True Criminals

In February 1990, seven-year-old Rachel Watts went out on her roller skates to buy sweets near her home in Brighton. On her way back, she encountered Russell Bishop — the man acquitted three years earlier of murdering Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows. Bishop abducted Rachel, drove her to Devil's Dyke, sexually assaulted and strangled her, and left her for dead. M...

Did you know True Criminals is on Patreon? You can listen ad free and enjoy exclusive bonus content, just like the episode you’re listening to right now. Please enjoy this exclusive Patreon bonus teaser of True Criminals. If you would like to listen to the full episode and access our complete catalogue of exclusive content, head over to: https://www.patreon.com/truecriminals In the early hours of...

In October 1986, nine-year-old best friends Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows disappeared after going out to play near their homes on the Moulsecoomb estate in Brighton. The following afternoon, their bodies were discovered in Wild Park. The case became known across Britain as the Babes in the Wood murders — one of the most notorious and heartbreaking cases in Bri...

Did you know True Criminals is on Patreon? You can listen ad free and enjoy exclusive bonus content, just like the episode you’re listening to right now. Please enjoy, and if you’d like to become a Patreon member, head over to:https://www.patreon.com/truecriminals We welcome Kerry Daynes back to True Criminals for the second of two conversations with one of Britain’s leading consultant forensic ps...

In this second of two special episodes of True Criminals, journalists Helen Fospero and Martin Brunt are joined once again by investigative journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown, whose reporting helped expose Malaysia’s extraordinary 1MDB scandal and the disappearance of billions of dollars from a state investment fund. With former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak...

On September 11, 2001, Helen Fospero stood on the fire escape of her New York apartment and watched the unthinkable unfold. Living just blocks from the World Trade Center and working as a British television correspondent in New York, Helen witnessed the second plane strike the Twin Towers. Then, as she tried to contact her cameraman and understand what was happening, she watched the South Tower co...

In this first of two special episodes of True Criminals, journalists Helen Fospero and Martin Brunt are joined by investigative journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown, whose reporting helped expose the extraordinary corruption at the heart of Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal. Rewcastle Brown’s investigation began in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, where the destruction of tropical rainfo...

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In Part One, Bill Clegg KC revealed how the case against Colin Stagg collapsed, leaving Rachel Nickell’s real killer free. In Part Two, the story turns to the man who actually murdered her: Robert Napper. Helen Fospero and Martin Brunt are once again joined by Bill, who found himself in an extraordinary position. Having defended Colin Stagg, he later represented Napper after he was charged with th...

In July 1992, Rachel Nickell was murdered in broad daylight on Wimbledon Common, with her two year old son nearby. The killing shocked Britain and triggered one of the most controversial murder investigations in modern British history. Helen Fospero and Martin Brunt are joined by Bill Clegg KC, the barrister who defended Colin Stagg, the innocent man police accused of Rachel's murde...

We welcome Kerry Daynes back to True Criminals for the second of two conversations with one of Britain’s leading consultant forensic psychologists. Last time, we explored Kerry’s encounters with serial killer Dennis Nilsen. This time, the story is Kerry herself and an extraordinary career spent sitting opposite some of the most dangerous and complex people in the criminal justice system....

Simon Bailey returns to the studio for the second part of our conversation examining the Jimmy Savile case and its lasting impact on safeguarding and policing in Britain. For decades, Savile was able to exploit children and vulnerable people while enjoying extraordinary access to respected institutions and widespread public admiration. How did his offending remain unchecked for so long, and why we...

Few people spent time talking to Dennis Nilsen after his conviction. Consultant forensic psychologist, Sunday Times bestselling author and host of The Profiler with Kerry Daynes, Kerry Daynes, did. In this episode of True Criminals, Kerry reflects on her conversations and correspondence with one of Britain's most infamous serial killers, offering rare insight into the psyc...

Forty years after the disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh, former Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Michael Barley returns to True Criminals to revisit one of Britain's most haunting unsolved cases. As the officer who established the original incident room on the night Suzy vanished and remained involved in the investigation for more than a decade, Mike offers an extraordinary ins...

How was Jimmy Savile able to abuse children and vulnerable people for decades while surrounded by powerful institutions, public admiration and extraordinary access? In this powerful episode of True Criminals, Martin Brunt and Helen Fospero examine one of the most significant safeguarding failures in modern British history, exploring how opportunities to stop a prolific offender were repeatedl...

We're still pinching ourselves... 🎉 In this short bonus episode, Martin Brunt and Helen Fospero reflect on an unforgettable evening at the True Crime Awards, where we were honoured to win Most Captivating Hosts. A huge thank you to everyone at the True Crime Awards, the judging panel, and everyone involved in recognising the work that goes into bringing these stories to you each week. Most import...

This week on True Criminals, Martin Brunt and Helen Fospero revisit one of the most infamous murder cases in British history, the story of Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen. Joined by bestselling historian and author Hallie Rubenhold, they explore the murder of Belle Elmore and the extraordinary investigation that gripped the Edwardian world, from the first international manhunt to the pioneering use of wi...

In this episode of True Criminals, Martin Brunt and Helen Fospero take a closer look at ITV’s powerful drama Believe Me, which tells the story of convicted black cab rapist John Worboys through the experiences of his victims. Having both followed and covered the case, Martin and Helen discuss how the four-part drama brings one of Britain’s most shocking criminal cases back into focus — not by cent...

At True Criminals, we spend much of our time examining criminal investigations, court cases and the pursuit of justice. But what happens after the headlines fade? What support exists for children and families living with the lasting impact of crime? We are incredibly proud to launch the first of four special episodes created in partnership with Embrace Child Survivors of Crime, a remarkable charit...

A black cab was once considered the safest way home. For dozens of women, that faith was destroyed by one of Britain’s most prolific sexual predators. In this special episode, we speak to Carrie Johnson, who was 19 when she got into a London black cab driven by the convicted serial rapist John Worboys. Johnson recounts the night she accepted what seemed an ordinary lift home, her role as a key wit...

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor remains at the centre of an increasingly complex criminal investigation. In this special briefing episode of True Criminals, Martin Brunt and Helen Fospero discuss the latest developments in the ongoing case and what they could mean moving forward. What initially appeared to be an inquiry connected to Andrew's former role as a UK trade envoy and his association with Jeff...

In the final chapter of this special three part series from True Criminals, the Brink’s Mat saga reaches its chilling, unsolved conclusion. The story moves from the immediate aftermath of the heist to the long, violent shadow it cast over the criminal underworld for more than three decades—culminating in a quiet garden in Essex. Hosts Martin and Helen are reunited with former Metropolitan Police C...

In Part Two of this special three part series from True Criminals, the Brink’s-Mat robbery enters a darker and far more complicated phase. The gold is gone, melted down and scattered through a web of handlers, front businesses and international money laundering networks stretching from London to the Caribbean. Hosts Martin and Helen continue the story with former Metropolitan Police Commander and...

In this special episode of True Criminals, we examine the latest Operation Captura campaign, the long-running international manhunt led in partnership with the National Crime Agency, Crimestoppers, Spanish law enforcement, and UK policing partners. Marking 20 years of Operation Captura, authorities have released a new Most Wanted list featuring 12 fugitives believed to be hiding in, or linked to,...

When six masked men burst into the Brinks Mat warehouse near Heathrow in the early hours of 26 November 1983, they expected cash. Instead, they stumbled upon nearly 6,800 gold bars worth £26 million, the biggest bullion robbery in British history. What followed would become one of the most notorious and far reaching criminal investigations the UK has ever seen. In Part One of this special three pa...