Warrington-born film-maker and author Helen Walsh's well-crafted The Violators is a particularly grim it's-grim-up-north drama of poverty, abuse, and neglect, packed with brave performances, gloomy locations, and disheartening turns of events.
---
"After testifying against her abusive father, young Shelly finds herself rehoused on a sink estate she can barely call home. A petty thief, she spends her days roaming the estate and docklands in search of opportunities. When she attracts the attention of estate loan shark and groomer Mikey Finnegan, Shelly finds herself thrust under the watchful gaze of a mysterious stranger, Rachel. As Shelly's relationship with Mikey develops, so does Rachel's fixation with Shelly. The shock-revelation that Shelly's father is to be given early parole forces her to make a decision that will alter the fates of all three of them forever." Bulldog Films