They Walk Among Us - UK True Crime

There is a saying that “ a man’s home is his castle” — it is supposed to be a sanctuary, a place of safety and security. Unfortunately for many, anti-social behaviour can make them feel uncomfortable and on edge in their own homes. When problems like these arise, it can take weeks for the police to resolve them, and only after the damage has been done. Some try a different approach...

Strong gales were sweeping across much of the United Kingdom on the night of Sunday, January 24th, 1993. Temperatures dipped below freezing, as most of the country found relief in the warmth and comfort of their homes. On the quiet estate of Birch Hill in Bracknell, Berkshire, seven-year-old Stacey Queripel was sent to bed early by her mother. She had no plans to go to sleep. Instead, St...

After making the 50-mile journey to the cottage in the Somerset village of Loxton, Peter found Noreen reclining on a sofa in the sitting room. When he asked her what had happened, she began rambling incoherently for almost 45 minutes. Eventually, Noreen told him that she had seen an evil look in Marie’s eyes, and said,  “There was one moment when the look became so strong and the evil in the...

As night fell, Roy Lightfoot returned home from work. He closed the door behind him and anticipated hearing the delicate sound of the dog's paws on the floor as Tessa came to greet him. But instead, the home was eerily silent. Roy called out to Margaret but received no response. The property was evidently empty…  *** LISTENER CAUTION IS ADVISED ***     This ...

In the early 80s, July 19th, 1982, to be exact, four-year-old Rhodene Cunningham and her grandmother Mavis made their way to Kingsgate Estate in Dalston after spending the weekend together. Rhodene’s father, Keith, was in Spain visiting his brother, international and Real Madrid footballer Laurie Cunningham. Rhodene was looking forward to being reunited with her mother, Norma Richards, a...

It was a typically warm mid-summer afternoon in 1966. However, shortly after 3 PM, the sound of gunshots rang out on a residential street in Shepherd’s Bush, West London… *** LISTENER CAUTION IS ADVISED ***     This episode was researched and written by Eileen Macfarlane . Script editing, additional writing, illustrations and production direction by Rosanna...

Shrill sirens could be heard as firefighters jumped from their trucks to control the flames emanating from the imposing concrete structure. Many of the doors and windows had been boarded up with plywood in a futile attempt to dissuade trespassers. It was an arduous task for the emergency crew to remove the boards before they could gain entry and try to extinguish the growing blaze. After the...

She rolled her car to a stop and rushed over to attend to the man lying on the verge. Elizabeth discovered his name was Malcolm Webster, and the fireball not far from where they were now standing was his car engulfed in flames. Elizabeth asked if there was anybody else inside the vehicle. Webster replied, “ No ,” before later correcting himself, and saying, “Yes, my wife”...  *** LI...

Simon slowly walked through the property, calling for his friend, before he entered the spare room.  Adrian was lying on the bed. It was evident he was dead and had been for some time. Simon instinctively knew that someone else was involved. A bottle of whiskey was on the table, and Simon knew his best friend did not drink whiskey… *** LISTENER CAUTION IS ADVISED ***   &nb...

It had been a particularly bitter winter, and the ice in the canal was just beginning to thaw. As the men strolled by the waterway, they spotted something floating in the murky canal. It appeared to be bobbing up and down with the flow of the water, but it was not gathering any traction. The men got closer to inspect the unfamiliar object. They could see that it was something wrappe...

Henrietta Sutherland rushed into the dining room at 31 Buckingham Terrace in Edinburgh. The maid to the Merrett family found 55-year-old Bertha unconscious on the floor, with a pool of blood around her head. Bertha’s 17-year-old son, Donald, was standing next to her when Henrietta entered the room. It was shortly after 9 AM on March 17th, 1926. The maid had been alerted by the sound of a...

In the early morning hours of May 28th, 2018, as usual, Levens Drive was peaceful. Shortly after 4 AM, however, an early riser in the neighbourhood noticed the distinct aroma of smoke in the air. As she glanced out of her bedroom window, she could see that her neighbour’s bungalow was up in flames, with thick black smoke billowing from the windows. She immediately called the Fire Service...

The manager of an amusement arcade on the corner of Gerrard Street and Wardour Street in Soho, London, went to open the premises for business — it was just before 8 AM on Monday, April 3rd, 1989. Accompanied by his assistant, when the manager entered the building, he heard faint cries from the basement, and a strong smell of smoke hung in the air. They moved cautiously through the property, h...

Throughout the first two decades of the 20th century, life in Britain began to change rapidly. In the years preceding the first world war and the great depression, the economy was stable — although the divide between classes was significant, women were getting closer to equality, and the first female police officers began to patrol the streets. It had been many years since Jack the Rippe...

Elstree Studios is based in Borehamwood, an area where hundreds, if not thousands, of movies and TV shows have been filmed — it's not unusual to see the odd celebrity. But, in December, the high street is abuzz with a different excitement — it's Christmas time, and the festivities are in full swing… *** LISTENER CAUTION IS ADVISED ***     This episode was researc...

November 1991 — rumours were circulating around the village of Northiam in Sussex, about 52-year-old Terry Daddow and his 51-year-old wife, Jean. The malicious gossip focused on their love life as well as Terry’s business dealings. In an attempt to set the record straight, Terry and Jean went to unusual measures. They addressed a letter to the local newspaper requesting that it be printed… **...

PLEASE LISTEN TO ‘SEASON 7 - EPISODES 23 & 24’ FOR PARTS ONE AND TWO OF THIS THREE-PART CASE. Late on the night of December 11th, 1975, police constables Stuart MacKenzie and Tony White were on patrol in the Nottinghamshire area of Mansfield Woodhouse, when they noticed a man walking in the shadows with his head down and a holdall bag over his shoulder… (Part 3 of 3). *** LISTENER CAUTION IS A...

PLEASE LISTEN TO ‘SEASON 7 - EPISODE 23’ FOR PART ONE OF THIS THREE-PART CASE. On February 10th, 1975, almost a month since Lesley Whittle’s kidnapping, detectives announced that the suspect was “ the most wanted man in Britain ”… (Part 2 of 3). *** LISTENER CAUTION IS ADVISED ***     This episode was researched and written by Eileen Macfarlane . Script edit...

Highley is a village built along the banks of the River Severn in Shropshire. Previously a mining area — the collieries closed in 1969 — the village became a market town. In 1975, the population was small, around 3,000 residents. Among them were 17-year-old Lesley Whittle and her mother, Dorothy Walker… (Part 1 of 3). *** LISTENER CAUTION IS ADVISED ***     This episo...

Soon after midday, on Tuesday, January 19th, 2021, the London Ambulance Service received a frantic phone call from Susan Oliver. Susan lived in Mottingham, South London, with her 74-year-old husband, David. She hysterically told the operator that her partner had been stabbed at their home…  *** LISTENER CAUTION IS ADVISED ***     This episode was resear...

It was quiet in Ardoyne on Saturday, March 15, 2014. However, during the early morning hours, a woman living on Ardoyne Place was awoken by the sound of shouting. It was coming from somewhere in the neighbourhood, but at first, she couldn't make out the exact location.  The loud voices sounded like several men who were upset — it was difficult to decipher what they were yelling...

Residents of Balne Lane were settling in for the night, preparing dinner and searching for something good to watch on television. It was March 15th, 1994 — a quiet Tuesday evening in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Some employees at Green’s Printers, which overlooked the neighbourhood, were working late. Shortly after 6 PM, one of the silk screen print workers noticed a man approaching a red-...

Desperation can lead people to flee the country they call home in search of somewhere safer, a place where they might have better work prospects and a better quality of life. In some cases, they feel they have no choice but to turn to traffickers to get them out. When they arrive at their intended destination, they know they will be financially indebted to the traffickers, perhaps for the res...

It was difficult to see, but as his eyes became accustomed to the darkness, something caught his eye. It was a plastic bag floating in the remnants of the petrol. Billy hollered to Mick, telling him to look at what was inside the bag. Mick waded through the sludge and approached the out-of-place object. It was evident by the shape and the way it moved that there was something i...

Some say the perfect time to visit Scotland is in the Autumn, around the Halloween period. Halloween originates from the Celtic festival of the ‘Feast of Samhain’, celebrated in Scotland, Ireland and on the Isle of Man from October 31st until November 1st. During this festival, people lit bonfires as a way to ward off unwelcome spirits. Many of these traditions were carried on throu...