Two Rivers Media has been commissioned by BBC Scotland to make a two-part series which will reveal the untold story of a vicious gang war that tore through the tough housing estates of Glasgow in the early Eighties.
The Ice Cream Wars (2 x 60 mins) will use archive, first-hand testimony and high-end dramatic reconstruction to tell the story of a gangland battle over the most unlikely of things – ice cream van routes. This battle would result in the murder of six members of the same, completely innocent, family, including an 18-month old baby, leading to an infamous miscarriage of justice and a crime that remains unsolved to this day.
Alan Clements, Managing Director, Two Rivers Media, says: “As is evident in much of our work, these films won’t only tell this astonishing story of the crime itself, but will reflect back the social and political realities of the time through the lens of what was, at the time, one of the most dangerous cities in Britain.
“Teaming up with BBC Scotland allows us to tell these stories that have yet to be told and then, via the iplayer, bring them to a wider BBC audience.”
David Harron, Commissioning Editor, BBC Scotland adds: “The Ice Cream Wars is a powerful 2-part series which, as well as telling the story of a brutal feud, also explores the nature of life in some of Scotland’s most deprived communities during that period. It also looks at how the construction of new estates on the edge of the city with no infrastructure created the conditions that made these routes so lucrative and the impact of the case on the justice system with the 2 men convicted of the murders eventually walking free after 20 years.”
The Ice Cream Wars was commissioned by David Harron at BBC Scotland for BBC One Scotland and iPlayer. It is Executive Produced by Mick McAvoy for Two Rivers Media and Series Produced and Directed by Robert Neill. All3Media International will distribute the programme.
Jon Creamer
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