- Gemma and Connor are two fairly typical university students. Their future together looks certain until a change of plans breaks up the relationship. Both move on and Gemma gets involved with playboy, criminal Justin. Things seem to be going well until Justin is found murdered. Although completely innocent, Gemma is charged with the crime. Barrister James persuades her to plead guilty to manslaughter. This she does and is given a two year sentence. As she emerges from prison, Connor is waiting for her.—Alan Colegrave
- Synopsis of Gemmas Tale working title
Gemma and Connor are two pretty normal students. They met at college and have been a couple for nearly two years. Gemma is studying business administration and is passionate about the subject, while Connors attitude to study is more relaxed. Both have part time jobs. Gemma works in the sales section in a local plastics company. She is very well respected.
University is almost finished, with just a bit of tweaking to dissertations needed before their degrees will be finalised. After University, the couple plan to work in a restaurant for a couple of months before taking a world backpacking trip prior to joining the real world. Plans suddenly change when Gemma is asked to step in to replace her manager while the manager is on maternity leave. The offer is so good that Gemma has no option but to take it.
The couple try a long distance relationship but it fails to work. Amanda then comes into Gemmas life. Amanda is very much of a ladette, party girl person and starts to introduce Gemma to different lifestyle. After a few weeks clubbing and having fun, their group ends up at Marcuss party. Marcus and his assistant, Justin, run a legitimate business and an undercover not so legal operation. After a bit of mixing, Gemma meets up with Justin. Justin informs her that around midnight the mood of the party changes, some of the guests will leave and the adult games commence. As a warm up, there is a jelly wrestling competition. Justin persuades Gemma to take part. Initially she enjoys it and wins the first rounds but at the final she loses and suddenly realises she is naked in front of the guests. She runs off and Justin looks after her and takes her home.
The relationship is slow to develop partly due to Gemmas work and Justin being so busy. Then after a few dates Justin asks Gemma to deliver a package. She does this reluctantly but as time passes she gets intrigued by his other business. She starts to help out more. Four weeks later, the relationship has developed. Although they have been intimate, they have still not had sex just wrong time wrong place. They are meeting with a group of friends at a pub. Gemma suddenly feels unwell and decides not to go on the pub crawl. Justin offers to walk her home. Her friends just think she has made an excuse to go back to the flat with Justin but she is in fact unwell. They are walking back together and nearly back at the flat and Gemma thanks him for his help. Justin was convinced he was going back to her flat to have sex with her. As they are passing some waste ground very near the flat, he grabs her. She does not know what is happening initially but eventually realises it is rape. The ground is covered in broken glass and both receive injuries. After it is over, Justin gets up and walks away and Gemma grabs what is left of her clothing and walks the short distance back to her flat. (The audience will be fully aware of Justin walking away) Gemma is very confused. She was very fond of Justin until this happened. She showers and sits in the flat transfixed. Some 4 hours afterwards her friends arrive from the pub crawl and when Gemma relates what happened, one of them contacts the police. She is taken to the police station where she is treated very well and goes through the normal post rape process. Next morning a couple of police officers check the alleged crime location. A mobile phone rings. They follow the ring and it leads them to Justins dead body. The murder squad are informed and initial forensics are conducted.
Before too long the police suspect Gemma of luring Justin to the spot to kill him. The police itemise all the evidence against her and she is charged. With Gemmas hand print on the murder implement, the circumstantial evidence against her is very strong and is very likely to produce a guilty verdict in court. Her barrister suggests the option of pleading guilty to manslaughter. With an early plea, she would get a substantial reduction of sentence as opposed to a mandatory life sentence with a possible minimum term of 12 years.
Although she is innocent of the crime, she takes the manslaughter option and serves two years sentence. Inside prison she hears that Justin was murdered by Marcus or one of his gang due to Justin doing too much freelancing. However the case is closed and Marcus died of a heart attack so there no chance of it being re-opened.
Connor did his world trip with another girl but broke up shortly afterwards. Apparently Gemma was the main issue in the relationship. Gemma is released and Connor is there to meet her. Connor and Gemma are now planning a life together as she reflects there are good and bad days. That day in late July was a bad one.
Working Title Gemmas Tale Estimated length 105 minutes Locations UK Language English
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