Michelle Fairley to star in BBC Two factual drama Responsible Child

Michelle Fairley leads the cast of new BBC Two drama \'Responsible Child\'.

The 56-year-old actress will appear in the new factual drama alongside Tom Burke and Stephen Campbell Moore, about England\'s minimum age of criminal responsibility.

\'Responsible Child\' will follow the story of 12-year-old Ray - played by Billy Barratt - who is put on trial for murder after he and his 23-year-old brother Nathan are arrested after stabbing their mother\'s partner.

Written by Skins\' Sean Buckley, the story will unfold in two time frames, showing the events that led up to the murder and the unfolding drama of the trial.

BAFTA award-winning documentary maker Nick Holt - who directs the BBC Two show - said: "Whilst making \'The Murder Trial\' I discovered that in England we put children as young as 10 on trial for murder.

"It\'s an extraordinary and little-known aspect of our justice system. Ten is one of the lowest ages in the world and breaches our obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This is a story I\'ve wanted to tell for a long time, since I attended the trial on which our film is based, and I\'m delighted to be working with Kudos and the BBC."

Controller of BBC Drama, Piers Wenger admitted: "\'Responsible Child\' raises one of the most complex and challenging questions of our time. Nick and Sean\'s extraordinary film explores the age of criminal responsibility in England and takes us to the heart of the legal question: In the most severe of cases, should a child be tried as an adult or child?

"We are hugely indebted to them for the sensitive, nuanced and empathetic approach to telling this harrowing true story on BBC Two."

Karen Wilson, managing director and executive producer for Kudos, added: "With \'Responsible Child\', we try to explore the multiple shades of grey involved in such complicated cases of criminal responsibility, where the law is seemingly so black and white.

"We are delighted to bring Sean\'s incredible scripts to life, with the brilliantly talented Nick Holt, on his scripted directorial debut, and that we have such a fabulous cast to help us tell the story of Ray and his family."