Always True Crime

Today’s episode continues my look at the life and crimes of Andy Baker, known as ‘The Cornerman’ for taking a cut of any deal. We look at his rise from working the doors in Surrey, through to murder trials, drugs and extreme violence. It is a story straight out of the movies but this week, his luck runs out as he is finally convicted by a Jury. Sponsors With thanks to: www.hellofresh.co.uk   promo...

On Saturday 18th September 1948, in Room 1 of the Grenville Hotel, Vera Crawford, an unwell woman was found dead in her hotel bed. It seemed as if she had died of natural causes but being required to inform the victim’s next-of-kin, the Police uncovered a murder which was both sinister and tragic. Date:  Saturday 18th September 19 48 Location: The Grenville Hotel, 1 Grenville Street, Bloomsbu...

Today’s episode looks at the life and crimes of Andy Baker, known as ‘The Cornerman’ for taking a cut of any deal. We look at his rise from working the doors in Surrey, through to murder trials, drugs and extreme violence. It is a story straight out of the movies. Sources I have drawn heavily on an amazing piece of investigative journalism at The Cable who covered the life of Andy Baker in four ar...

The first part of this series' multi part episodes of The True Crime Enthusiast Podcast arrives this week - it's gone a bit further than a trilogy now - looking at a long spanning case of brutal murders, horrific crimes, and a remarkable case of detection. And the tale begins in a lonely country house in South Wales... The episode contains descriptions of crimes and events that some listeners may...

On Saturday 7th December 1872, Mary Ann Moriarty; a good, decent and hard-working mother of eight children, who struggled to protect her family whilst trapped in an abusive relationship with a violent angry drunk, had her life and pain ended by the blade of an axe. Date: Saturday 7th December 1872 Location: 13 Granby Place, Covent Garden, London, WC2 (demolished) Victims: 1 (Daniel Moriarty) Culpr...

Queens Park Rangers football club in West London has a loyal and forgiving supporter base. Success on the pitch has been hard to find, with the last trophy being won in 1967. In this episode of the UK True Crime podcast we examine the bizarre events at the Boardroom of this club which too place in the summer of 2005. Sponsor www.hellofresh.co.uk and enter the discount code Truecrime Links https://...

On Saturday 18th June 1982 at 7:30am, the body of Roberto Calvi, the ex-Chairman of Banco Ambrosiano was found hanging under the north-side of Blackfriars Bridge. Having been sacked, with his bank having collapsed owing to a $1.4 billion dollar debt, which he had caused by illegal trade deals, it looked like a regular suicide. But was it? Date:  Saturday 18th June 1982 Location: Blackfriars B...

I bet you see it at your work all the time. Work colleagues getting on well, maybe a little flirtation, all totally harmless. Or is it? This episode of the UK True Crime Podcast from Surrey in 2014, looks at what happened when a little flirtation got totally out of hand. With a terrible conclusion.... Sponsors A huge thank you to the sponsor of this weeks show: Heist-studios.com . Use the promotio...

Back in 1989, the areas around Blackpool weren't all fairgrounds and candy floss, darkness did indeed exist, as we learn in this week's episode of The True Crime Enthusiast Podcast. It involves the horrific murder of a young girl, and the tale of the strange figure who committed the awful crime. The episode contains descriptions of crimes and events of a sexual nature, involving a child, that some...

On Friday 26th December 1947, Elizabeth Wakefield; an elderly widow who was desperate to remarry for fear of being left on the shelf, moved into the first floor flat at 46 Calthorpe Street with an angry drunken maniac called Frederick Cox who had been convicted of the attempted murder of his entire family. But who was worse – the widow or her killer? Date: Friday 26th December 1947 Location: First...

It was a cold, December night in 1995 and Celine Figard was keen to get to the hotel in Hampshire, to join her cousin. She had so enjoyed spending the summer there. So when the truck driver offered her a lift at Chieveley Services in Berkshire, she jumped in the cab, excited about the coming weeks. But Celine never arrived at the hotel. In this episode I explore just what happened to 19 year old C...

It's unsolved week this one on The True Crime Enthusiast Podcast, where we head back to 1994, to the town of Grantham in Lincolnshire, and where we look at the stories of Sharon Harper and Julie Pacey - two women who met a brutal, tragic, and to date unsolved end, just two months and three miles apart.  The episode contains descriptions of crimes and events of a sexual nature that some listeners m...

On Friday 8th March 2013, wealthy Mayfair socialite Roberto Troyan; a gregarious, fun and generous man who being gripped with grief and unable to cope placed his life in the hands of someone he felt he could trust - his financial advisor - and yet this greedy little man would bleed Roberto dry. Date: Friday 8th March 2013 Location: Flat 6, 101 Mount Street, Mayfair, London, W1 Victims: 1 (Roberto...

When the call came on the Saturday afternoon, 33 year old Warren Selkirk drove to Crosby Marina with his two young sons. He got out of the car, telling them he would be back soon, but he never returned. In this episode of the UK True Crime Weekly Podcast we look at just what happened to Warren. And why. Sponsored by Heist-studio.com For a 15% discount, use the code: HEIST15 Links https://www.uktru...

Join The True Crime Enthusiast, as this week we head back to 1986 for a recount of a savage case of multiple murder. Before Stephen Port, before Colin Ireland, another killer stalked the streets of London's gay scene. One who is surprisingly often forgotten or overlooked - surprising, because the crimes are some of the most horrific ever recounted.  The episode contains descriptions of crimes and...

It was December 2015 and many of us vaguely heard on the news that a sex worker had been murdered in the 'designated red light district' of Holbeck, to the south of Leeds City Centre. But who was this person and why was she killed? Links https://www.uktruecrime.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/UKTrueCrime https://www.patreon.com/UKTrueCrime Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...

Laura Bailey was murdered in Liverpool in 2006. With huge thanks to her brother William Bailey, this week I tell the story of her short life. And how she died a true hero. Links https://www.uktruecrime.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/UKTrueCrime https://www.patreon.com/UKTrueCrime Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The concluding part of this week's two-part episode on The True Crime Enthusiast Podcast - and we have headed back to the 1980's for a complex and long spanning tale of greed, deception, and brutal murder on the Channel Island of Jersey. Music used in this episode: "Chance" by Kai Engel from the album "The Run" All music used is sourced from http://freemusicarchive.org/ and used under an Attributi...

First of a two-part episode this week on The True Crime Enthusiast Podcast - released a day apart - it goes back to the 1980's for a complex and long spanning tale of greed, deception, and brutal murder on the Channel Island of Jersey. Music used in this episode: "Chance" by Kai Engel from the album "The Run" All music used is sourced from http://freemusicarchive.org/ and used under an Attribution...

On Thursday 5th April 1934, in Flat 5 of 35 Gosfield Street, 34 year old Juliette Merrill was murdered; it was a crime of passion committed by her boyfriend, investigated by the Police and convicted in a court of law, and although the case is now closed, the details of her life and death are a little sketchy… with one vital clue almost erased forever. Date: Thursday 5th April 1934 Location: Flat 5...

The office affair, especially when one, or both, are married, can cause all sorts of problems. In the podcast this week, from Edinburgh, when Suzanne Pilley went missing they suspected the man from her office with whom she was having an affair could hold the information needed to find her. But he wasn't talking... Links https://www.uktruecrime.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/UKTrueCrime https:...

On Monday 26th December 2011, Seydou Diarrassouba was stabbed to death outside of Foot Locker on Oxford Street, he was a promising young man from a good solid family who had a great start in life, and yet, believing that he had to carry a knife, instead of becoming someone great, he became just another statistic.... and another wasted life. Date:  Tuesday 26th December 2011 Location: Foot Loc...

A listener written episode of The True Crime Enthusiast Podcast this week covers a celebrated UK crime, one that remains unique in the annals of British criminal history.  With massive thanks to listener Julia Crane. Music used in this episode: "Chance" by Kai Engel from the album "The Run" All music used is sourced from http://freemusicarchive.org/ and used under an Attribution Licence ( https://...

We return to South Wales in 2002 as the body of Joseph Kappen is exhumed from the grave where he was buried 12 years earlier, after dying from lung cancer at age 48. Was he the serial killer who had murdered 16 year old Sandra, Pauline and Geraldine? Reference For this story, I am indebted to the following article by Kevin Toolis in The Guardian newspaper: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/jan/1...

Gordon Johnson; a tragic man of many misfortunes, who was side-lined by life and shafted by fate, and yet crueller still, with no reason and being so unexpected, on Tuesday 5th September 1945, in Mac’s Dance Hall in Soho, the first time he ever met, saw or even knew about his killer was in the seconds before his death. Date: Tuesday 5th September 1945 Location: 41 Great Windmill Street, Soho, Lond...