Danny and Spencer were born on different sides of the track Danny, an East End Cockney, leaves Comprehensive School to take up a job at a local garage He falls in love with Beth, the boss' daughter, and asks her to marry him After leaving university Spencer becomes a criminal barrister and is soon tipped to be the youngest Queen's Counsel of his generation Danny and Beth travel up to the West End to celebrate their engagement They end the evening in a wine bar where Spencer Craig is also celebrating - his 30th birthday, along with a select group of university chums An hour later, one of them is arrested for murder, while the other ends up as the Prosecution's chief witness in an Old Bailey trial