Episode 7 of Criminal Record opens with Hegarty vividly recalling the turbulent events that unfolded in 2011, centered around the arrest of Errol Mathis for the tragic murder of Adelaide. The episode plunges the viewer into a gripping flashback, painting the scene from Hegarty's perspective as he confides in June Lenker, piecing together his version of the story.
Hegarty narrates the chaotic riots that gripped the city in 2011, with shops being ransacked and destroyed. It is during these tumultuous times that Errol emerges as one of the looters, his actions soon overshadowed by the far more serious accusation of murder.
Meanwhile, Hegarty is struggling to return to his routine after the devastating loss of his wife. His heart heavy with grief, he finds solace in caring for his daughter Lisa, even gifting her a dog to provide her with a focus and companion. Despite his personal travails, Hegarty remains resolute in his duties, both at work and in the investigation of the Errol Mathis case.
Claudia Mayhew urges Hegarty to solve the murder case quickly, citing the escalating riots as a reason for urgency. Caldwell and Gilfoyle are convinced that Errol is guilty, but Hegarty remains skeptical, considering alternate scenarios as he grapples with the discovery of Errol's blood on Adelaide's lifeless body.
Caldwell mentions a violent altercation involving Errol's father, but it transpires that he had chosen not to press charges against his own son. Hegarty learns that Errol and Adelaide had shared a five-year relationship, though they were unmarried, and had a young son named Patrick. This revelation adds a poignant layer to the already complex and tragic tale.
Caldwell and Gilfoyle had reached the conclusion that Errol was the perpetrator, yet Errol vehemently denied the accusations. He claimed that from the moment he entered the apartment to the time he awoke in the hospital after the car crash, his memory was a blank. The only thing Errol could recall was being at the barbershop, searching for work. Hegarty, determined to establish Errol's innocence, asked Caldwell to confirm his alibi.
During a chance encounter in the hospital, Hegarty stumbled upon Patrick and uncovered crucial details about the period preceding Adelaide's demise. Later, he bumped into Doris, who was furious about the police's handling of Errol's case.
At the police station, Hegarty attempted to trip up Errol and coax him into admitting to the crime, but Errol steadfastly denied any wrongdoing. Hegarty, frustrated by the lack of solid evidence against Errol, decided to approach Reggie, Errol's father, in hopes of gathering more information about his son.
During their meeting, Hegarty discovered that Errol had previously attempted to stab Reggie with a knife due to a dispute over money. This revelation made Hegarty suspect that Errol was a violent individual capable of committing murder.
Later, Hegarty devised a ploy to take Errol back to the apartment he shared with Adelaide, claiming that it might help him regain his memory. As they wandered through the familiar surroundings, Errol scanned the room, but no memories came to the surface.
In a moment of desperation, Hegarty resorted to unethical means. He ensured that Errol's lawyer was sent away and pressed him harder to confess. The situation had escalated to a critical juncture, and Hegarty was willing to do whatever it took to solve the case.
In an effort to unsettle Errol, Hegarty probes into his relationship with Patrick, leaving the latter with no choice but to admit his deceit about staying away from the riots. Hegarty relentlessly piles on the guilt, only to be abruptly interrupted by a harrowing text from Lisa, cursing that it should have been Hegarty, not her mother, who perished. Then, Hegarty produces the recording where Patrick reveals an alarming incident where Errol harbored murderous intentions towards Adelaide. This revelation forces Errol to confess to the stabbing of Adelaide with a knife, leaving the air heavy with the weight of his confession.
As the episode draws to a close, we flash back to the present timeline, where Caldwell storms into the room where Hegarty and Lenker are engaged in a tense conversation. His anger is palpable as he reveals that the call recording, in which a woman falsely accused someone else of Adelaide's murder, has been leaked to the public. This revelation threatens to expose Caldwell and Hegarty's role in Errol's wrongful conviction. Caldwell accuses Lenker of the leak, but she vehemently denies any involvement. It turns out that the culprit is Sonya, who has silently and treacherously released the recording into the wild.
