Caught Up In Crime

In 1994, Nick was new to Chesham. He befriended the landlord of the Black Cat pub, and would occasionally help out behind the bar. One day, when Nick was the only person on shift, a man walked into the pub and told the regulars they would see him on the TV news that night. He returned later that evening, but this time he was armed with two hand grenades and a machete. Nick kept the man talking for...

Peter Sutcliffe terrorised West Yorkshire in the late 1970s, killing 13 women and attacking many more. He was caught nearly fifty years ago - and he's been dead for five - but his face is still instantly recognisable. His name synonymous with evil and brutality. Writers Sally-Anne Martyn and Daniel Sellers were both just children at the time of Sutcliffe's crimes, but grew up in the heartlands of...

Tom visits Reading Magistrates Court with his old university friend Sian.  In the dock are those accused of drug dealing, shoplifting, jumping bail and a whole range of other crimes and misdemeanours. The Court hustles and bustles with lawyers, legal advisors, police officers, translators, and robed attendants, but there is no doubt who is in charge: A no-nonsense, middle-aged Irishwoman sits righ...

Kevin Sanders is nearing the end of his sentence at the notorious Lewisburg federal penitentiary in Pennsylvania. He's been in prison for nearly 10 years, but he is quiet and nonviolent, and doesn't fit in at Lewisburg - which is home to some of the worst criminals in the country.  Kevin wants to just keep his head down and serve out his time, but he becomes embroiled in a brutal gang war instigat...

*IMPORTANT NOTE: This episode follows on from THE KILLER ON THE WATER. If you haven't listened to that one yet, please check it out first!* In this special Bonus Episode, Sarah Bax Horton puts forward the case for a new suspect in the hunt for Jack The Ripper! In her book, ONE ARMED JACK, Sarah details the extraordinary coincidences and circumstantial evidence that point to her man as a prime susp...

London, 1888. The city is gripped by fear as Jack the Ripper roams the streets of Whitechapel. But there's another madman on the loose, and the River Thames is his playground. The identity of The Thames Torso Killer has remained a mystery for nearly 140 years, but author Sarah Bax Horton believes she has found the culprit. Sarah began researching the case in honour of her great grandfather - Harry...

Bill Kimberlin is not your standard criminal psychologist. For more than 20 years he has visited inmates on Death Row in his home state of Ohio, and across the US.  What started as a project to expand his professional knowledge has become something of a calling. To date, he has built years-long relationships with 10 men on Death Row, and has witnessed three executions, with more scheduled for the...

*IMPORTANT NOTE: This episode follows on from WHO KILLED MRS HOOD? If you haven't listened to that one yet, please check it out first! In this special Bonus Episode, we focus on the crucial piece of evidence that convicted Herbert Bennett of his wife Mary's murder in September 1900. Her necklace was discovered in Herbert's lodgings after her death, helping to convince a jury that he was the man wh...

In September 1900 a woman's body was discovered on the beach in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. She had been strangled with a bootlace. The police had no idea who she was, but they established she had been staying in the town at a boarding house with her infant daughter, Ruby. She had checked in under the name 'Mrs Hood'. It took several weeks to work out her true identity. Her name was Mary Bennett, and...

Emily Patterson was the last victim of one of North America's first known serial killers. But she was also a loving mother to two small boys, a pillar of her local community in Canada, and the long lost ancestor of crime writer Denise Beddows. It was Emily's bravery as she tried to fight off the evil killer Earle Nelson - known as the 'Gorilla Killer' due to his abnormally large hands - that led t...

In 1998, author and historian Susan Ronald was in a bank vault in Zurich, Switzerland checking the assets of an elusive billionnaire for a huge investment project. There she stumbled upon evidence of a huge stash of art looted by the Nazis. Nobody took her story seriously until, more than 15 years later, the German authorities discovered thousands of priceless works of art - many stolen from Jews...

In this special bonus episode, Tom chats to Stuart Blues, host of the phenomenally successful podcast - British Murders. With more than 500 episodes and 9 million downloads in the last five years it has captured the imagination of true crime fans everywhere. Stuart talks about how he selects the cases he covers in the show - and the effect that talking murder all day has had on his mental health....

Just before 5pm on 27 November 2000, ten-year old Damilola Taylor was walking home from Peckham Library in Southeast London when he was attacked with a glass bottle. He was found in a stairwell at the North Peckham Estate and taken to Kings College Hospital where he was pronounced dead. In this episode, we are at the Old Bailey, speaking to a former juror from the first Damilola Taylor trial, wher...

For most of us, serving on a jury is the closest we will ever come to being Caught Up in Crime. For centuries, those accused of the most serious crimes have had the right to be heard by twelve ordinary citizens - their fates resting in the hands of their peers. But the system is creaking. Underfunded and undervalued, there are murmurings of discontent in the corridors of power.    Might juries be...

Nathan is both your typical, traditional private investigator, and its modern 21st Century equivalent rolled into one. On the one hand he fits the mould perfectly: A former police detective with a gruff, no-nonsense approach to cheating spouses and petty crooks - but he's also embracing the new world too. Despite reservations from some within his industry, he's built an impressive social media fol...

In 2018, Joanna Laiscell was fired from her position in the finance department at the Hartford Schools District after 24 years of service. The official reason for her dismisaal was insurance fraud, but the truth ran far deeper, exposing a murky world of racism and collusion. Joanna didn't know it at the time, but one of her colleagues was making it his mission to ruin her reputation. If you have a...

Have you ever thought about the historical crimes in YOUR town? Eleanor Phillips has lived in my home town of Chesham all her life, and in her retirement she has become one of its foremost historians and story-tellers. In this episode, she talks about four crimes spanning more than a century from the swahbuckling tale of highwaymen thwarted by a hero stagecoach driver, to the sinister 'Raincoat Ma...

For Mary O'Kane and her friends, murder never seems to be far away... Throughout their lives, their get-togethers have been dominated by talk of the latest serial killings or celebrity homicides. Pretty soon, they realised they all had close connections to some of the most notorious crimes in US history. Sometimes, the cases were  huge - OJ, Versace, John Wayne Gacy - but others struck much closer...

SERIES 2 is coming! **Launch date - Tuesday 5th August** Caught Up in Crime tells the stories of ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations. From historical tales of family intrigue to contemporary accounts from victims, witnesses and perpetrators - the series takes listeners right to the heart of the crime. Join me, Tom Clarke, for weekly episodes every Tuesday. If you have a...

In this special bonus episode, Tom talks to legendary US civil rights attorney, Michael Sussman. The US judiciary is under pressure like never before. Messrs Trump, Vance and Musk have the knives out for progressive lawyers and judges - and the integrity and independence of the courts are being challenged daily.  In a 45 year career, Michael's tackled bureaucracy and injustice in his home state of...

In this special bonus episode, journalist Lauren Potts chats to Tom about death knocks, stolen Bakewell tarts, and her deep-dive investigation into two missing schoolboys that was read by more than a million people on the BBC website. Lauren worked as a Court and Crime reporter in Yorkshire before turning her hand to investigative reporting and feature writing for the BBC. Her freelance work has s...

There's a house in Northampton that looks much like any other. But this house is unique. It is at the centre of a project to eliminate homelessness for prison leavers. A place that offers hope to men who have none. In the final episode of the series, follow the stories of two prison leavers and their extraordinary journeys towards rehabilitation. Visit www.ownmerit.org   If you have any story idea...

Dr Aaron Lewis is a former pastor, prolific author, and human rights advocate. For decades, he has battled against public institutions and government officials in his home state of Connecticut, defending the voiceless against a system he believes is fundamentally corrupt.  If you have any story ideas for future episodes of Caught Up in Crime - you can email them to  caughtupincrime@gmail.com . Con...

For generations, Lynda McKean's family have passed down the legend of their mysterious ancestor 'Lathley'. Supposedly, he forfeited the family name and wealth after killing a man in a duel before fleeing to join Admiral Nelson's ship The Victory. Years later, he returned to London and married a shoemaker's daughter. Now, Lynda's trying to track him down. If you have any story ideas for future epis...

In 1991, Miro Bouchakian invented a throw-and-catch toy called the Woblong. He dreamed of knocking the Frisbee off its perch, but soon found himself in hot water. Join us for a heady mix of dodgy dealings, murderous stockbrokers, and 90s nostalgia! If you want to join the Woblong generation, visit www. Woblong.com - you won't regret it! If you have any story ideas for future episodes of Caught Up...