FIGHTING for justice

Keeley Hawes stars in the shocking true story of a young woman’s brutal ‘honour killing’

- STEVEN PERKINS

When Rahmat Suleimani reported the disappearance of his girlfriend, 20-year-old Banaz Mahmod, in January 2006, the initial response of police in south London was less than impressive. Mahmod’s parents portrayed themselves as an easy-going family, and told investigating officers that she often stayed out late and they weren’t unduly concerned with her whereabouts.

Suleimani, however, wouldn’t give up and eventually the case was passed to DCI Caroline Goode, who was shocked to discover that Banaz had left a list at a local police station of people she believed were planning to kill her and her boyfriend for shaming her family.

Now, two-part ITV drama Honour follows DCI Goode’s investigation as she begins to suspect Banaz’s family of murdering her in a so-called ‘honour killing’ after she left her arranged marriage and fell in love with another man.

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

‘Banaz’s case is very moving,’ says screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes. ‘She wasn’t any kind of doormat – she was a shy girl, but she had the courage to attempt to tell police officers about what was happening to her five times, and five times the police failed her.’

As Goode – played by Keeley Hawes in the drama – realises the extent of the police’s inability to protect Banaz, she becomes determined to do everything she can to uncover her fate, and if she is dead, to find her killers and bring them to justice.