Always True Crime

This is Part One of Three of Coldblooded. On Saturday 7th October 1944 at 2:15am, 34-year-old taxi-driver George Edward Heath drove his recently loaned grey V8 Ford Sedan east along Hammersmith Road. Forty minutes later, he would be dead. But why was George killed, for revenge, for sport, for money, or something stranger? Date: Saturday 7th October 1944 at 2:30am (shot, died 15 minutes later) Loca...

In a departure from my usual coverage of British murder cases, I bring you an off-season collaboration episode that delves into a mysterious and highly debated case from the Republic of Panama, Central America. Mark and Bethan join me from the excellent Seeing Red true crime podcast, with Mark telling us the story of Dutch students Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon, who disappeared on April 1, 2...

Euan Johnston went for dinner with a friend in the centre of Glasgow, but whilst he was eating he was unaware he was being watched. And when he left, the Audi pulled out behind his car and followed, waiting for the right time. The traffic lights offered the opportunity and the gunman jumped out of the car and fired three shots at Euan at point blank range. At just 26, Euan died from his injuries....

On Wednesday 24th of May 1871, a wealthy bachelor called Frederick Moon came 23 Newton Road in Bayswater, the lavish home of his girlfriend Hannah Newington for dinner. They ate fine food, they drank good wine, they listened to music on the piano, and then – for reasons that no-one could fathom – he ended up dead. But who had killed him? His girlfriend, her lover, their guests, himself, or was it...

In this episode, I tell the story of Georgia Williams, a 17-year-old girl killed in Wellington, Shropshire, on May 26, 2013. Georgia left her parents' home that Sunday evening shortly before 8 pm to take part in what she thought was a photoshoot with 22-year-old Jamie Reynolds, someone she knew through her older sister, Scarlett. After failing to return home, Georgia's parents, Steve and Lynn...

Disaster struck the family home when one of the daughters of the Stringer family, Karen, was just 10 years old. It was only due to Karen’s quick thinking and reactions that the family all were able to leave the house safely. Karen's heroic actions of that day made the papers, with headlines shouting out about Karen’s bravery and how she had saved her family from a very tricky situation.  However,...

#234 - Deadly Soap. On Monday 18th of August 1952 at roughly 2pm, a scream came from Flat 8 on the third floor of 21 Hanson Street in Fitrovia, W1. The neighbours found the body of 23-year-old Georgia Andreou on her bed. She had died possibly by her own hand, but how did she die and who knew what? Date: M onday 18th of August 1952 at roughly 2pm Location: Flat 8, 21 Hanson Street, Fitzrovia, Londo...

In this episode, I tell the story of Catherine Kelly, a 71-year-old woman killed in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, on February 11, 2017. Catherine had spent that Saturday evening attending a 21st birthday party with her 41-year-old son William Kelly and his partner Eleanor Banks. Within minutes of the three arriving back home, a fire broke out, which resulted in Catherine's death. It was soon revealed...

It was a party. A chemsex party. Many were invited but when one man turned up at the London estate he was turned away at the door. What he could never have realised is that this was because the other guest at the party had just been murdered.... Find out more about the UK True Crime Podcast: https://uktruecrime.com Writing Credit : Megan Grant. See Megan's work on Instagram: https://www.instagram....

I welcome April Taylor to the show in this interview episode to discuss her new book, 'Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots.' The book tells the story of the law's enactment and its penalties from Henry VII to Elizabeth I. It's arranged in alphabetical order of crimes and recounts tales of blackmail, infanticide, kidnapping, heresy, and sumptuary laws. Researched metic...

Many areas around the UK have their own tales of a costumed resident - some are just harmless eccentrics, whilst others do it to send some goodwill out or to raise money for good causes. And then some, as the odd title of the episode will come to explain, and how the North Somerset area came to know from 2018 onwards, have a stranger reason - for the simple reason of instilling fear. The episode c...

#233 - Sketches. At 5:15am, on the Boxing Day morning of 1948, cartoonist Harry Michaelson was found on his doorstep of Flat 75 at Fursecroft in Marylebone, nursing a bloody wound to his head. With no memory of what had happened, the police relied on the evidence. But having made a lazy assumption, they almost derailed the entire investigation. Date: 26th December 1948, at 5:15am (discovered) Loca...

In this episode, I tell the story of Louise Sellars, a 15-year-old girl killed in Appley Bridge, Greater Manchester, on August 13, 1995. That Sunday evening, Louise left her home to meet her friend Kelly Morrisey and spent a few hours with her before the two parted ways. The last time Louise was seen was at around 9:30 pm. Her parents called the police after Louise failed to return home without le...

It was 11.57pm  when the emergency services were called to a house fire in Woking, Surrey. The call was made by a panicking and distressed Alan Jermey. On the call to the fire service, Alan confirmed he was on the roof of the house with his two young daughters, “I'm upstairs, the fire is downstairs. There is just smoke coming up.” It was two minutes into the call that he told the operator: “The th...

#232 - Finally, a home. On Friday 23rd April 1960, 23-year-old Elaine Baker finished her shift as a striptease artiste at the Peeperama on 47 Frith Street in Soho. It was an odd job for her to do, as she was so quiet and shy. Fifteen minutes after her arrival back home at 19 Tredegar Square in Bow, East London, she stabbed her boyfriend to death. But why? Date: Friday 23rd April 1960 at roughly 12...

In this episode, I tell the story of Teddy Tilston, a 2-year-old boy killed in Birkenhead, Merseyside, on March 1, 2017. Teddy was being cared for by 28-year-old Craig Smith, his mum's partner, when the emergency services were called that afternoon. Smith claimed Teddy had drowned in the bath after being left for just 30 seconds, but the paramedics attending the scene noticed that he was bone dry....

Jed Allen grew up in Didcot. But normality was something Jed was not accustomed to in his family upbringing as his mum suffered from alcohol and heroin addiction and all the issues that brings to family life. By 21 Jed was clearly suffering frustration at the way his life was working out and he became obsessed with Wolverine -  the fantasy creature who is a social outcast and loner facing an inner...

#231 - The Good Samaritans. On Sunday 31st of July 1904, at roughly 12:30am, a fight broke out near the doorway of 23 Greek Street in Soho between two young men; Edward Devanney and Raphael Ciclino. Amidst a mele of fists and drunken yells, although its witnesses spoke of the shouts they’d heard and blows they’d seen, it seems strange that no-one saw the truth. Date: Sunday 31st of July 1904, at r...

In this episode, I tell the story of Kenneth Syme, a 48-year-old man killed in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, on January 1, 1995. Kenneth attended a Hogmanay party at a tenement in Faifley, close to his home, and was later thrown out of a third-floor window by Kenneth McGuire over an alleged debt he was owed. Somehow, Kenneth Syme survived that fall and was brought back up to the flat, where he w...

It is a cliche but in some episodes of the podcast the truth is stranger than fiction. This is the case today when  Dena Holmes was driven by lust and greed and she didn't care who got in her way - they needed to be removed. Find out more about the UK True Crime Podcast: https://uktruecrime.com Join me at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/UKTrueCrime Buy my book 'Gone Fishing' about serial killer A...

Continuing the story that must be every parent's nightmare - the abduction of a newborn baby, just five hours old, from a hospital in Nottingham in July 1994. In an investigation that was parallelled with the likes of the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, or for the killers of James Bulger, this is a scope as to how the hunt for baby Abbie Humphries was - but would detectives find her?? Music used in...

#230 - Pieces. On Monday the 25th of February 1935 at 2:30pm, an unusual parcel arrived at Platform 19 of Waterloo Station. At 21 inches long, 9 inches wide and deep and weighing close to two stone, the train's cleaner found a severed paid of legs. And although to some this was just a piece of lost property, it would lead to one of the strangest criminal investigations in the Met Police’s history....

In this episode, I tell the story of Fred Barras, a 16-year-old boy killed in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk, on August 20, 1999. Fred and his friend, 29-year-old Brendon Fearon, were burgling the isolated farmhouse Bleak House when its owner, 54-year-old farmer Tony Martin, caught them in the act and unloaded his shotgun at them. Both men were hit, but only Fred died due to his injuries. Tony was handed...

Arguably, the most precious moments between a parent and child are in that childs first minutes and hours on this earth, where the bond between parent and child is first made, and which strengthens each second. Imagine then, if that is ripped away from you by a stranger, with your child just hours old? In July 1994, Nottingham couple Karen and Roger Humphries faced that very nightmare, a story tha...

I welcome Paul MacNamara to the show in this interview episode to discuss his debut book, 'The Criminal Class: Memoir of a Prison Teacher.' Paul was born in Sydney and has worked as an educator in several correctional centres in Australia. He has also worked as a teacher in the juvenile justice system. He never held a political position on the prison system and knew very little of the workings of...