My Murder

John Boyega, star of Attack The Block, leads the cast in My Murder, an innovative factual drama which tells the true story of Shakilus Townsend who's chance meeting with a young girl leads to murder, as he is engulfed by a web of lies.

16-year-old Shakilus was led to his death by 15-year-old Samantha Joseph who he thought of as his girlfriend, in a 2008 murder which became known as the honey trap killing.

Newcomer Simona Zivkovska plays Samantha with Malachi Kirby as her ex-boyfriend Danny McLean.

Written by Levi David Addai (Oxford St, Micah), directed by Bruce Goodison,  and produced by BBC Current Affairs, it is a raw portrait of young people’s hopes and fears as they struggle to grow up on Britain’s streets.

The film sees the lives of the three young people collide with terrible consequences. It charts how Samantha's lies lead Shakilus into the lethal world of her gang-leader boyfriend, Danny. This story is given added power and poignancy by the real-life testimony of Shakilus' mother, Nicola.

The programme is part of CRIMINAL BRITAIN - a stimulating and hard-hitting season of programmes where BBC Three looks at how crime affects the lives of young people today and brings to life the human stories behind the startling stats, from the perspectives of both the perpetrators and the victims.
My Murder will be shown on Monday 26th March on BBC Three at 9.00-10.00pm.