Is Responsible Child on Netflix based on a true story?

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Recent TV dramas are finding new audiences on Netflix, and ‘Responsible Child’ is the newest example, quickly climbing the platform’s popularity charts.

This TV movie, originally shown on BBC Two in December 2019, features Billy Barratt – known for his role in ‘Bring Her Back’ – as a 12-year-old boy who is on trial for a murder.

The show also features strong performances from Michelle Fairley (known for Game of Thrones), Tom Burke (from Strike), Stephen Campbell Moore (The Gold), Owen McDonnell (True Detective), Shaun Dingwall (Doctor Who), Debbie Honeywood (Vera), Angela Wynter (EastEnders), and James Tarpey (Grace).

With growing interest in the film, many viewers are curious about the origins of its unsettling and thought-provoking narrative, and if it’s rooted in real events.

Read on for everything you need to know about the inspiration for Responsible Child on Netflix.

Is Responsible Child based on a true story?

While ‘Responsible Child’ isn’t based on a true story, it seems to have drawn significant inspiration from the 2014 case involving Jerome and Joshua Ellis.

In 2014, brothers Jerome, age 14, and Joshua, age 23, fatally stabbed their stepfather, Neil Tulley, at their home. Tulley was discovered with more than 60 stab wounds.

Jerome and Joshua reported that Tulley was abusive and had threatened Joshua’s life, especially difficult given Joshua’s struggles with depression. They also said Tulley once attacked Joshua with an axe. People who lived nearby and family members confirmed the family was constantly afraid of Tulley’s angry outbursts.

Jerome received a six-year prison sentence for manslaughter after the court determined he acted under a loss of control. In contrast, Joshua was convicted of murder and will serve a life sentence, with a requirement of at least 14 years in prison.

Jerome is now out of prison and living privately, but Joshua remains incarcerated and won’t be able to apply for parole until at least 2028.

Nick Holt, a documentary filmmaker, directed the film. He had previously researched his project, The Murder Trial, at Glasgow High Court, giving him unique insight into the legal process.

In 2019, while discussing the film ‘Responsible Child’, he recounted an experience he had in court. He saw a very young child brought in and asked a lawyer if the child was there to testify. The lawyer responded that the child was actually the defendant, which he found shocking. This incident prompted him to consider at what age it’s appropriate to try children in court.

The movie takes some creative liberties with the true story. Though Ray’s family life is based on Jerome’s experiences, the film focuses on a 12-year-old named Ray, while the real story centered on a 14-year-old named Jerome.

Actually, Ray’s brother is named Nathan, not Joshua, and their stepfather goes by Scott, not Neil.

Holt explained that while the movie is grounded in reality, the character of Ray was developed by him and Sean Buckley, the screenwriter.

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2025-11-19 21:05