Factual error: There is absolutely no way that the police officers sent to arrest Mickey and his team would be armed. In the UK, a police officer would only carry a gun if they had clear evidence that their target was armed, and even then, the Armed Response Squad would be called in. Mickey and his team are white collar criminals with no history of violence and have never been known to carry or use weapons. They'd be arrested by unarmed police, just like almost everyone else.
Factual error: During this episode, Detective Sergeant Terri Hodges wears two blouses: one red and one beige. They show too much cleavage for a female police officer. If she showed up for duty dressed like that, she'd be sent home to change or out to a shop to buy a less revealing top.
The Henderson Challenge - S3-E2
Factual error: Mickey and Danny walk to their local shop to buy ice. We see that the shop is Robis, which is at 106 Brick Lane, in E1. They even show the street name sign just so we can be certain. Mickey and Danny deliver the ice to their flat, which is in the street directly opposite the shop - the camera shows them going into the building. However, a few shots later, the whole crew meet on the roof of the building to discuss The Henderson Challenge. We see that this building overlooks the north side of the river, close to Tower Bridge. We get a clear view of the Greater London Authority building which is on the opposite, south bank. They are suddenly several kilometers from Brick Lane, which is where their flat was just shown as being.
Factual error: In the flashback scene to Whittaker senior's trial at the Old Bailey (which takes place in the late 19th or early 20th century), the judge in the trial is wearing a long, full-bottomed wig. This is completely incorrect - since the late 18th century, full-bottomed wigs have only been worn by judges on ceremonial occasions, not in court. At trials, judges wear short wigs instead. (00:05:17)
The Hustlers News of the Day - S3-E5
Factual error: They plant Albert's hair on a brush used by the Queen Mother in order to have a DNA sample taken from it match that taken from a hair plucked out of his head by Francis Owen, their mark. The Queen Mother's (non-existent) son would not have the same DNA as her. It could be used to establish a biological relationship but it would not be identical - it could not be. First, Albert's DNA is identifiable as that of a male. The lab testing the sample supposed to be the Queen Mother's would see that immediately. Second, a son's DNA is not identical to either of his parents or his siblings (if any) - it is at least 50% different. Any lab worth their fee would realise in a second that the two samples were from the same person. Another problem - Owen plucks the hair from Albert's head and Stacie handles the hair from Albert she plants on the hairbrush with bare fingers, in both cases hopelessly contaminating the samples with their DNA. The tests really are that sensitive.
The Hustlers News of the Day - S3-E5
Factual error: The laboratory technician uses a bog standard light microscope to match the two DNA samples, one from Albert and one allegedly from the Queen Mother. That's absurd. DNA samples are compared using a procedure known as SDS-PAGE, otherwise known as gel electrophoresis. This produces the familiar chart we know as DNA "fingerprints" - bands of light and dark showing the composition of a DNA sample which has been broken up by enzymes. You cannot examine DNA with a light microscope - you couldn't even do it with a scanning electron microscope.
Factual error: The guys supposedly stole $5million. The largest US bill is $100. This means there would be 50,000 bills. $5million weighs 110lb. They would not have got that into a guitar case, far less Albert being able to carry it that easily.
Return of the Prodigal - S5-E1
Factual error: There is absolutely no way prison visitors would be allowed into the cell of the prisoner they are visiting - they would not even be allowed into any part of the prison except for the visiting room. This is nothing to do with the guards going easy on Albert - they would be sacked on the spot for such a blatant and highly visible breach of prison rules.
New Recruits - S5-E2
Factual error: The contract Stone and his team force Carlton Wood and Harry Fielding to sign guaranteeing Fowler's widow the royalties from his invention for life is signed under duress and is therefore invalid. It is hard to believe that none of Stone's team know this, but it is impossible to believe that Carlton Wood wouldn't.
New Recruits - S5-E2
Factual error: Knocking out fit, healthy adults by pumping an anaesthetic gas into a large, open room in which they are sitting is an incredibly stupid and dangerous thing to do. In order to do so, you'd have to know everything about them - age, weight, medical history, and so on. Killing them? Easy. Use cyanide gas. Knocking them out for a few hours? Impossible. Incidentally, why is it that the next morning when the grifters reveal their plan, nobody talks to the guards about what happened?
Factual error: As someone with a criminal record Mickey Bricks would not be allowed an "open" visit with Albert Stroller while he was in prison. Their visit would be "closed" - Stroller would be in a small booth, separated from Mickey by a Perspex screen.
Factual error: Emma gives their mark, Judge Anthony Stone, the name and address of Albert Stroller - Faverton Open Prison. Throughout the episode we see Stroller inside the prison, and we see what it looks like from outside when he is released. It is absolutely not an open prison, which would not have cell blocks and would not be enclosed in huge brick walls. The prison they show looks more like a medium or even high security inner city prison.
Factual error: Their mark, Judge Anthony Kent, presides over his courtroom using a gavel. British judges have never used gavels.
Factual error: Albert Stroller goes before the parole board, is approved, and released on the same day. That is impossible. The parole board will meet, interview the prisoner, then take depositions from other interested parties. If they approve parole, they will then pass their recommendation on to the Home Office who will approve or decline it. All this takes three or four days at least, so there is no way for Stroller to be out on the street to meet the bent judge right away.
Factual error: Ash tells the gang that corrupt politician Rhona Christie "took a marginal seat", which we know includes the youth club in Poplar, Greater London. In fact Poplar and Limehouse is an ultra safe Labour constituency. The sitting member has a majority of over 20,000. It has never been even close to marginal, and a meticulous researcher like Three Socks Morgan wouldn't make a mistake like that.
Factual error: Albert and Emma pose for phony wedding photographs in front of a green chromakey screen in order to have a new background created on computer. However, Emma is holding a garland of flowers surrounded by green foliage. You can't have anything green in the foreground when using green chromakey as it will drop out too and become part of the superimposed background.
Curiosity Caught the Kat - S8-E3
Factual error: (Spoiler alert) At the end of the episode DCI Wainwright arrests DI Fisk on a charge of "corruption." As a senior police officer she would know there is no such charge, and the word "corruption" is far too general a term to be used as a criminal charge anyway. Fisk would be charged with "Misconduct in public office contrary to section 1 (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977."
Suggested correction: There are a number of prisons in the UK that house both category C and D prisoners. This would mean it operates as an "open prison" to some prisoners, but still requires the security precautions of a higher security facility.
Rubbish. Stroller is under secure lockup - treated leniently by the guards perhaps but if the prison we see does have an 'open' section he most definitely is not in it.