my arm.

Alison Ashley:

Who told you to lie? Was it WPC Martella?

Polly Page:

No, I� I'm not lying. That's what weally happened.

Alison Ashley:

You're contradicting yourself again, Polly. What's the truth?

Polly Page:

He� He grabbed my arm and he bwoke it! Why won't you believe me?

Alison throws her notes down in disgust.

Alison Ashley:

You're a pathological liar, Polly Page. This entire case is nothing more than a sick fantasy dreamt up by you and WPC Martella to get back at your stepfather!

Polly bursts into tears. She has had enough.

Polly Page:

Stop, stop yelling at me! Someone make her stop yelling at me!

Polly sobs quietly into her hands. Alison continues remorselessly.

Alison Ashley:

I'm going to keep asking you questions whether you like it or not, Polly. Someone assaulted you and you've been trying to pin the blame on your stepfather because you hate him!

Polly continues to sniff miserably. She lifts her head up and notices Viv sitting in the public gallery. Polly takes heart again after seeing the encouraging expression on the police officer's face.

Polly Page:

No, he deliberately bwoke my arm. He twisted it behind my back and bwoke it!

Alison Ashley:

That's not what you said before. And if you're prepared to lie once then you must be prepared to lie all the time.

Polly gazes down at the floor, not saying anything.

Alison Ashley:

Well? Polly? Can you say anything at all to convince the court that you haven't been telling a pack of lies from the start?

Polly Page:

He grabbed me by my arm. He pushed me up against the cabinet. He twisted it behind my back. He bwoke it.

Alison Ashley:

I don't believe you. And I don't believe that he ever hurt you deliberately, either!

Polly sighs. Her face wears a defeated expression.

Polly Page:

Believe what you want. I don't care.

Alison Ashley:

Whose baby is it, Polly?

Polly looks across at Alison.

Polly Page:

It'th mine.

Alison allows a brief smile to appear on her lips.

Alison Ashley:

Who is the father, Polly?

Polly Page:

Gweg.

Alison Ashley:

Have you ever had sexual relations with a man before, Polly?

Polly nods timidly.

Alison Ashley:

Where did they take place?

Polly Page:

In my bedroom.

Alison Ashley:

Who did you have sex with?

Polly Page:

Gweg.

Alison Ashley:

Apart from the alleged sexual assault by the defendant, have you ever had sexual relations with a man before?

Polly shakes her head vigorously.

Alison Ashley:

Are you quite sure about that, Polly?

Polly Page:

I'm thure.

Alison Ashley:

Have you ever played the game known as 'spin the bottle'?

Polly is taken by surprise.

Polly Page:

Well, yeah. Once.

Alison Ashley:

Describe to the court what happened on that occasion, Polly.

Polly Page:

It wasn't my idea. We were all around at Laura's place at a sleepover and her and Jane wanted to play it so we did.

Alison Ashley:

What ended up happening?

Polly Page:

I had to kiss Eddie Santini.

Alison Ashley:

Kiss? I think it went a bit further than that, didn't it?

Polly does not reply.

Alison Ashley:

Allow me to read a passage from a statement given to me by your friend Laura Jacobs.

Alison picks up a piece of paper and starts to read.

Alison Ashley:

"I saw Poll and Eddie kissing in his bedroom. Then they turned the lights out and I couldn't see what happened next. I grabbed a packet of fags and went downstairs to smoke 'em." Then a few lines further down. "I walked back into Eddie's bedroom to see if they were finished yet. He had his hand underneath her skirt and I laughed so much when I turned the light on 'cause I could see his...

Alison blushes slightly.

Alison Ashley:

...cock in her hand. They were havin' a real good time if ya know what I mean."

Alison puts Laura's statement down.

Alison Ashley:

You've never had sex before, Polly? This suggests otherwise.

Daniel stands up.

Daniel Harker:

I object in the strongest possible terms, your Honour. This statement was not taken by the police and it is inadmissible as evidence!

Alison Ashley:

It is a statement obtained by myself from Laura Jacobs two days ago and she is prepared to be called up as a witness tomorrow and say the exact same thing under oath.

Judge Richards:

Even so, the written statement is not admissible Miss Ashley. I would ask the clerk to strike it from the court records. We will have to wait until tomorrow to ascertain the truth of your allegation but before you continue I would remind you that Polly Page is the victim in this case. She is not on trial.

Alison Ashley:

Of course, your Honour.

Alison turns back to Polly. The young girl looks across from the Judge to the barristers, along to Viv then back to the Judge. She is absolutely petrified.

Alison Ashley:

You have had sexual intercourse before, haven't you Polly?

Polly is terrified but she manages to reply in a voice barely above a whisper.

Polly Page:

Yeth.

Alison Ashley:

But not with Mr Matthews? Not with Greg?

Polly Page:

Yeth.

Alison Ashley:

With Eddie Santini?

Polly Page:

No.

Alison Ashley:

Laura said that you did.

Polly shakes her head nervously.

Alison Ashley:

Well, one of you must be lying.

Polly's chin quivers. She still does not reply.

Alison Ashley:

Polly? Have you got anything to say for yourself?

Polly Page:

It'th� It'th not twue.

Alison Ashley:

It's not Greg's baby, is it? It's Eddie Santini's. You slept with him and he got you pregnant and you're trying to pin the blame on Greg!

Polly Page:

No! It'th not twue. It'th not.

Alison Ashley:

It's Eddie's baby, Polly. You had unprotected sex with him and this was the result!

Polly Page:

No, no, it's all Greg's fault. He'th the one that did thith to me.

Polly breaks down into hysterical crying. She buries her face in her lap.

Alison Ashley:

You and Eddie, Polly. He was probably a bit too rough with you, which would explain the bruising. Greg never touched you in any way. You've been lying from the start!

Polly continues sobbing desperately. She becomes short of breath and starts to pant erratically. Viv leaves the public gallery and rushes out into the main area of the court.

WPC Martella:

This is a farce! Call this justice?

Viv half-pulls and half-carries the weeping Polly outside.

Alison Ashley:

No further questions, your Honour.

Alison sits down. She looks pleased with herself.

*** OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM - 2:30 PM ***

Viv is cradling Polly in her arms, trying to comfort the young girl.

WPC Martella:

It's okay Polly, just breathe deeply. I've called for an ambulance just in case but I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.

Polly Page:

It's not my fault. It's not true what she said, Viv. It's not!

Polly wails. She is hyperventilating.

WPC Martella:

Just relax, Polly. I believe you. Stop talking and breathe deeply.

Polly Page:

But� But� She didn't.

Polly gasps frantically.

Polly Page:

No one in there believed me!

Viv holds Polly's hand and speaks to her in a soothing voice.

WPC Martella:

I did. And the trial isn't over yet.

Polly continues to sob. Viv tries to calm her down.

WPC Martella:

Look, I didn't believe what she was saying and I'm sure that no one else in there did either. She was just making up lies to save Greg's skin.

The doctor heads up the corridor.

Doctor:

Security just called through, what's going on?

WPC Martella:

That bitch in there has half-killed a pregnant twelve-year-old!

Doctor:

Right, we've rung for an ambulance, what's her name?

WPC Martella:

Polly. Polly Page. Is she all right?

Doctor:

Right, hang on.

The doctor helps Viv to move Polly onto a bench.

Doctor:

Ok, Polly, listen to me, this is important. You have to stop crying. Take a deep breath and breathe slowly, in and out.

Polly tries to follow his instructions, tears streaming from her face.

WPC Martella:

Just hang on, Polly. Do as the doctor says.

Polly manages to calm down somewhat, stroking her stomach in response to the baby's movements.

Doctor:

That's good Polly. In, out, good.

The ambulance officers arrive on the scene.

WPC Martella:

She's over here.

Paramedic:

What's the score, doc?

Doctor:

We've a twelve-year-old, Polly Page. She's pregnant. This officer rushed her out of court, hyperventilating.

Paramedic:

What the hell is a pregnant kid doing in court?

WPC Martella:

It's a long story.

Paramedic:

I can imagine. How many weeks pregnant?

WPC Martella:

About four months, I think. Do you know how many weeks into your pregnancy you are, Polly?

Polly Page:

Nineteen weekth. Thith feelth really weird, I can't breathe properly!

Paramedic:

Don't worry, that's normal. You've been hyperventilating and the baby needs oxygen so it's moving around. Nothing to worry about.

Polly looks between Viv and the officers unconvinced.

WPC Martella:

Don't worry, Polly, I'll come with you in the ambulance.

Paramedic:

Just keep taking nice big breaths while we put you on a stretcher.

Polly does as she's told.

Polly Page:

My baby's okay isn't she? She's not hurt?

Paramedic:

She'll be as healthy as a hippo, little miss, don't you bother your pretty head with it.

The Ambulance Officers and Viv help to put Polly onto a stretcher and wheel her towards the ambulance. Polly considers the officer's words.

Polly Page:

She ain't no hippo!

Paramedic:

Oh, I dunno. Stranger things have happened.

The ambulance officer puts an oxygen mask on Polly's face before she can reply.

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