A Tonight Special: Meeting My Enemy

Shot over two years, A Tonight Special: Meeting My Enemy, explores what happens when offenders are forced to confront what they have done in communication with victims or their families.

Restorative Justice is not suitable for everyone or every set of circumstances but it provides victims the opportunity to engage with offenders in a safe and calm environment. It does not always mean meeting the offender face to face – sometimes it’s a process which takes place over months, sometimes years - and can involve letters or messages being exchanged.

In July 2013 Martha Fernbeck had just finished her GSCE’s and it was the Saturday before the summer holidays. She had gone kayaking as usual in the morning then met her friends. She swallowed half a gram of MDMA powder – and was dead within a couple of hours. The powder was 91% pure and she had taken enough for 5-10 people. Her mother Anne-Marie Cockburn started on the journey of engaging with the lad who had sold the powder to a friend of Martha’s.

In this short film exclusive to ITV News online, Martha’s mother shares her experience.

The Tonight programme explores 2 other remarkable cases in Meeting My Enemy, on ITV this evening at 7.30pm.

For more information on Restorative Justice:

The Restorative Justice Council - The RJC can point you to Restorative Services in your area.

Remedi - A registered charity which has been operational since 1996. They provide a range of Restorative Services within both the youth and adult Criminal Justice System, in schools, in the community and within families.

Restorative Solutions - Established in 2004, Restorative Solutions is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC). They work nationally and locally across England and Wales with organisations to make restorative approaches accessible to everybody. A key aspect of this is improving the awareness and understanding of Restorative Justice to victims and offenders.

If you have been a victim of crime - Victim Support