I Fought the Law is the heartbreaking Sheridan Smith drama based on a true story

Cosmopolitan

27-07-2025

ITV is renowned for producing gripping and sensitively handled dramas based on true stories. I Fought the Law, a new series coming later this year, is one of them.
Starring BAFTA-winning actor Sheridan Smith in the leading role, it follows the harrowing story of Ann Ming, a grieving mother who campaigned to change the Double Jeopardy Law after her daughter was murdered.
The drama retells Ming's long fight for justice — a 15-year battle that finally led to permanent change in the criminal system — and some closure for her family.
Ahead of its release date, let's take a deeper dive into I Fought the Law, from the full plot, the cast, and when viewers can expect it to land on their screens.
Currently, there is no release date for the drama. However, we do know it's coming to ITV1 and ITVX later this year.
There is a trailer, however, which shows Smith in character as Ming, along with a taste of what's to come.
The four-part limited series explores the real-life events of Ann Ming and her family, after her daughter, Julie, was murdered in 1989. After disappearing following a late-night shift at a pizza restaurant in Cleveland, Ming is convinced that her daughter has been killed.
80 days later, Ming tragically discovers Julie's body concealed behind the bath panel in her daughter's home. This is despite police forensics teams failing to find Julie after extensive searches of the property.
During the episodes — which are also based on Ming's 2008 book, For the Love of Julie — the grieving mother works tirelessly to change the 800-year-old Double Jeopardy Law.
After 15 years of campaigning, Ming finally manages to overturn the law: Having been acquitted following two mistrials, Julie's murderer was previously allowed to walk free. The Double Jeopardy Law meant he couldn't be tried again for the same crime.
However, in 2006, the man responsible for killing Julie was finally sentenced to life in prison.
Sheridan Smith, who many will recognise from Mrs Biggs, Cilla, and Gavin & Stacey, leads the cast.
Below is a full list of cast members and the roles they play:
While the show has yet to be released, it will be available to watch on ITV1 and ITVX