Episode 5 of "Criminal Record" kicks off with Lenker and Leo hosting a dinner guest, a psychiatrist of some note. The conversation soon veers towards the intriguing psychiatry that might have influenced Errol's confession and subsequent wrongful conviction. Errol, after witnessing the grisly sight of Adelaide's lifeless body following a car crash, had a complete memory blackout. Despite this, he confessed to the murder, leaving Lenker puzzled as to how and why this could have happened.
The guest psychiatrist offers insight, explaining that our memories can often play tricks on us in moments of trauma. Meanwhile, Lenker delves deeper into the rise in cases against police officers. She makes a visit to Clive Silcox, who was arrested for the murder of a woman who had called a helpline. Lenker suspects a connection between Clive and the victim's death, but Hegarty thwarts her attempts to glean any information from him.
During her interrogation, Lenker probes Clive about his involvement in a Combat League, seeking clues about Hegarty, Cardwell, or Gilfoyle's potential participation. Clive draws a blank on Hegarty and Cardwell's involvement but recalls Gilfoyle being a well-known figure. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Lenker heads to Gilfoyle's house and confronts him about his alleged membership in the neo-Nazi group called Bloodline.
Gilfoyle, enraged, labels Lenker a bully and threatens to retaliate by calling Chambers. He promptly phones Cardwell, demanding that Lenker be silenced. Cardwell, in turn, informs Hegarty that Lenker remains doggedly investigating the Errol Mathis case. Elsewhere, Hegarty hires a man named Stefan to oversee a flat for him, sparking further intrigue.
Sonya, meanwhile, suspects Hegarty of dealing drugs based on photos she obtains of him at a cash point near a shop purportedly selling carpets and rugs but actually a front for drug dealers. Hegarty's meeting with Miras Mansur, a wholesale heroin dealer at this shop, adds fuel to the fire. Sonya wonders if Hegarty is being blackmailed or if he has a clandestine side hustle in the drug trade, making this episode of "Criminal Record" even more thrilling and intriguing.
Two uniformed white police officers, their expressions stern, decide to intercept three black schoolchildren, among whom stands Lenker's beloved son, Jacob. Without warning, one of the officers retrieves a tiny bag containing heroin and accusations fly, claiming that Jacob had concealed it in his backpack. Swiftly, the officers proceed with charging Jacob for possession of illegal drugs with the intention to distribute.
In a panic, Jacob frantically tries to reach his mother, Lenker, but the calls go unanswered. Desperate, he turns to his grandmother, Maureen, pleading for her assistance. She rushes out, but the chaos and confusion soon cloud her direction, leaving her overwhelmed and lost.
Meanwhile, Leo, unable to contact Jacob on his phone due to missing his football match, calls Lenker in alarm, seeking answers. Lenker, equally bewildered, learns of her son's arrest through his father, and they both hurriedly rush to the police station. Lenker confronts the female officer in charge, demanding explanations for this shocking turn of events. She suspects that Hegarty, a shadowy figure from their past, might be pulling the strings behind the arrest.
Back at their home, Leo remains skeptical about Hegarty's involvement in Jacob's arrest, sparking a heated argument between him and Lenker. She feels abandoned and unsupported, her emotions raw and fragile. Determined to seek justice, Lenker heads to the place where Hegarty is rumored to frequent, intent on arresting Miras Mansur.
She makes the arrest, noting Mansur's frantic attempts to contact someone. Suspecting it to be Hegarty, she orders him to arrange a meeting between them at St. Leonards docks. There, she confronts Hegarty with questions about Mansur's crimes, but he brushes her aside, demanding her to let him go. Lenker, however, isn't backing down. She reveals the arrest of her son, a revelation that seems to genuinely surprise Hegarty. The tension mounts as the two stand face to face, each determined to get to the bottom of this mysterious and potentially dangerous situation.
He boldly maintains that Gilfoyle is innocent of neo-Nazi ties, alleging instead that he was operating undercover. He extends an olive branch, offering to expunge any trace of Jacob from the system, and instructs her to let Mansur walk free. With resolve, Hegarty marches to Cardwell's abode, confronting him about his meddling in Jacob's arrest. Cardwell feebly defends himself, claiming his intentions were merely to alert Lenker. However, Hegarty is enraged, finding himself unable to exact the revenge he had plotted against Lenker. As punishment, he lashes out, damaging Cardwell's car before retreating to his own home.
Meanwhile, Errol's son, Patrick, strides confidently into an apartment, paid for by Hegarty, a silent testament to their machinations. The episode draws to a close with June and Sonya seeking out Doris, determined to get her to hear the incriminating call from Carla, which suggests that Errol's arrest was a grave mistake.
