The Crime Scene Insiders

What would you do if a bit of online research led you to something deeply disturbing? In this episode of The Crime Scene Insiders, we're joined by Joshua Richards, founder of OSINT Praxis, to take a closer look at the world of Open-Source Intelligence, and the very real consequences it can sometimes uncover. Josh discovered OSINT while he was still a student, fascinated by the puzzle of piecing to...

What is life really like as a private investigator? In Episode 39, we're joined by Paul Hagan, an experienced private investigator and author of Looking Beneath the Surface, to hear about a career that has taken him into extraordinary, unpredictable and at times dangerous situations. Paul shares stories from his years as a PI, from surveillance jobs that didn't go to plan and investigations that p...

When you hear the word "cult", what comes to mind? For many of us, it's the infamous groups we've seen in documentaries and true crime programmes: Jonestown, Heaven's Gate, the Manson Family. But what if our understanding of cults is much narrower than it should be? In Episode 38, we're joined by Kacey Baker, creator and host of the award-nominated podcast Cult Vault, to explore the psychology of...

In this special bonus episode, released to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, we're honoured to welcome one of the world's most respected forensic pathologists, Dr Richard Shepherd, who was on the ground in New York in the aftermath of the attacks. Over a career spanning more than four decades and more than 23,000 post-mortem examinations, Dr Shepherd has worked on...

In this episode, we're talking about something we've both experienced throughout our years working in crime scene investigation: seeing the worst of humanity. Following on from our conversation with Maria Tume, we found ourselves reflecting on some of the cases that have stayed with us over the years — cases involving domestic abuse, child abuse, vulnerable adults, murder, and crimes against elder...

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of domestic abuse, coercive control, serious violence, grooming, and abuse of power. Listener discretion is advised. In this powerful and deeply personal episode of The Crime Scene Insiders, we hear Maria Tume’s story of survival, resilience, and the long journey that followed a devastating domestic abuse attack. After years of experiencing coe...

How much could your phone, smartwatch or even your car reveal about you? In a world where around 90% of crimes now have a digital element, digital forensics has never been more important — or more complex. In this episode, we are joined by digital forensic expert Rachael Medhurst for a fascinating look into one of the fastest-growing areas of modern policing and forensic investigation. Rachael is...

On 17th July 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. It remains the deadliest aircraft shoot-down in history and led to the largest Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) operation ever conducted in the Netherlands. Twelve years on, we reflect on our first disaster deployment and the 18 months we spent in the Netherlands supporting the...

In the summer of 1986, Brian Price and Susan Tetrault were found brutally murdered in Susan's first floor flat in Clapham, South London. The killings were so extreme that the victims could only be identified by their fingerprints. A suspect was tried at the Old Bailey — and acquitted. The case was marked as detected — a recording practice that meant if someone was charged, the case was considered...

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Judy Hinchliffe, a forensic odontologist with more than 30 years of experience working across the UK, New Zealand and Australia. Judy explains what forensic odontology is, how dental evidence can be used to identify the deceased, and why teeth remain one of the most valuable tools in forensic identification. We discuss her journey from general dental practice i...

Working in crime scene investigation means facing things most people will never see. But behind every CSI is a person carrying the weight of what they have seen — and that is a conversation that doesn't get had nearly enough. In this episode, Ange and Dee are joined by a very familiar face — Suzi Cutler, a former colleague from their time at Northumbria Police. Suzi spent almost 18 years in crime...

For our one-year anniversary special, we thought we’d do something a little different and take it right back to where a lot of this started — the two of us working double crewed as CSIs. In this episode of The Crime Scene Insiders, we go back under the barrier tape and revisit some of the funniest, strangest, most chaotic and memorable jobs we attended together over the years. From turning up to a...

On 22nd May 2017, a suicide bomber detonated a homemade explosive device in the foyer of Manchester Arena as thousands of concertgoers — many of them children — were leaving an Ariana Grande concert. Twenty-two innocent people were killed and hundreds more were injured. It was the biggest terrorist attack the UK had seen since the 7/7 bombings. This episode is released one week before the 9th anni...

What does it take to move from attending routine crime scenes to leading the forensic response to some of the most complex cases in the UK? In this episode, Ange and Dee are joined by Bob Gallagher MBE — former Senior Crime Scene Investigator and Crime Scene Manager with Greater Manchester Police. Bob was awarded his MBE for services to forensic and digital investigations, including his role in th...

What does nearly 50 years at the frontline of forensic science look like — and what does it tell us about one of Britain's most enduring cold cases? In this episode, Ange and Dee are joined by a very special guest and long-time mentor, Brian Rankin — former senior forensic scientist with the Home Office Forensic Science Service, former President of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences, and o...

He went from attending crime scenes… to leading the teams behind them. In this episode of The Crime Scene Insiders, we’re joined by Peter Hunter — a former Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) who is now Head of Forensics at Staffordshire Police. We started our CSI journey with Pete back in 2008, and in this episode we explore how a career in forensics really evolves — including what it’s like when you...

In October 2009, 50 year old Alan Wood was living a quiet life in rural Lincolnshire. A gentle and well-liked man, he worked nights at Sainsbury’s, ran a small gardening business, and enjoyed spending time with friends at his local pub. But after what appeared to be a completely routine evening, Alan returned home — and was never seen alive again. Three days later he was found dead in his living r...

In this episode of The Crime Scene Insiders, we continue the conversation that began in Episode 14, where Ange shared her experience of being assaulted and feeling let down by the criminal justice system. This time, we’re joined by Angela Whitworth — the friend who was with Ange on the night of the assault and who was also seriously injured, suffering a broken arm that required surgery. Ang talks...

This week we’re joined by Justine Shanahan — a CSI with over 25 years’ experience and a part-time lecturer at the University of Lincoln. Justine takes us back to the beginning: a teenager spending her pocket money on true crime books (long before CSI was cool), arranging her own attachments, and attending a post-mortem at just 17. And then comes the moment every new CSI fears most: her first night...

In this episode of The Crime Scene Insiders, we focus on the murder of Judith Richardson, a 77-year-old woman living independently in Hexham, Northumberland, whose life was taken in August 2011. Judith was known in her community for her kindness, her love of music, and her regular attendance at organ recitals at Hexham Abbey. She lived a quiet life, rooted in routine and connection. Her murder cam...

In this episode of The Crime Scene Insiders, it’s just the two of us — and we’re sharing a case that hits much closer to home. Angela recounts her experience of being burgled while asleep in her own home — and what followed was a forensic and investigative process that raised serious questions about triage decisions, evidence recovery, and the wider criminal justice system. From being told no CSI...

In this episode of The Crime Scene Insiders, we’re joined by Charlotte Thorpe, a former Crime Scene Investigator, Crime Scene Manager, and Senior CSI, who spent over 20 years with Kent Police. Charlie has worked on thousands of crime scenes, from volume crime through to serious and complex investigations, and has led teams through some of the most challenging moments of their careers. She shares w...

Merry Christmas! In this Boxing Day episode, we lift the festive tape and share what it’s really like to work as a CSI over Christmas and New Year. From frozen crime scenes to festive chaos, hear real stories from our days in the field — the good, the bad, and the downright ridiculous: • Christmas Day shifts you can’t dodge • The forbidden “Q word” and its consequences • Burglaries, assaults and a...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr Gary Currie — the CSI, Crime Scene Manager, national trainer, and senior lecturer who has shaped countless careers… including ours. Gary reflects on more than 30 years under the barrier tape: from the early SOCO days to modern CSI work, the culture shifts, the chaos, the humour that keeps you going, and the moments that stay with you long after leaving the job....

Former Detective Sergeant Joanne Mackel joins us for a deeply personal conversation about her life, her policing career, and the decades-long search for answers surrounding her mum’s disappearance. Joanne’s mother, Ann Law, went missing from Newcastle in 1973. Ann’s body has never been found, and it is long believed that she was murdered and buried by her husband — Joanne’s father, Gilbert Law. Gr...