Interviewing the mother and her sons killer.

Jacob Dunne was  the boy who killed James Hodgkinson with one punch. I interviewed Jacob on stage.(Photo 1). I wanted to hear his story from his perspective. I asked him to leave the stage and then I invited Joan Scourfield onto the stage, the mother of James Hodgkinson. (Photo 2). I wanted to hear the story from her perspective.

At some point in the interview Joan beckoned Jacob back to the stage and I interviewed them together, (photo 3), to hear their story of restorative justice. That was in 2017 at The Marlowe Studio at the start of my term as Canterbury writer in residence. It was all made possible because of Marina Cantacuzino, and The Forgiveness Project.

Tonight PUNCH based on the book written by Jacob in 2022 is a hit in The West End and I am going to see it. My friend Julie Hesmondhalgh is in it. Julie starred in my ‘ The Report at The Royal Court. ’ which took place within seven days of the Jacob and Joan interviews back in 2017.

first I interviewed Jacob Dunne on stage

Then I interviewed his mother Joan Scourfield

And then both of them told the story of the punch, the imprisonment and the redemptive power of restorative justice

A record of this event is taken from my old blog. That’s where these photographs are from.