John Hannah says social media has made British 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. 0 John Hannah: “It feels right to make my contribution”

“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,” he said. “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 admitted he will occasionally check to gauge opinion on his work, saying: “Social media, it’s like people in the pub or something who come up and want your picture.”

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