Sheridan Smith‘s latest TV role in ITV’s I Fought The Law is an incredible, devastating, empowering story. It sees her play the mother of a murder victim who sets about changing the law when her murderer is not brought to justice. And it’s a real-life story.

William “Billy” Dunlop murdered Julie Hogg in 1989, but managed to evade justice for over two decades after that. In the series, he is played by Jack James Ryan, while Sheridan plays Julie’s mother Ann Ming.

The series consists of four episodes, and are also based on Ming’s 2008 book, For the Love of Julie, details Ming’s hard work to change the law in memory of her daughter.

Here’s what we know about I Fought The Law, including where the real killer, William “Billy” Dunlop is now.

Anastasia Arsentyeva

What is I Fought The Law about?

It’s an ITV series retelling the story of Ann Ming (played to perfection by Sheridan Smith), whose daughter Julie Hogg was brutally murdered in 1989. Julie vanished after finishing her shift at the local pizza shop where she worked. After an 80-day search, Julie’s body was discovered behind the bath panel in her own home.

The series shows Ann’s quest for justice when the man who murdered her daughter, William “Billy” Dunlop was acquitted of her murder after two trials, even after his fingerprints were found on her keys, because two juries were not able to reach a verdict and he was released.

Eventually, he confessed to Julie’s murder while imprisoned for another crime (assaulting his ex-girlfriend and her partner). He recounted to a prison officer – who was wearing a wire – how he concealed her body. but could not be tried again due to an old double jeopardy law and was imprisoned for six years for perjury alone.