Exploring and explaining news stories from across England.
Series 5: Sanctuary: An Act of Defiance Viraj Mendis from Sri Lanka begs for sanctuary in an Ascension church. The vicar, Father John Methuen, agrees to protect him defying Thatcher’s government.
Previously on In Detail...
Series 1. The Pub Bombings Exploring the impact of two Birmingham pub bombs in a 50 year evolving story.
Series 2. The Toxic Waste Scandal Explore the shocking events that ripped through a steelworks community in Corby.
Series 3: Felled: The Sycamore Gap Story Hairy Biker Si King investigates who felled the tree at Sycamore Gap in Northumberland.
Series 4: The Jesus Army Uncovering the rise and unravelling of one of the biggest religious cults in Britain.
If you want to be notified as soon as new episodes are available, make sure you've subscribed on BBC Sounds.
Exploring and explaining news stories from across England.
Series 5: Sanctuary: An Act of Defiance Viraj Mendis from Sri Lanka begs for sanctuary in an Ascension church. The vicar, Father John Methuen, agrees to protect him defying Thatcher’s government.
Previously on In Detail...
Series 1. The Pub Bombings Exploring the impact of two Birmingham pub bombs in a 50 year evolving story.
Series 2. The Toxic Waste Scandal Explore the shocking events that ripped through a steelworks community in Corby.
Series 3: Felled: The Sycamore Gap Story Hairy Biker Si King investigates who felled the tree at Sycamore Gap in Northumberland.
Series 4: The Jesus Army Uncovering the rise and unravelling of one of the biggest religious cults in Britain.
If you want to be notified as soon as new episodes are available, make sure you've subscribed on BBC Sounds.
In 1986, Sri Lankan Viraj Mendis faces imminent deportation and seeks the ancient rite of Sanctuary in the Ascension Church in Hulme, Greater Manchester, run by traditional vicar Father John Methuen.
Father John agrees to protect him despite Sanctuary no longer having legal validity. The decision kicks off a relationship and a gamble bigger than both of them. It begins a culture war which will also see the church go head to head with the State.
Father Azariah France-Williams, the current rector of the Ascension Church, goes on a journey of discovery about his predecessor and the man he sheltered from the authorities.
Presenter: Father Azariah France-Williams. Producer: Jen Dale. Sound design: Kasel Kundola. Online producer: Rachael Smith. Executive producer: Ciaran Tracey. Additional sound recording by Seb Rabas, Graham Kirk and Jan Seebeck. Original material recorded and licensed by Big City Nights. Executive editor: Andrew Bowman. Commissioning editor: Alistair Miskin.
Photograph of Viraj Mendis: Paul Mattsson. Audio from VMDC campaign video: Revolutionary Communist Group.
