Actor John Hannah says social media makes justice a ‘minefield’

Actor John Hannah has said social media has made British justice a “minefield”.

The Scottish star has been cast in new BBC crime drama The Victim, alongside Kelly MacDonald and James Harkness.

Hannah plays a police officer investigating an attack on a man caught up in a campaign for justice.

The actor has said that the lines of guilt and innocence are often blurred, and social media can make due process even more complicated.

Speaking ahead of the four-part drama being aired on BBC One, Hannah said: “Anyone who reads the newspaper is aware of what’s been going on and the way social media comes into the justice process, it seems to be about the process of justice.

“There’s more than one victim to any crime in some ways and individuals become lost.

“We’re not supposed to empathise with people or think people ‘look innocent’ it’s a bit of a minefield and it feels right to make my contribution and then allow the audience to make what they will of it.”

Hannah has said that social media can have negative effects, but he will occasionally check to gauge opinion on his work through online platforms, even if he refuses to read reviews.

He said: “Social media, it’s like people in the pub or something who come up and want your picture, they genuinely do it because they think you’re alright rather than they think you’re crap.”

The four-part legal thriller stars MacDonald as Anna Dean, whose nine-year-old son was murdered 15 years ago.

Craig Myers, played by Harkness, is the victim of an attack after he is accused of killing the child, but says he is innocent.

The show explores the mystery of whether he is the victim of mistaken identity or the dangerous killer that MacDonald’s character believes he is.

The Victim will air on April 8-11 at 9pm on BBC One.