The Trial on Channel 5 was a seriously thought-provoking piece of drama about futuristic Britain.

It showed a terrifying dystopian society where, in just a decade's time, parents could be held responsible for their children’s crimes thanks to a change in law.

And if you think you’d be able to wiggle out of a long stretch in the slammer, think again.

In Dione and David Sinclair’s case in The Trial, the new AI world meant every single word written and uttered for more than a decade had been kept on ‘cyber file’.

It made Alexa listening to your mundane moans about an overflowing laundry basket seem very tame.

With the press of a button, the couple’s personal voice notes dating back years were played on loudspeaker in the court room.

CVs from 18 years ago flashed up on a big screen and even their daughter’s primary school ‘IQ tests’ *shudder at the idea of this becoming a thing* appeared in a millisecond.

Dione and David - played by Claire Skinner and Ben Miles - ended up being charged with “gross psychological, emotional and empathetic neglect of a minor”.

In short, their parenting was blamed for Teah attempting to kill her dad’s mistress and unborn child.

But what struck fear into me most was some of the ‘evidence’ being used against Dione in particular.

As a mum of two kids, I am definitely guilty of some of her so-called misdemeanours.

In a historic voice note recorded when she was pregnant, Dione moaned: “Off to NCT (National Childbirth Trust) class. Kill me now.”

I can hand on heart say, I hear you, Dione.

Most people I know use antenatal classes to make mum friends; albeit very expensive ones, given the hefty £200 price tag.

Unfortunately, the people I found myself sat among on birthing balls were NOT my people.

“I just can’t bear all that reality trash like Keeping Up With The Kardashians,” one pregnant woman had said, rolling her eyes during a moment of chit chat.

I worked for a celebrity magazine at the time.

“What do you do for a living?” she asked.

“I write about Kim Kardashian actually,” I told her.

Ten years on and I’m still bitter about the money I wasted.

In another voice note in The Trial, Dione mused: “F***ing ‘baby on board’ badges, why? Might have one made up saying ‘energy sucking vampire on board’.”

I hold my hands up, your honour.

In 2018, when pregnant with my second child, I definitely compared him to an energy sucking vampire.

It was a boiling hot summer, I had a three-year-old running me ragged and work to juggle.

I complained to my long-suffering husband multiple times: “I feel like the life is being sucked out of me!”

But does this mean I don’t love, care and do the best for my children? Absolutely not.

'Damn right scary'

It quickly became clear that Teah (played by India Fowler) was an environmental activist.

As a result, the Sinclairs were blamed for letting their daughter watch the news about a "Bangladesh flood disaster” when she was five.

It is impossible to protect kids from current affairs today - especially the climate crisis.

My six-year-old son has already lectured me about palm oil after reading There’s a Ran Tang in My Bedroom at school.

In fact, he’s even banned me from ever buying chocolate spread again which, for a child of his age, is seismic.

But does all this mean I have committed “gross psychological, emotional and empathetic neglect of a minor”. Not guilty!

I certainly wouldn’t expect it to be dragged up if, God forbid, one of my kids ever went rogue.

Unless The Trial is given a sequel, which seems unlikely, we will never know whether Dione and David Sinclair were convicted and punished for their ‘part’ in Teah’s crime.

But if they were, it would be a massive miscarriage of justice.

Currently in UK law, parents can be held responsible if their child, aged under 10, has committed an offence.

Mums and dads can be asked to sign up to a parenting programme with the local youth offending team or sign a Parenting Contact.

Those who refuse to cooperate can be handed a Parenting Order by the courts, listing the things their child must or must not do for 12 months.

They are certainly not banged up for life.

Although it made for an interesting watch, the whole idea is preposterous. And actually, damn right scary.

The Trial is available to stream on Channel 5.