The Trial: Australia

Tess Rowlatt was once known as a successful marketing guru, but she’s now been dubbed as Melbourne’s Meth Queen. She pleaded guilty to trafficking meth and dealing with the proceeds of crime, her second drug related conviction, after a dramatic police chase led to the discovery of drugs, cash, and bank cards in other peoples’ names. She is due to be sentenced- however there is still a chance that...

For years, Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated soldier, has been celebrated for his service in Afghanistan. But now, the man who was once considered a national hero is at the centre of serious criminal allegations. He has been charged with five counts of the war crime of murder, and is in custody in New South Wales' Silverwater Correctional Complex after arrest by the Australian Federal...

In 2024, Nikkita Azzopardi was killed by her partner, Joel Micallef, in a horrifying attack. He was charged with murder, but found not guilty due to mental impairment, after forensic psychiatrists told the court he was suffering acute psychosis at the time of the killing. The verdict devastated Nikita’s family, who felt like they had not had justice. Now, in a shocking turn of events, Micallef has...

After more than 200 days on the run, one of Australia’s largest and most intense manhunts has come to an end. Dezi Freeman had been on the run since he shot and killed two police officers last year. Despite a $1 million reward for information, police had no concrete leads as to his whereabouts. But a crucial tip-off led officers to a secluded property, where a tense three hour standoff unfolded, e...

Last year a targeted attack at a luxury villa in Bali left one man dead and another seriously injured. Two Australian men were swiftly convicted of murder, and another for aiding and abetting premediated murder. In this episode Wayne is joined by journalist Paul Shapiro to break down the case, from the chaotic night of the attack, to claims it was a botched job ordered by a mysterious figure known...

In 2022, sisters Asra and Amaal Alsehli were found dead inside their Sydney apartment, weeks after they had died, with no signs of forced entry and no clear cause.  Having fled Saudi Arabia seeking asylum, the young women had been living in fear in the months leading up to their deaths. The mystery puzzled investigators for years. Now, after years of silence, new information has emerged about...

In February, an 85 year old grandfather was abducted from his home in the Sydney suburb of North Ryde. But according to police, they had the wrong man. Chris Baghsarian, a widower and family man with no links to organised crime, was allegedly taken by a group of men who believed they had kidnapped someone else. Investigators say the offenders were trying to target the father of a wealthy property...

On January 22nd, the small town of Lake Cargelligo became the scene of an alleged triple murder, with the accused going on the run and remaining missing ever since. Police allege a targeted attack left three people dead: 25 year old Sophie Quinn, who was heavily pregnant; her longtime friend John Harris; and Sophie's aunt, Nerida Quinn. A fourth victim, 19-year-old Caleb McQueen, survived the shoo...

Last December, a beachside Hanukkah celebration at Bondi turned into one of the deadliest terror attacks in recent Australian history. Fifteen people were killed. Dozens more were injured. Now, for the first time, the man accused of carrying out the attack has faced court. In this episode Wayne examines the case against 24-year-old Naveed Akram, who is charged with 59 offences including terrorism,...

As the disappearance of Gus Lamont shifts from a missing persons case to a criminal investigation, Wayne sits down with legendary former homicide detective Charlie Bezzina. Together they explore how investigators approach complex missing persons cases, from probing family timelines and seizing electronic devices, to managing media pressure and community scrutiny.  They also analyse recent dev...

South Australia Police have declared the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont a major crime, in a monumental moment of the case. What began as a desperate search for a little boy who vanished while playing at his grandparents’ remote outback sheep station has now become a criminal investigation, with one family member identified as a suspect.  In this episode, Wayne speaks with reporter...

In this episode, Wayne examines the tragic deaths of a family of four in Perth’s affluent suburb of Mosman Park, which police are treating as a suspected double murder-suicide. Joining him is reporter Lucy Manley, who has been on the ground in Western Australia. They discuss everything that is understood about the case, including what friends, teachers and carers have said about the family’s final...

In this episode, Wayne looks at the remarkable case of Daniel Alejandro Latriglia Salcedo, a Colombian student prosecutors say ran a multi-drug trafficking operation under the name 'Thanos'. Using QR-coded business cards and Telegram menus, Salcedo openly marketed cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy, LSD and more, until police uncovered drugs, cash and digital evidence of dealing. Yet despite pleading guil...

Once a fixture of red carpets, private jets, and reality television, Brynne Edelsten lived a life few could imagine; until it all began to unravel. In this episode, Wayne examines the dramatic fall of Brynne Edelsten following her arrest and court appearances over serious drug trafficking allegations. Joining Wayne is journalist Paul Shapiro, who offers insight into the legal proceedings, the char...

This is the definitive deep dive into one of the country’s most infamous true crime stories. In this episode, Wayne unpacks the true story of Brendan Abbott, the man forever known as The Postcard Bandit .  From audacious prison escapes and cross country bank robberies to decades spent in solitary confinement, Abbott’s life has captivated, and divided, the nation for more than 30 years. Wayne...

On October 2024, 35-year-old Nikkita Azzopardi failed to attend a family gathering in Melbourne, an absence so out of character it immediately raised alarm. Within hours, her brothers Darren and Sean would force their way into her home and make a discovery that would change their lives forever. Nikkita had been brutally killed by her partner, Joel Micallef. Charged with murder, Micallef was later...

On the first night of Hanukkah, two gunmen opened fire at Bondi Beach in Sydney. The unthinkable atrocity killed 15 people and injured many more, with the impact still being felt across the world. In this episode, Wayne speaks to freelance photographer Banjo, who witnessed the attack unfold firsthand. Journalist and Bondi local Lucy Manly also joins the podcast to explain what we know so far, and...

In this episode, Wayne is joined by journalist Paul Shapiro to unpack one of the most explosive legal stories to hit Australia this year: the public naming of Tom Silvagni, a 23 year old from one of Victoria’s most prominent AFL families, after a long running suppression battle.  For nearly 18 months, courts kept his identity and family ties secret. But now a judge has now lifted the gag orde...

A quiet North Turramurra street was horrified in the early hours of the morning when a house party descended into sudden, brutal and violent chaos.  The bloody pool party in a $4 million property left a man fighting for his life after being stabbed 10 times. Now one culprit is behind bars for recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm.  In this episode, Senior News Reporter Candace Sutto...

When beloved German Shepherd Arnie was reported stolen, the story captured the hearts of thousands across Australia. A viral search effort, media appeals, and a $6,000 reward followed- until a devastating discovery changed everything. Now police allege the dog was ever stolen at all. Accusations of neglect, a late night visit to a Brisbane brothel, and a rapidly unfolding investigation have turned...

Four year old August “Gus” Lamont vanished from his grandparents’ remote sheep station in the South Australian outback, triggering one of the largest searches in the state’s history.  But nearly two months on, police, soldiers, SES crews, divers, and locals have turned up nothing. No trace, no evidence, no clues to what might have happened.  In this episode, Wayne returns to the case wit...

In this episode, Wayne Flower unpacks one of the strangest cases to come out of South Australia this year.  Tamika Chesser, a once familiar face from the reality TV show Beauty and the Geek, now stands accused of murdering her boyfriend, Julian Story, whose headless body was discovered in Port Lincoln earlier this year. Senior crime reporter Candace Sutton joins Wayne to trace Chesser’s timel...

Erin Patterson’s story isn’t over yet. After being sentenced to life in prison, the convicted “mushroom killer” is fighting back, entering a notice of appeal and calling for a retrial.  In this episode, Wayne Flower is joined by top Melbourne lawyer George Balot to unpack Patterson’s seven grounds of appeal, from claims of jury irregularities to allegations of unfair cross-examination. They b...

One morning earlier this year, Venus Bay locals woke up to find 9 dead wombats in the streets- and now they claim they’re dealing with a mass wombat killer. The 9 wombats were found lying by the roadside, some with tyre marks, some moved into strange positions. Investigators found CCTV showing multiple utes driving around that night, swerving across the road. And one of those vehicles was allegedl...

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