Judge, Jury & Executioner

Happily chopping up a lamb’s carcass in his shop, butcher Malcolm Judge is surprised when a regular customer, Daphne Durie, appears suddenly and asks an unusual question about rat poison. The subject quickly changes to her displeasure at her errant husband’s frequent nights out, which she is sure is partly related to the new barmaid at the British Legion taking an interest in him. Malcolm reveals that his wife has put him on a reduced-meat diet with a view to go full-on Vegan. Mrs Durie is horrified at how her favourite butcher is being treated, perhaps a little too horrified. She invites Malcolm to her house to cook him a full roast dinner after choosing her meat – a large leg of lamb that hangs on a hook above the counter. Surprised at the size of the piece of meat, Malcolm enquires if she needs such a big joint. Cryptically, the customer confirms that none of it will go to waste. Before she leaves the premises with her purchase, Mrs Durie asks if Malcolm remembers an old television series titled Alfred Hitchcock Presents and, in particular, an episode called ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’. Although he admits to liking the show, Malcolm doesn’t remember that episode. As soon as Mrs Durie exits the premises, Malcolm searches for the episode on his mobile phone. He is stunned to learn the premise – that of a woman who murders her husband, killing him with a frozen leg of lamb, which is disposed of when eating it as a meal in the woman’s house.