British Murders with Stuart Blues
Stuart Blues 384 episodes Nov 12, 2026
British Murders is a UK true crime podcast that explores both headline-making investigations and lesser-known cases. Hosted by Yorkshireman Stuart Blues, the show covers listener-suggested cases from across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Each episode examines what happened, how the case unfolded, and the wider social, cultural, and historical context surrounding the crime. The podcast focuses on the human cost of murder and the lasting impact on families and communities, with care, balance, and empathy.
Episodes
Who Killed Carol Morgan? The Murder That Took 43 Years to Partially Solve | Ep. 286
On August 13th, 1981, 36-year-old Carol Morgan was murdered in the storeroom of the family-run shop she owned with her husband, Allen, in Linslade, Bedfordshire. A devoted mum of two, Carol had been trying to save her marriage despite discovering her husband's affair, but that evening, while her children were out at the cinema with their stepdad, Carol was brutally attacked and left for dead.
50 Years Missing: What Happened to Renee and Andrew MacRae? | From the Archives
On November 12, 1976, 36-year-old Renee MacRae and her three-year-old son Andrew disappeared in the Scottish Highlands. Renee had been travelling along the A9 near Inverness when both she and her young son vanished without trace. Their car was later found abandoned, but there was no sign of either Renee or Andrew. What followed was one of the most extensive and enduring murder investigations in Sc
Thirty Years Without Answers: The Unsolved Murder of Melanie Hall | Ep. 285
In June 1996, 25-year-old Melanie Hall disappeared after a night out in Bath, Somerset. She had spent the evening with friends during the opening weekend of Euro '96, but in the early hours of Sunday, June 9, she vanished without a trace. There was no confirmed explanation for where she had gone, and despite an extensive police investigation, Melanie's whereabouts remained a mystery for mo
October Cases Worth Talking About | True Crime Catch Up
In this October edition of True Crime Catch Up, Stuart Blues and Adam Lloyd return to discuss some of the stories that have caught their attention, from tragic deaths and shocking acts of violence to cases that raise difficult questions about justice, responsibility and human behaviour.Stuart looks at the fatal tiger attack at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, the disturbing murder of vulnerable man Michae
Missing Without a Trace: The Murder of Arlene Fraser | Ep. 284
In April 1998, 33-year-old Arlene Fraser disappeared from her home in Elgin, Scotland. A mum of two who was trying to rebuild her life after a troubled marriage, Arlene had been looking towards a new beginning. But she vanished without a trace, leaving her family desperate for answers. What followed was a complex murder investigation that would span years and leave one crucial question unanswered:
Solved After 58 Years: The Murder of Louisa Dunne | Ep. 283
In June 1967, 75-year-old Louisa Dunne was found murdered in her home in Easton, Bristol. The widowed grandmother had spent the previous evening with a friend and appeared to be in good spirits, but sometime during the night, someone had entered her home and subjected her to a horrific attack. Despite an extensive police investigation, Louisa’s killer remained unidentified, and her murder became o
A Betrayal of Police Trust: The Murder of Sarah Everard | Ep. 282
In March 2021, 33-year-old Sarah Everard disappeared while walking home from a friend’s house in south London. Her disappearance sparked a desperate search by her family and friends, as detectives worked to establish what had happened during the short journey she should have been able to make safely. But as the investigation unfolded, it uncovered a deeply disturbing case that would shock the coun
Three Men Murdered in Exeter: The Alexander Lewis-Ranwell Case | Ep. 281
In February 2019, three men were murdered in their homes in Exeter, Devon, in a series of attacks that appeared to have no obvious motive. Eighty-year-old Anthony Payne and 84-year-old twin brothers Dick and Roger Carter had lived ordinary lives, with no known connection to one another. So why had these three men been targeted, and what linked their deaths?As detectives investigated the Exeter mur
20 Years Later: The Murder of Tilly Campbell | From the Archives
In October 2006, 77-year-old widow Tilly Campbell was found dead in her home in Donaghadee, County Down, Northern Ireland. The fire brigade had been called to her property, but it soon became clear that Tilly’s death was not the result of a fire. She had been murdered, and what initially appeared to be a tragic accident would soon become a murder investigation, with her next-door neighbour emergin
Three Girls Killed on Cannock Chase: The Murders of Margaret Reynolds, Diane Tift and Christine Darby | Ep. 280
In September 1965, six-year-old Margaret Reynolds disappeared while walking to school in Birmingham. Just a few months later, five-year-old Diane Tift vanished while making the short journey home from her grandma’s house in Walsall. Both disappearances sparked major searches, but neither girl was found until their bodies were discovered together on Cannock Chase in Staffordshire.The discovery tran
What 40 Years of Investigating Murder Teaches You: An Interview with True Crime Writer Tom Wood
What does nearly 40 years of investigating serious crime teach you about murder? Tom Wood has spent almost four decades on the inside of Scottish policing, working as a detective on some of the country's most notorious cases before eventually becoming a senior-ranking police officer. Now a bestselling true crime writer, Tom joins me on British Murders to talk about the investigations, people a
The Cases We Can’t Stop Thinking About | True Crime Catch Up
Some true crime cases stay with you long after you've finished researching them. Maybe it's the unanswered questions, the sheer brutality of what happened, the mistakes made during an investigation, or simply the feeling that there’s something about the case you just can't shake.In this returning episode of True Crime Catch Up, Stuart Blues of British Murders and Adam Lloyd of UK True
Wrong Place, Wrong Time: The Murders of James Attfield and Nahid Almanea | Ep. 279
In March 2014, 33-year-old James Attfield was found brutally murdered in Castle Park in Colchester, Essex. Just a few months later, 31-year-old Saudi Arabian student Nahid Almanea was attacked and killed while walking along a secluded footpath on her way to the University of Essex. The two murders appeared to have little in common, but detectives soon began asking whether they could have be commit
The Police Sergeant's Wife: The Murder of Madallin Jones | Ep. 278
In January 1993, 37-year-old Madallin Jones was found dead beside a stream near Hawarden, North Wales, after what initially appeared to be a terrible road accident. But as detectives examined the scene and began looking more closely at the circumstances surrounding her death, they quickly realised that something wasn't quite right.Madallin's husband, Steven Jones, was a serving police serg
A Fatal Betrayal: The Murder of Natalie Jarvis | Ep. 277
In the summer of 2012, 23-year-old Natalie Jarvis was enjoying life in Swanley, Kent. Outgoing, funny and hugely sociable, Natalie had a close family, a large circle of friends and a job she loved, but behind the scenes, she had become involved with a young man she had known for several years, and what Natalie believed was a relationship would eventually take a far darker turn.In the weeks that fo
A Teenage Double Murderer: The Killing of Rosalyn Hunt and Desmond Thorpe | Ep. 276
In the summer of 2009, 15-year-old Lorraine Thorpe was living a life far removed from the childhood most people would recognise. Growing up around alcohol, drugs, homelessness and violence in Ipswich, Suffolk, Thorpe had become deeply involved with a group of vulnerable adults, including her dad, Desmond, man whose health had deteriorated to the point where his teenage daughter had taken on the ro
The Family Who Disappeared: The Chohan Family Murders | Ep. 275
In February 2003, Amarjit Chohan and his family appeared to vanish without a trace. Amarjit was a successful businessman living in west London with his wife Nancy, their two young sons, Devinder and Ravinder, and Nancy’s mum, Charanjit Kaur, but when the entire family disappeared, leaving behind almost everything they would have needed for a life abroad, serious questions quickly began to emerge a
Killed by the People He Trusted: The Murder of Adam Vincent | Ep. 274
In early 2011, 33-year-old Adam Vincent was living in the shadow of a heroin addiction in Grimsby, Lincolnshire. Vulnerable, in poor health and increasingly dependent on the people around him, Adam became involved with a group running a local drug operation, but when the people around him became convinced that Adam had stolen from them or betrayed their trust, he found himself facing something far
Mary Bell: The 11-Year-Old Killer of Martin Brown and Brian Howe | Ep. 273
In the summer of 1968, two little boys died within weeks of each other in the Scotswood area of Newcastle upon Tyne. Four-year-old Martin Brown was found dead inside a derelict house, while three-year-old Brian Howe disappeared from the streets where he lived before his body was discovered on a patch of wasteland known locally as the "Tin Lizzie". At first, the two deaths appeared to be separate t
The Llandrindod Wells Murders of Fiona Ovis and William Crompton | Ep. 272
In the early hours of May 2, 1996, police were called to a bungalow in Llandrindod Wells, Mid Wales, where they discovered the bodies of 28-year-old Fiona Ovis and 18-year-old William Crompton. Both had been brutally stabbed in what detectives described as a frenzied knife attack, leaving behind a shocking crime scene that would quickly become the focus of a murder investigation.As detectives bega
A 38-Year Miscarriage of Justice: The Murder of Diane Sindall | Ep. 271
On the night of August 1, 1986, 21-year-old Diane Sindall was making her way home across Birkenhead after finishing a shift at the Wellington Hotel. When her van ran out of petrol, Diane continued on foot along Borough Road. She was seen walking with a man shortly before she disappeared, and within hours, her body was discovered nearby. What followed was one of the most horrific murder investigati
They Arrested the Wrong Man: The Murders of Rachel Nickell, Samantha Bisset and Her Daughter Jazmine | Ep. 270
On the morning of July 15, 1992, 23-year-old Rachel Nickell drove to Wimbledon Common with her two-year-old son Alex and their rescue dog Molly. It was an ordinary summer morning, and Wimbledon Common was a familiar place where Rachel could walk the dog, spend time with her little boy and enjoy the outdoors. But somewhere among the secluded paths, a man was watching. Within minutes, Rachel had bee
The Irvine Triple Fire Murders: Three Young Lives Stolen | Ep. 269
In the early hours of March 24, 2001, six people were asleep inside an upstairs flat in the Ayrshire town of Irvine when a fire suddenly tore through the building. Within minutes, their only escape route had been engulfed in flames, leaving those trapped inside with impossible decisions to make. By the time firefighters brought the blaze under control, three young women had lost their lives and a
The Case That Changed the Law: The Murder of Helen McCourt | Ep. 268
On February 9, 1988, 22-year-old Helen McCourt finished work early at an insurance office in Liverpool. She phoned her mum to say she was on her way home and asked if her tea could be ready, as she was looking forward to getting ready for a date that evening. After catching her usual train and bus back to the village of Billinge on Merseyside, Helen got off at her regular stop, less than 500 yards
Operation Enigma: The Hunt for Alun Kyte and The Murders of Samo Paull and Tracey Turner | Ep. 267
In December 1993, 20-year-old Samo Paull disappeared after working in Birmingham's Balsall Heath red-light district. Three weeks later, her body was discovered in a water-filled ditch beside a quiet Leicestershire lay-by, almost 40 miles from where she'd last been seen. Just three months later, 30-year-old Tracey Turner vanished after leaving Hilton Park Services on the M6. Within hours, she too h
Killed on Her Wedding Day: The Murder of Dawn Walker | Ep. 266
On October 27, 2021, 52-year-old Dawn Walker married the man she believed she would spend the rest of her life with. Friends and family watched the happy couple celebrate at a small wedding reception before they returned to their home in the West Yorkshire village of Lightcliffe. Just four days later, Dawn was reported missing by her new husband. Hours after that, her body was discovered hidden in
The South Wales Hitchhiker Murders of Sandra Newton, Pauline Floyd and Geraldine Hughes | Ep. 265
Before DNA databases, before forensic genealogy, and before detectives could solve crimes with the smallest traces of evidence, three teenage girls disappeared after separate nights out in South Wales during the summer and autumn of 1973. Sandra Newton, Pauline Floyd and Geraldine Hughes were all just 16 years old. Their murders sent shockwaves through local communities, sparked one of the biggest
The Clydach Murders: Murder or Miscarriage of Justice? | Ep. 264
In the early hours of June 27, 1999, firefighters were called to a house fire in the quiet Swansea village of Clydach. As they entered the smoke-filled home on Kelvin Road, they made a horrifying discovery. Four members of the same family had been brutally murdered, and the fire had been deliberately started in an apparent attempt to destroy the evidence. The deaths of Mandy Power, her daughters K
The Michael Taylor Exorcism and the Murder of Christine Taylor | Ep. 263
In October 1974, 29-year-old Christine Taylor was living what appeared to be an ordinary family life with her husband, Michael, and their five young sons in the West Yorkshire village of Havercroft. Childhood sweethearts who had built a life together, nothing in Michael's past suggested the tragedy that was about to unfold. But after the couple became involved with a local Christian fellowship gro
The Newlywed Who Never Came Home: The Murder of Anna McGurk | Ep. 262
On the evening of August 28, 1991, 23-year-old Anna McGurk left her job at Gloucester City Council after working a little later than usual to make up for a dental appointment earlier that day. She only had a short walk back to her car, which was parked in a council car park beside the River Severn. It was a route she'd taken countless times before, and one that should have ended with her arriving
The Dunblane School Shooting: The Tragedy That Changed Britain's Gun Laws | Ep. 261
On the morning of March 13, 1996, children arrived at Dunblane Primary School expecting an ordinary Wednesday. Parents waved goodbye at the school gates, teachers prepared for the day ahead, and a Primary 1 class gathered in the gymnasium for a PE lesson. Within minutes, that normal school morning would become one of the darkest days in British history, devastating a close-knit Scottish community
The Paper Boy Who Never Came Home: The Murder of Carl Bridgewater | Ep. 260
On the afternoon of September 19, 1978, 13-year-old Carl Bridgewater set off on his usual newspaper round through the village of Wordsley in the West Midlands. A quiet, hardworking schoolboy who loved fishing, football and Scouts, Carl had only recently started earning pocket money delivering newspapers after school. With just a handful of deliveries left to make, he arrived at an isolated farmhou
A Week of Fear Across the North East: The Raoul Moat Manhunt | Ep. 259
In July 2010, the North East of England became the focus of one of the largest and most extraordinary police manhunts in modern British history. What began with a violent attack linked to the breakdown of a relationship quickly escalated into a nationwide search involving armed officers, helicopters, police dogs and roadblocks, as an armed fugitive evaded capture for almost a week. Millions follow
Betrayed By Her Lodger: The Murder of Julie Reilly | Ep. 258
In February 2018, 47-year-old Julie Reilly was captured on CCTV inside an Aldi supermarket on Paisley Road West in Glasgow. Originally from Auchinleck in East Ayrshire, Julie had spent years rebuilding her life after enduring unimaginable personal tragedy, battling addiction and recovering from a serious brain injury that left her vulnerable. A devoted mother of four and grandmother, she was deter
The Olympic Dream That Ended Just Yards From Home: The Murder of Sara Cameron | Ep. 257
On the evening of April 20, 2000, 23-year-old Sara Cameron left a pub in Newcastle city centre after celebrating with friends. A talented athlete, multilingual student and aspiring sports administrator, Sara was just days away from flying to Australia to begin a dream placement connected to the Sydney Olympic Games. With an exciting international career seemingly within reach, she boarded the last
The Pub Landlord Who Refused to Back Down: The Murder of Christian Thornton | Ep. 256
On the afternoon of August 11, 2019, customers at a popular pub in Widnes watched as landlord Christian Thornton confronted a man he had recently barred from the premises. For Chris, it was part of the job. As the long-serving landlord of the Hammer and Pincers, he had spent years looking after customers, serving pints, organising charity events, and helping make his pub a cornerstone of the local
John Christie and the Murders of 10 Rillington Place | Ep. 255
In March 1953, a tenant in a run-down Notting Hill house tapped on a section of wallpaper and noticed a hollow sound coming from behind it. Curious, he peeled the paper back and made a horrifying discovery. Hidden inside a small kitchen alcove was the body of a woman. When police arrived, they found two more bodies concealed alongside her. Further searches uncovered human remains beneath floorboar
A Stranger in the Dark: The Murder of Amie Gray | Ep. 254
Two friends sit beside a small fire on a quiet Bournemouth beach under the light of a full moon in May 2024. Amie Gray and Leanne Miles are enjoying a peaceful Friday night catch-up, away from the crowds and noise of the nearby town. Within minutes, that calm is shattered when a stranger emerges from the darkness and launches a frenzied knife attack. Amie is killed at the scene. Leanne survives de
The Christmas Day Murder of Hannah Smith | Ep. 253
A 63-year-old grandmother spends Christmas Day 2009 exactly as she always did, relaxing at home in her fourth-floor flat in Cranhill, Glasgow, watching television and looking forward to seeing her beloved granddaughters later that evening. When Hannah Smith fails to answer her door, her family assume she has simply fallen asleep. But as Christmas turns into Boxing Day and beyond, concern quickly g
She Never Left the House: The Murder of Lynsey Quy | Ep. 252
A 21-year-old mother disappears from her home in the Merseyside town of Southport just days before Christmas in 1998. Lynsey Quy’s family know immediately that something is wrong. She adored her children, kept in regular contact with loved ones, and would never have walked away without explanation. Yet as concern grows and police begin searching for answers, suspicion quickly falls on the one pers
Murder at Windy Ridge: Melinda Palmer and Her Husband’s Double Life | Ep. 251
A 57-year-old woman is enjoying retirement in the quiet Worcestershire countryside just days before Christmas 2009. After more than two decades of marriage, Melinda Palmer and her husband Jonathan have recently moved into an isolated detached house surrounded by fields and woodland in the tiny village of Wadborough. Friends and neighbours describe them as a devoted couple beginning a peaceful new
The Derby House Fire: Mick Philpott and the Deaths of Six Children | Ep. 250
In the early hours of May 11, 2012, a devastating fire tore through a council house on Victory Road in Allenton, Derby. Inside the smoke-filled home were six sleeping children: 10-year-old Jade, nine-year-old John, eight-year-old Jack, six-year-old Jesse, five-year-old Jayden and 13-year-old Duwayne. Despite desperate rescue attempts from neighbours and firefighters, all six children lost their li
Murder in Tiger Bay: Lynette White and the Cardiff Three | Ep. 249
A 20-year-old woman is working in Cardiff’s docklands district in the early hours of February 14, 1988. She is trying to earn enough money to get through another night and return home safely by morning. Instead, Lynette White was subjected to a savage and sustained attack in a flat above a betting shop in Tiger Bay. By sunrise, she is dead, and one of the most notorious murder investigations in Br
When Trust Turned Fatal: The Murder of Keeley Bunker | Ep. 248
A 20-year-old woman returns to Tamworth after a night out in Birmingham watching one of her favourite artists perform. She’s laughing with friends, making plans for the next day, and looking ahead to a job interview that could bring her dream of working with children one step closer. It should have been an ordinary journey home. Instead, by the following evening, her family are searching streets a
Justice After 26 Years: The Murder of Norah Trott | Ep. 247
A woman closes up her dress shop on a quiet November evening in Rochford, Essex, and heads out to run a simple errand for a friend. It should have been an ordinary trip, one of those everyday moments no one thinks twice about. But somewhere between locking the door and reaching her car, 63-year-old Norah Trott was attacked and left dying in a lane just yards from her own home.By the early hours of
Three Weeks of Terror: The 1999 London Nail Bombings | Ep. 246
A busy Saturday afternoon in Brixton. Market stalls are buzzing, Electric Avenue is filling with shoppers, and a black sports bag is left quietly on the pavement. At first, it was nothing out of the ordinary. Something forgotten and seemingly harmless. People even joked about it, but inside that bag was a nail bomb, ticking down in the middle of one of South London’s most crowded communities. With
A Deadly Neighbour Dispute: The Murder of Gary Dean | Ep. 245
A quiet morning run through woodland in South Yorkshire. A routine followed like clockwork. And a brutal killing that would shock a community. In September 2018, 48-year-old Gary Dean left his home in Silkstone Common, Barnsley, just like he did every day. Hours later, he was found in a ditch near the Trans Pennine Trail, fatally injured after a violent and sustained attack. His phone was still ri
Who Killed Jill Dando? 27 Years Later, We Still Don’t Know | Ep. 244
In April 1999, British TV's Golden Girl Jill Dando was shot dead on her own doorstep in Fulham, West London, in broad daylight. The attacker didn’t flee in panic - they simply walked away. No weapon was ever recovered and no clear motive was established. And despite one of the largest murder investigations in British history, the case remains unsolved to this day. How does someone so well known an
Taken in Broad Daylight: The Sarah Payne Case | Ep. 243
An eight-year-old girl disappeared while playing near her grandparents’ home on a summer’s day in West Sussex, and within hours, a nationwide search was underway. In July 2000, Sarah Payne vanished in what should have been a safe, familiar setting, sending shockwaves across the UK. As police raced against time, one of the largest missing person investigations in British history began to unfold.In
Murder Without a Body: The Suzanne Pilley Case | Ep. 242
On May 4, 2010, 38-year-old Suzanne Pilley followed her usual morning routine before disappearing without a trace on her way to the office. With no witnesses, no clear crime scene, and no body ever recovered, what began as a missing person case quickly turned into one of the most baffling murder investigations in modern Scottish history.In this episode, we dive into the timeline of Suzanne’s final
Executed on Easter Monday: The Alan Leppard and Brenda Long Case | Ep. 241
On Easter Monday in 1991, in a quiet village in Kent, a couple spent the evening at home together. It had been a normal day, nothing out of the ordinary. But just after 10pm, a knock at the door shattered that routine. Within minutes, 43-year-old Alan Leppard had been shot dead on his own doorstep in what many would later describe as an execution-style killing. Witnesses reported seeing a mysterio
Torture and Murder in West London: The Shakira Spencer Case | Ep. 240
The shocking torture and murder of Shakira Spencer in Ealing, West London, is one of the most disturbing UK true crime cases in recent years. In September 2022, the 35-year-old was found dead in her Hanwell flat after not being seen for weeks. What initially appeared to be a welfare concern quickly unravelled into a horrifying case involving prolonged abuse, coercive control, and extreme violence
Death on the Seafront: The Lea Williams Murder | Ep. 239
On a cold February evening in 2013, volunteers carrying out outreach work along the seafront in Hove made a discovery that would shock the local community. What first appeared to be someone settling down for the night beneath a duvet in a row of seafront arches quickly turned into something far more serious. As police began their investigation near Hove Pitch and Putt, it became clear this was no
The Girl Who Loved Pink: The Murder of Brianna Ghey | Ep. 238
On a Saturday afternoon in February 2023, 16-year-old Brianna Ghey left her home in Birchwood, Warrington, to meet a friend. It might not sound like much, but for her, it was a big step. She’d made the journey on her own, got the bus, and was doing what any teenager would do, heading out to spend time with someone she trusted.But as the afternoon went on, something didn’t feel right. A message she
Britain’s First Female Serial Killer: The Life and Crimes of Mary Ann Cotton | Ep. 237
In the mid-1800s, a quiet trail of deaths began to follow a woman across the North East of England. Husbands, children, and relatives seemed to fall suddenly ill, often complaining of stomach pains before dying not long after. At the time, many of these deaths were put down to disease, something that wasn’t uncommon in Victorian Britain.But over the years, the number of deaths began to raise eyebr
FROM THE ARCHIVES | Missing for 17 Years: The Disappearance of Claudia Lawrence
Today marks 17 years since Claudia Lawrence disappeared.On the evening of March 18, 2009, the 35-year-old chef spoke with her parents before settling in for the night at her home in York. The following morning, she failed to turn up for work at the University of York and missed plans with a friend later that evening. She has never been seen or heard from since.Despite extensive investigations by N
Four Lives Taken in Seven Days: The Murders of David & Julie Williams and Pregnant Nichola McGregor | Ep. 236
In late February 2026, news broke that one of Britain’s most notorious child killers had been attacked inside prison. Within days, Ian Huntley, the man responsible for the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, was dead. The man accused of carrying out the attack was another inmate, Anthony Russell, and almost instantly the internet lit up with celebration.But here’s the thing. While some peo
Two Girls From Soham: Remembering Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman | Ep. 235
In August 2002, two ten-year-old best friends left their homes in the quiet Cambridgeshire town of Soham to buy some sweets. It was a warm summer evening during the school holidays, and the sort of trip they’d made plenty of times before. But when Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman didn’t return home, a simple errand quickly turned into one of the biggest missing persons searches Britain had ever see
Oliver Dearlove and the One Punch That Killed Him | Ep. 234
In the early hours of the summer Bank Holiday weekend in 2016, a young man lay unconscious on a quiet street in Blackheath, south east London. Just minutes earlier, he’d been laughing with friends, chatting to strangers, waiting for a taxi home. Then a single punch knocked him to the ground. Within 24 hours, he was gone.Oliver Dearlove was 30 years old. He had a solid career in banking, a long-ter
Hidden in Plain Sight: The Murders of John and Lois McCullough | Ep. 233
In September 2023, police officers walked into house on Pump Hill in the village of Great Baddow, Essex. Standing in front of them was 35-year-old Virginia McCullough, who appeared calm and composed. But within moments, she was telling them her parents were dead, and that their bodies were still inside the house.For four years, John and Lois McCullough had seemingly vanished. Family was told they’
What Really Happens at a Crime Scene? | Two Former CSIs Reveal the Truth
In this episode, I’m joined by two former Crime Scene Investigators, Angela Davies and Dionne Watson, the hosts of The Crime Scene Insiders Podcast. Between them, they’ve worked countless real-life investigations - the kind you don’t see neatly wrapped up in 40 minutes on television.We talk about what crime shows actually get right (if anything) and the many things they get completely wrong. From
A Friendship Turned Fatal: The Lockdown Murder of Phoenix Netts | Ep. 232
On May 12, 2020, during the first Covid lockdown, police were called to a quiet stretch of road in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. Officers had already stopped a car for breaching lockdown rules and issued a fixed penalty notice. But just a short distance away, sitting at the side of the road in the darkness, were two suitcases. Inside were human remains.At the centre of this story are two wo
FROM THE ARCHIVES | Donald Neilson: The Murders of Lesley Whittle and Three Subpostmasters
Fifty-two years have passed since Donald Neilson committed his first known murder - that of 54-year-old Donald Skepper on 15 February 1974. What followed was a violent campaign that would stretch across four English counties and culminate in one of the most infamous kidnappings in British criminal history.In the mid-1970s, sub-postmasters were targeted in a series of calculated and ruthless attack
A Marriage Built on Lies: The Murder of Jessica Patel | Ep. 231
On a quiet Monday evening in May 2018, emergency services were called to a large Victorian house on a busy street in Linthorpe, Middlesbrough. At first, it was reported as a burglary gone wrong. A front door left open. A woman found unconscious on the living room floor. But very quickly, it became clear that this was something else entirely.At the centre of this story are Jessica and Mitesh Patel.
Steve Wright Sentenced to 40 Years for the 1999 Murder of Victoria Hall
More than 25 years after the crime was committed, a man already serving a whole life order for five murders has pleaded guilty to killing again. This admission dates back to 1999, years before Ipswich became a crime scene, and years before his name was known to the public. This afternoon, serial murderer Steven Wright stood at The Old Bailey once more, and was sentenced to 40 years in prison for a
Annie Walsh and the Wrongful Conviction of Robert Brown | Ep. 230
In January 1977, a quiet Manchester neighbourhood was shaken by an act of sudden and brutal violence. Annie Walsh, a woman described by those who knew her as kind and unassuming, was found murdered inside her own flat. The scene left behind was one of extreme force, but very little clarity.What followed would become one of the most troubling chapters in British criminal justice. A teenage boy woul
The Disappearance of British Backpacker Peter Falconio in the Australian Outback | Ep. 229
In July 2001, the disappearance of British backpacker Peter Falconio on a remote stretch of Australia’s Stuart Highway became one of the most high-profile missing person cases in modern criminal history. The case drew international attention, sparked an enormous police investigation across the Australian Outback, and would later result in a murder conviction - despite the fact that Peter’s body ha
Danielle Reid and the Safeguarding Failures That Led to Her Death | Ep. 228
In the early 2000s, the death of five-year-old Danielle Reid became one of the most disturbing child murder cases in Scottish criminal history. What began as concerns around neglect in Inverness would later expose a far more troubling picture, involving repeated warnings, unanswered calls, and safeguarding failures that, in hindsight, are difficult to comprehend.Danielle was a bright, affectionate
Scotland’s Forgotten School Shooting: The Murder of Nanette Hanson | Ep. 227
In November 1967, a gunman walked into a classroom at St John’s RC High School in Dundee. What unfolded that afternoon left a young teacher fatally wounded, a school traumatised, and a case that would echo through the Scottish justice system for decades. It became one of the most shocking crimes in Dundee’s history, yet one that is often reduced to a single moment, stripped of its wider consequenc
FROM THE ARCHIVES | Harold Shipman and the Patients He Killed
Twenty-two years after Harold Shipman’s death, the consequences of his crimes still loom large over British medicine and public trust in GPs. In this remastered episode, I revisit a two-part series from my archives, now presented as one continuous story.This episode explores how Shipman abused his position as a trusted family doctor, the patients who were left vulnerable, and the failures that all
A Fiancé Killed in Cold Blood: Tracie Andrews and the Murder of Lee Harvey | Ep. 226
On a winter’s night in December 1996, after a couple pulled into a lay-by in the West Midlands, the woman claimed they’d just been victims of a violent road rage attack. The man, her fiancée, lay dying from multiple stab wounds. What followed would become one of the most infamous murder cases in modern British criminal history - a case that split public opinion, dominated tabloid headlines, and in
Inside the Fred West Case: A Conversation with Biographer Geoffrey Wansell
January 1, 2026 marks 31 years since Fred West took his own life while awaiting trial for a series of horrific crimes that shocked Britain. This special episode features a rare and insightful conversation with Geoffrey Wansell, the journalist and author commissioned to write West’s official biography following his death.Geoffrey brings a unique perspective shaped by extensive research, exclusive a
A Yorkshire Christmas Message: The Pauper's Speech 2025
In place of a regular episode, this Christmas Day I’m sharing a short, heartfelt message - think of it as the Yorkshire version of the King’s Speech.This brief Christmas Day special touches on the importance of connection at this time of year, acknowledges how difficult the season can be for many, and reflects on the victims and families behind the cases we’ve explored throughout 2025.Thank you fo
One Punch Killings at Christmas | True Crime Catch Up | Ep. 8
Christmas parties are meant to be a time to unwind - a few drinks, familiar faces, and a break from the everyday routine - but the festive season also brings real and often overlooked dangers.In this episode of True Crime Catch Up, Adam and I explore the deadly reality of one-punch killings, where a split-second act of violence can end one life and permanently destroy another. We examine how these
The Willenhall Christmas Tragedy: Remembering Lisa, Keighley and Demmy Higgins | Ep. 225
On Christmas Eve 2003, a quiet residential street in Willenhall looked exactly how it should. Lights in the windows, presents under the tree, and two young sisters excitedly counting down the hours until Father Christmas arrived.By the end of the night, three lives were lost, and a close-knit community was left trying to understand how something so devastating could happen inside what appeared to
A Christmas Tragedy in Cardiff: The Geraldine Palk Story | Ep. 224
In December 1990, a young woman walked the final few yards towards her home in Cardiff, but never made it through the front door. What happened in those final moments remains one of the most unsettling mysteries South Wales Police had ever faced, sparking an investigation that would stretch across an entire decade.When 26-year-old Geraldine Palk failed to return home after her work’s Christmas par
A Troubled Home: The Murder of Eleanor Harrison | Ep. 223
In April 1996, a quiet council estate in Falkirk became the centre of one of Scotland’s most unsettling domestic murder investigations. When 35-year-old Eleanor Harrison suddenly disappeared, friends, neighbours, and relatives were left searching for answers, and detectives quickly realised her absence was far from ordinary.What followed was a deeply disturbing inquiry that exposed a volatile home
Five-Year Anniversary Special: Listener Q&A
Five years ago today, on December 3, 2020, I released the first three episodes of British Murders. I had no idea what I was doing, no audience other than family and friends, no clue whether anyone would even listen. And yet here we are, half a decade later, still going strong. So, to mark the show’s five-year anniversary, I wanted to do something a bit different.This episode isn’t a deep dive into
An Unthinkable Crime: The Murder of Mabel Leyshon | Ep. 222
In November 2001, a crime unlike anything North Wales had seen before shattered the quiet Isle of Anglesey. Inside her cosy bungalow, 90-year-old Mabel Leyshon was discovered murdered in circumstances so disturbing that even veteran detectives struggled to comprehend what they had found.What unfolded next became one of Wales’s most unsettling investigations: a bizarre crime scene, an urgent public
Anthony Hardy Revisited | True Crime Catch Up | Ep. 1
Five years ago, convicted serial killer Anthony Hardy died in prison while serving a Whole Life Order, a sentence he received after murdering Sally White, Elizabeth Valad and Bridgette Maclennan in the London Borough of Camden.In the first-ever episode of True Crime Catch Up, Adam Lloyd (from the UK True Crime Podcast) and I discuss what went wrong with the Anthony Hardy case. We also examine the
