Showtrial series 2 ending explained: Did Justin kill activist Marcus?

BBC trailer for Showtrial series 2

Gripping legal drama Showtrial is currently being broadcast on BBC One, with cocky police officer Justin Mitchell accused of murdering a climate change activist. The five-part series, which first hit screens in 2021, stars Sherwood's Akheel Aktar and comes from the creators of Line of Duty.

When the cocky officer Justin Mitchell, portrayed by Michael Socha, is arrested for the crime, nervous lawyer Sam takes on the case that's making headlines. But he's pitted against his long-standing legal rival, prosecutor Leila Hassoun-Kenny, played by Nathalie Armin.

Episodes are airing weekly on BBC One at 9pm on Sundays, with the full series available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

But what really happened in the series finale, and was Justin convicted of Marcus's murder? Here's what unfolded in the conclusion of Showtrial's second series.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead

Did Justin murder Marcus?

PCS Justin Mitchell is portrayed by This Is England star Michael Socha. (Image: BBC)

Justin killed Marcus when he mowed him down with his car. He confessed to Sam that hehated Marcus because his campaign group, Stop Climate Genocide, had previously obstructed the motorway on the same day as a serious crash.

He witnessed a pregnant woman lose her life and believed she was only on that road due to Marcus' actions. Justin also attributed his own mental health issues to the miscarriage his partner Sandra suffered.

Justin's neighbour Patrick Norris asked him to murder Marcus to help clear his gambling debts. Patrick hated Marcus because he caused him to be fined £1,000 over a tree preservation order breach.

Justin was also anxious about potential repercussions for himself and his partner should he fail to kill Marcus.

The police officer handed the bike and helmet to Patrick, while Sandra got the car fixed. Patrick's partner Elena mended the bike for it to be found elsewhere.

What happened to Justin and was he convicted?

Sam Malik defended Justin during the trial while struggling with issues at home (Image: (Image: BBC)) SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

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Sam sought to change Justin's charge to a lesser charge of manslaughter by way of diminished responsibility. His defence added the police knew Justin was mentally unwell, and failed to act after he missed multiple psychiatric appraisals.

As the jury was sent home for two weeks, Justin underwent multiple appraisals. Journalist Felix Owusu found that Elena Norris had purchased a new set of bike pedals which matched the one found in the lake.

The court heard this evidence, which swayed the jury's verdict to Justin being guilty of murder via 10-2 verdict. Justin was sentenced to a minimum term of 35 years in prison.

In a dark turn, Justin however told Sam he didn't intend to serve a single year of his sentence and may take his own life.

"A day, a week, a month tops. Justin Mitchell sets his own tariff."

window.topArticlesScript="https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/js/dist/article-top-articles20241008.min.js"Where did Patrick Norris go?

Patrick Norris asked Justin to kill Marcus to clear his gambling debt, as revealed in final episode of Showtrial series 2 (Image: BBC)

Following their implication in the case, Patrick and Elena Norris made a swift exit from the country before police officers could apprehend them. They escaped to Ecuador, aided by a notorious cocaine trafficker.

Despite Justin's refusal to incriminate him in Marcus's murder, DI Southgate still wants to pursue Patrick. Whether this storyline will be revisited in a potential third series remains uncertain.

What happened to Felix and other characters?

Felix, a journalist and blogger, was charged with contempt of court due to his persistent reporting on the trial and allegations. He is set to appear in court at a later date.

Helen disclosed to Leila that she was the source behind Felix's information.

Leila began mending her relationship with Tamara, after understanding that the grievance was not about refusing to house-sit, but instead about her repeated insistence they were half-sisters, not sisters.

She informed Sam that their mother's health had taken a turn for the better and she was planning to relocate to Canada for a teaching position.

The episode ended with Sam's son Mani coming to visit him, and the pair heading off together to have a beer and discuss things.

Showtrial series 2 ending explained: Did Justin kill activist Marcus?

Showtrial series 2 ending explained: Did Justin kill activist Marcus?

Showtrial series 2 ending explained: Did Justin kill activist Marcus?

Showtrial series 2 ending explained: Did Justin kill activist Marcus?

Showtrial series 2 ending explained: Did Justin kill activist Marcus?