After twelve years in prison for armed robbery sixty-one year old Jimmy Rose returns home to a mixed reception. Whilst daughter Julie and grandson Elliot are pleased to see him his wife Jackie, weary of being a prison widow, is distant and sister-in-law Sue wants to keep her husband Roy away from Jimmy. Most hostile of all is estranged son Joe, who blames Jimmy's absence for grand-daughter Ellie's leaving home and becoming a drug addict. Accepting a dull job in a DIY store as part of his parole licence Jimmy jeopardises it by tracking down Ellie, who is under the influence of boyfriend Aaron. Jimmy destroys Aaron's heroin supply but his attempt to confront the drug dealers operating from a Pizza This takeaway leads to his being beaten up and dumped in the street.

Discharged from hospital Jimmy discovers that Pizza This owner Guzman is in collusion with Tony Chivers, a gangster and old enemy of Jimmy's who warns him to stay away from Guzman. Whilst Jimmy is keeping a vigil at Ellie's flat Jackie's car is blown up and policeman Steve McIntyre investigates. However Jimmy is to learn that Steve was Jackie's lover when he was in prison and he walks out on her - much to the delight of Sue. Jimmy persuades Joe to take in Ellie but she disappears and when Jimmy catches up with her she is with the severely beaten Aaron. As a result of Jimmy trashing their heroin the youngsters owe Guzman £20,000 and Joe is not convinced when his father tells him about the outwardly respectable Guzman's criminal secret. After telling Jackie to start divorce proceedings so that she can marry Steve Jimmy goes to see Chivers, declaring that he will work for him to pay off the drugs debt.

In exchange for the youngsters' drug debt being written off Jimmy agrees to an assignment for Chivers though he refuses to carry a gun. The family is more cordial towards him after he has saved Roy, who has had a heart attack, but a concerned Jackie persuades Steve to ask Jimmy to be an informant on the drug dealers. Jimmy is not easily convinced but he does speak with Steve. That night he joins Chivers for the crucial deal - robbing a rival gang, which goes according to plan. However Jimmy has to prove whether he will cooperate with Steve and Jackie also has a decision to make regarding her future.