Somali seaman Mahmood Mattan was hanged for a crime he didn't commit. On March 6th, 1952, Lily Volpert was murdered in the shop she ran in Cardiff's Tiger Bay. What followed was a flawed police investigation and prejudiced trial that ultimately led to Mahmood being hanged for a crime he was not responsible for. After 46 years, his innocence was finally proved in a court of law. But the impact of Lily's murder and Mahmood's execution are still being felt by two families today. For the first time, we hear from the family of murder victim Lily. Ruth was just yards away when her aunty was murdered, and she still doesn't know who killed her. And the surviving family members of Mahmood's family open up about the trauma they felt - and continue to feel to this day - 70 years after Mahmood was hanged.
Episode 1 – “We carry the name”. Available from September 9th
Somali seaman Mahmood Mattan was hanged for a crime he didn't commit. On March 6th, 1952, Lily Volpert was murdered in the shop she ran in Cardiff's Tiger Bay. What followed was a flawed police investigation and prejudiced trial that ultimately led to Mahmood being hanged for a crime he was not responsible for. After 46 years, his innocence was finally proved in a court of law. But the impact of Lily's murder and Mahmood's execution are still being felt by two families today. For the first time, we hear from the family of murder victim Lily. Ruth was just yards away when her aunty was murdered, and she still doesn't know who killed her. And the surviving family members of Mahmood's family open up about the trauma they felt - and continue to feel to this day - 70 years after Mahmood was hanged.
Episode 1 – “We carry the name”. Available from September 9th
Within six months of his arrest, Mahmood Mattan found himself on trial for murder. But could he ever receive a fair trial? A black man was facing the gallows and he had to place his faith in an all-white jury. There was little forensic evidence against him; and witness testimony which kept changing. And the motivation for the prosecution's star witness has been questioned. Even the actions of his own barrister have been called into doubt.
Presenter and Producer: Danielle Fahiya Sound Design: Cathy Robinson Original Music: Rhodri Llewellyn John Executive Producers: Karen Voisey and Andy Maguire Story Consultant: John Norton Production Manager: Andrea Deere
History Consultant: Chris Phillips. Archive: BBC Black Britain; ITV Wales
Edmund Davies, Justice Ormerod & newspaper journalist - Richard Elfyn Court clerk, Doris and Elizabeth Williams - Zoe Davies TE Rhys-Roberts & police officer - Rhys Downing Mahmood Mattan - Ali Goolyad Harold Cover - Anthony Corria