Always True Crime

Margaret Fleming was a vulnerable young woman who disappeared from the lives of almost everyone who knew her. For years, questions about her whereabouts went unanswered, until an investigation uncovered a web of deception that would become one of Scotland's most disturbing criminal cases. In this episode, I examine Margaret's life, the circumstances that led to her disappearance, and how the truth eventually came to light.

I release episodes of the UK True Crime podcast every Tuesday and Friday, so please do join me again on Friday for the next story. And don't forget to join...

It was a daunting sounding task that had never before been attempted - the fingerprinting of every male in one of the largest towns in the UK. But back in May 1948, the murder of three year old June Anne Devaney had sickened even the most hardened detectives so much, that there wasn't an officer involved who wasn't prepared to give this his all.

This time around, on The True Crime Enthusiast Podcast, I bring you the story of the Blackburn Fingerprint Hunt...

The episode contains details and descriptions of crimes and events, involving...

Thursday the 5th of June 1975, hairdresser William ‘Tommy’ Walker headed into Birmingham to buy supplies, he went to a few bars, and the nest day, his body was found 6 miles from his home, in a lover’s lane having been beaten to death and robbed. The police convicted two men of his murder, but how safe was this conviction?  

Seven time nominated at the True Crime Awards, Independent Po...

What happens when a controversial surgeon arrives on one of the world’s most remote islands? St Helena, a tiny British territory in the South Atlantic, is famous for Napoleon’s exile and for Jonathan the tortoise, the world’s oldest living land animal. Journalist Luke Jones, who you might remember from The Pitcairn Trials, is back investigating another shocking scandal. He travelled to St Helena to speak to Islanders who were meant to benefit from the arrival of a top orthopedic surgeon 2015. Instead, residents say he caused devastating harm and are now in a fight for justice.

...

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 had been murdered, her body abandoned just a few miles from the scene where Samo had been found. At first, detectives didn't realise the two women had been targeted by the same killer.

What followed was a complex...

For years, Ian Paterson was regarded as one of Britain's leading breast surgeons. Patients placed their trust in him at some of the most frightening moments of their lives, believing they were receiving the best possible care.

Instead, many underwent unnecessary or inappropriate operations that left them with lasting physical and psychological consequences. As concerns mounted, one of the biggest medical scandals in modern UK history began to unfold, raising serious questions not only about one surgeon's actions but also about how he was able to continue practising for so long. In this episode, I explore...

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 inside a suitcase less than 200 yards from the house where the newlyweds should have been starting their married life together.

What followed was one of the most disturbing murder investigations in...

Today, I speak to Ed's mum, Miriam, and his best friend, Sam, about the person Ed Cornes really was, the devastating impact of his death, the police investigation, and what happens next. The conversations are honest, emotional and, at times, deeply shocking.

Welcome to part two of this special four-part series of the UK True Crime Podcast, where I explore the life and death of 19-year-old Ed Cornes. Ed had only just begun the next exciting chapter of his life when, in October 2021, he arrived at University College London with ambitions of becoming a barrister. But...

In the Somerset village of Martock, 16-year-old Gemma Clarke disappeared after finishing a shift at her local pub. Home was only a short walk away, but she never arrived. In this episode, I examine the investigation into Gemma's murder, how detectives identified the man responsible, and the lasting impact her death had on her family and the people who knew her.

Support me at Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/UKTrueCrime

Writing Credit: Chris Wood

You can buy Chris's second book, 'Death in the Theatre' here: https://www.amazon.com/D...

Sunday 9th of October 1983, at around noon, roughly 75 yards north of the Coventry Canal, homeless man, George Cunningham was shuffling up the Old Leicester Road, when he discovered the body of 30-year-old wife and mother-of-three Lalitaben Ladva of Rugby. She had been strangled, beaten with a hammer, and her body dumped. It seemed like a motiveless crime, but a series of lies and deceptions by her killer would unearth the selfish reason for her murder.

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 murder investigations Wales had ever seen, and left police hunting a killer who seemed to have vanished without a trace.

Despite thousands of interviews, nationwide vehicle checks and countless leads, the investigation gradually went cold. For decades...

To mark today, the 40th anniversary of Suzy Lamplugh's disappearance, last week I sat down last week to chat with former Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Mike Barley.

Mike was one of the first officers involved in the investigation, helping to establish the original incident room at Fulham Police Station within hours of Suzy being reported missing. He remained closely involved with the case for more than 12 years, following countless leads, investigating reported sightings, working with Suzy's family and later focusing on convicted murderer and rapist John Cannan.

It's a fascinating interview where...

Forty years ago today, estate agent Suzy Lamplugh disappeared after leaving her office in Fulham to meet a client known only as 'Mr Kipper'. She has never been seen again. In this special anniversary episode, I revisit one of Britain's most enduring mysteries, examining Suzy's life, the investigation, the suspects, and where the case is at four decades later.

In a second episode also released today, I interview former Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Mike Barley about this case. There is nobody out there more qualified to provide insight than Mike who was one of the...

Welcome to this special four-part series of the UK True Crime Podcast, where I explore the life and death of 19-year-old Ed Cornes.

Ed had only just begun the next exciting chapter of his life when, in October 2021, he arrived at University College London with ambitions of becoming a barrister. But less than 48 hours later, those ambitions were cut tragically short when paramedics were called to a hotel in King's Cross, just half a mile from his university accommodation, where they found Ed dead.

At the time of his death, Ed was in...

Welcome to this special four-part series of the UK True Crime Podcast, where I explore the life and death of 19-year-old Ed Cornes.

Ed had only just begun the next exciting chapter of his life when, in October 2021, he arrived at University College London with ambitions of becoming a barrister. But less than 48 hours later, those ambitions were cut tragically short when paramedics were called to a hotel in King's Cross, just half a mile from his university accommodation, where they found Ed dead.

At the time of his death, Ed was in...

We venture away from the UK this time around on the Enthusiast, and head to the European alpine country of Austria, where alongside the classical music, sports and culture that it is most famous for, I bring two cases of long forgotten, savage murder from yesteryear that shows that evil doesn't skip anywhere.  

Music used in this episode: "The Descent" by Kevin Macleod. All music used is sourced from https://filmmusic.io/ and used under an Attribution Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

You will probably remember Daniel Khalife for his extraordinary escape from HMP Wandsworth. But his story started long before that. In this episode, I look at how a young British Army soldier became caught up in a world of espionage, the events that led to his arrest, and the remarkable prison escape that made headlines around the world. It's a story of ambition, deception and some surprisingly old-fashioned spycraft.

I release episodes of the UK True Crime podcast every Tuesday and Friday, so please do join me again on Tuesday for the next regular episode and...

This is Part 2 of 2 of Evil Little Droog.

From 1976 to 2003, Peter Allan Foster of Bridlington committed a string of vicious and brutal attacks on his girlfriends and wives, including holding them hostage, kidnapping them at knifepoint, strangling, beating, shooting, coercion, and two counts of murder. But how did he evade justice for so long, and what has any of this got to do with his obsession – the 1973 film, A Clockwork Orange.

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 Katie and Emily, and her elderly mother Doris Dawson would leave an entire community in mourning and spark one of the largest murder investigations in Welsh history.

The Clydach murders...

Maria Toomey was just weeks away from giving birth when she vanished. When police finally found Maria, they uncovered a quite dreadful scene that shocked even experienced detectives. This is a heartbreaking story from Hull of a life, and a future, stolen by an act of unimaginable violence.

Please join me for the next episode of the UK True Crime Podcast on Friday - two episodes a week, every Tuesday and Friday.

Support me at Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/UKTrueCrime

Writing Credit: Chris Wood

You...

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 group, Michael's behaviour changed dramatically, leading those around him to believe he was under the influence of evil forces rather than suffering from a mental health crisis.

What followed became one of the most...

Football fans from the UK - and across the world - held their breath for a week in March 1966 when the Jules Rimet trophy, more commonly known as the World Cup - was stolen from an exhibition in Westminster, where it had been on display. The possibilities were endless - had it been transported abroad, and was in the clutches of an unscrupulous millionaire? Had it been melted down, or had it been abandoned and lost forever?

The answer came in the most unlikely of circumstances, and a hero who came on to save the day...

Some people can't wait for it to finish, some people perhaps never want it to end, but we have upon us the culmination of the 2026 World Cup. It's a tournament that has seen unlikely heroes, tears and controversy, and as the episode drops, it's the weekend that sees one team lifting aloft the ultimate prize in sport, the FIFA World Cup.

But back in 1966, a year that needs no introduction to football fans really, there almost wasn't a cup to lift aloft - except for an unlikely hero who came on to save the day...

We all trust our doctors, don't we? In many ways, we have little choice. We rely on them to diagnose illness, offer advice and make decisions that can have a profound impact on our lives.

But in today's episode of the UK True Crime podcast, I look at the extraordinary story of a doctor who wasn't at all what she seemed. For more than two decades, she practised medicine in the UK despite not being properly qualified, exposing serious failures in the systems designed to protect patients. It's a story of deception, misplaced trust and missed...

This is Part 1 of 2 of Evil Little Droog.

From 1976 to 2003, Peter Allan Foster of Bridlington committed a string of vicious and brutal attacks on his girlfriends and wives, including holding them hostage, kidnapping them at knifepoint, strangling, beating, shooting, coercion, and two counts of murder. But how did he evade justice for so long, and what has any of this got to do with his obsession – the 1973 film, A Clockwork Orange.

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 home to her husband. Instead, Anna disappeared without a trace, triggering a murder investigation that would leave the city of Gloucester asking how such a horrific crime...

Can you imagine anything much more scary than when a family car plunges into the freezing waters of the Bridgewater Canal, leaving those inside fighting for their lives? At first, it appeared to be a tragic accident - but as investigators began to look more closely, disturbing questions emerges. This episode is a case of family, deception and a series of shocking revelations that would leave detectives uncovering a truth few could ever have imagined and will leave you asking one question - who can you ever really trust?

I release episodes of the UK True...

What goes on inside the mind of a killer?

In this special episode, I'm joined by top forensic psychologist Kerry Daynes, who has spent her career assessing and treating some of the UK's most dangerous offenders. We talk about dangerous criminals, manipulation, violent crime, and what she's learned from sitting face-to-face with people most of us hope never to meet. It's a fascinating conversation that offers a rare insight into the psychology of crime.

You can listen more to Kerry in her excellent new podcast, 'The Profiler'

https://podcasts.apple.com...

Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum became known around the world as the "Peru Two" after they were caught trying to smuggle 11 kilograms of cocaine out of Peru.

They said they had been drawn into the operation by an organised crime gang and felt they couldn't back out, while others argued they had knowingly taken a huge risk in return for money. Their arrest made headlines across the globe and sparked years of debate about where the line lies between exploitation and personal responsibility. In this episode, I look beyond the headlines to explore how two teenagers...

Wednesday 4th of April 1973 at 11pm, on the porch of St Martin’s Church in Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire, 60-year-old homeless man, David McManus was beaten to death in an attack identical to a fictional killing in the book ‘A Clockwork Orange’ by Anthony Burgess and the controversial film by director Stanley Kubrick. But who was to blame, the book, the film or the killer?

Seven time nominated at the True...

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 and changing the country's gun laws forever.

The Dunblane shooting claimed the lives of sixteen young children and their teacher, Gwen Mayor, in what remains the deadliest school shooting in UK history. In the years...

"Is it fair that a young lady who dresses to attract, the queen bee attracting the drones, the queen bee that dresses to kill... cries out foul because somebody finds her attractive?"

Shockingly, those were the words of the defence barrister during the trial. Understandably, this sparked widespread outrage at the time and remains one of the most extraordinary examples of victim blaming in a British courtroom.

A chance encounter with a stranger turned Perry Southall's life into a nightmare. What followed was a relentless campaign of stalking that left her living in...

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 farmhouse where he was due to leave a paper for the older residents. He never made it home.

Carl's murder shocked the UK. Detectives launched one of the largest murder investigations the Midlands had ever seen...

Scott Gilhooly was a well-known and popular landlord in Essex who lost his life after trying to help someone in need. His kindness was repaid with an act of shocking violence that left his family, friends and the local community devastated.

In this episode, I examine the events that led to Scott's murder, the police investigation, the trial and the heartbreaking victim impact statements that showed the lasting impact of his loss.

I release episodes of the UK True Crime podcast every Tuesday and Friday, so please do join me again on Tuesday...

A gift of £100,000 to buy a house, and £1,000 living allowance a month. The stuff the majority of us can only dream of, isn't it? But it's never enough for some, and combine this with deep-seated hatred, misconceived feelings of being unfairly treated, alcohol and the lockdown we all faced a few years ago, and one night in Dorset 2021 was to end in horrendous violence.

And brutal, bloody murder.

The episode contains details and descriptions of crimes and events, including descriptions of injury detail, that some listeners may find disturbing or distressing, so discretion is...

On Wednesday 8th of January 1988, at 3:25pm, expelled pupil 16-year-old Darren Fowler entered the Ferrers School in the town of Higham Ferrers with two knives, 25 cartridges and a shotgun. He had written a suicide note, and planned to get revenge on those who had wronged him. By 3:37pm, it was over. But unlike the Dunblane massacre, it is largely forgotten, and why, like the Dormers Wells school shooting did it not lead for stricter gun control? This was the UK’s penultimate school shooting.

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 followed the unfolding events live on television, with each new development leaving communities across Northumberland and Tyne and Wear wondering where he would strike next.

At the centre of the case was 37-year-old Raoul...

Elizabeth Simms-Rees was a kind and trusting young woman whose life was brutally cut short at just 21 by someone she considered a friend.

The man responsible, Richard Cullen, had a long history of violence and a disturbing obsession with the occult and devil worship. In this episode, I examine the events leading up to one of Swansea's most shocking murders, the investigation that followed, and the lasting impact of Elizabeth's murder.

Please join me for the next episode of the UK True Crime Podcast on Friday.

Support me at Patreon:<...

Scott Pritchard was just 19 years old when he was brutally attacked only yards from his family home in Sunderland. The football-mad teenager, who was recovering from a broken foot and relying on crutches, was especially vulnerable when he was ambushed and fatally struck with a blunt object.

For years, his murder remained one of the North East's most enduring unsolved cases. His family suffered unimaginable heartbreak, while Scott's dad faced the additional anguish of being wrongly suspected of his own son's killing. In this episode, I examine the investigation, the mistakes, the unanswered questions, and the...

We head back to May 2010 and to the area of Wishaw, near Glasgow in North Lanarkshire for the tale this time around. It was the hottest weekend of that year so far, and an off-road motorcyclist named Stuart Bell was about to make a chilling discovery that he will take to his grave with him....

The episode contains details and descriptions of crimes and events, including descriptions of injury detail, that some listeners may find disturbing or distressing, so discretion is advised whilst listening in.

 Music used in this episode: "The Descent" by K...