How many fake Madeline McCanns are out there? Answer, 12!! The trial of Polish imposter Julia Wandelt, who believes she's the missing toddler, and conspiracy theorist Karen Spragg threw up odd nuggets of evidence over five weeks of trial before both women were cleared on stalking the McCanns and their children. Wandelt was found guilty of harassment and is likely to be deported. But was fake Madeline a con artist, attention seeker or just a very ill woman? This is an absorbing half an hour of the latest twist in the mystery of the worlds most famous missing person.
How much worse can it get, hundreds of inmates wrongly freed every year from Britain's jails, the latest an Algerian sex offender now at liberty roaming the streets. And this was after new measures introduced to stop it happening again following the embarrassment of the mistaken release of Hadush Kebatu, the Ethiopian illegal migrant who sexually assaulted a 14 year old girl. We have skin in the game, Professor David Wilson is not just a criminologist but was also a prison governor at Wormwood Scrubs and Martin Frizell, broadcaster and journalist lives in the neighbourhood of Wandsworth Prison, scene of the latest scandal. So how do we fix it?
Was it a blunder or something more sinister that allowed Britain's highest profile prisoner to walk free from jail yesterday instead of boarding a flight home to Ethiopia? Professor David Wilson was a prison governor before becoming a world leading criminologist and he believes there's something fishy in the controversial 'mistake' that allowed failed immigrant Hadush Kebatu to disappear from the jail where he was serving time for sex crimes against a 14 year old girl and a woman.
How deadly is it to have a target on your back if you’re a high profile prisoner? Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins has been murdered in jail with two fellow inmates charged with his death.
In this episode we discuss is it simply karma that wicked convicts (mainly sex offenders) are singled out on prison landings or do they deserve protection like everyone else no matter the heinous crimes they’ve committed?
Its Number one on Netflix, Monsters - the Ed Gein Story, but what does a world leading criminologist make of this controversial re telling of the original American serial killer and body snatcher?
Professor David Wilson loved all eight hours of dark, macabre and depraved behaviour carried out by the ultimate mummy's boy who's fixation with her led to his bizarre collection of body women's body parts. Journalist and broadcaster Martin Frizell, on the other hand, felt it was overlong, voyeuristic and checked out to watch the Sound of Music! Nazis in both but Ed Gein's influences came from the sinister Bitch of Buchenwald which allegedly fuelled his monsterous cravings. It's a proper non sensationalised half hour discussion about one of the true crime series of the year.
You'll have heard of Scandi Noir, well, now comes Tartan Noir!
Why does Scotland have an unhealthily rich heritage of serial killers, gangsters, bloody violence, turf wars and television detectives? All will be revealed when This Much is True Crime takes to the road next year with journalist and broadcaster Martin Frizell and emeritus Professor of Criminology David Wilson. In this episode we record on location with the Prof on his sell out tour of his book 'A History of Modern Britain in Twenty Murders', listen for half an hour as we explore the dark underbelly of a nation that produced many of the finest minds in the world but also its fair share of the worst.
Will predatory paedophile Christian Brueckner strike again now he's been released from jail? Very possibly, and will he get away with one of the biggest crimes of our lifetimes, the abduction and murder of Madeline McCann, ( if he did it) that's now very likely.
World leading expert on men who abduct and murder children, ex Surrey senior detective Graham Hill, now a PHD criminologist, presented an ITV documentary focusing on prime suspect Brueckner and there's little doubt he's responsible. In this fascinating discussion with Professor David Wilson, two authorities on men who prey on children, talk the failings of the McCann inquiry, the case against Brueckner and destroy the conspiracy theorists who implicate the toddler's grieving parents.
Want new insights into 20 crimes of the century from Jack the Ripper to the dreadful murder of Sarah Everard? Our in house Professor of Criminology, David Wilson, has researched and written ‘A History of Modern Britain in 20 Murders’. Order it on Amazon now and have a listen to our discussion in this episode about a fascinating concept that charts our progress and decline through the most heinous of killings
She’ll likely die in jail an old woman after her sentence for poisoning to death her in-laws but what was Erin Patterson’s motive? Britain’s top criminologist Professor David Wilson examines her behaviour before and during her court case and how she almost committed the perfect murder cooking up a deadly Beef Wellington. Now she has her just desserts, a life of solitary awaits but will she take her secret to the grave?
Is this the real life, is this just fantasy?
Queen legend Freddie Mercury is at the centre of bizarre allegations that he fathered a secret love child to whom he left seventeen volumes of highly revealing diaries, unpublished Queen songs and millions in inheritance in gold bullion and artwork.
It's all contained in a new book that promises to show a side of Freddie never seen before, however, where's the evidence? Hot on the heels of The Salt Path fiasco is this another publishing controversy and what are readers to believe?
Will it never end for the family of Meredith Kercher, the British student raped and murdered in her Italian university town in 2007? Flatmate Amanda Knox from Seattle was convicted of her murder twice then cleared. She’s written two books and taken part in a documentary and now, much to the disappointment of Meredith’s family, she’s produced an eight part mini series on her ordeal - from her perspective. We take a look and it’s not flattering.
What was Sarah Fergusons role in the Prince and the Paedophile scandal? Dramatic new transcripts from an interview with Ghislaine Maxwell in jail have been released as she tries to reduce her prison term for sex trafficking. Epstein suicide, Trump, secret client files, she answers it all as do we in this episode. But also another high profile criminal soap opera serves up another chapter as the murderous Menendez brothers apply for parole. Fascinating insight from Professor David Wilson as he believes the Menendez 'boys' (claimed sexual abuse by their father) may have escaped with a much shorter jail term had they been before a jury today.
Doubt Taggart ever studied criminology but it"s currently the new hot topic in Universities and schools. What would Jack Regan and George Carter from The Sweeney have made of studying the societal impact of the little toe rags they'd nicked? Why is it on trend and who better to explain than an emeritus Professor of Criminology who, let's face it, has done alright studying it! In this bite size edition David Wilson leads the class in the fundamentals of learning all about crime.
Did multi millionaire Jeffrey Epstein hang himself or was he silenced before he could incriminate the rich and powerful men who indulged in his sex abuse ring? It's a conspiracy theory that refuses to disappear and now, for the first time, a world leading criminologist has studied the case notes and delivers his verdict. In this episode, broadcaster Martin Frizell and emeritus Professor of Criminology David Wilson also consider the position of Epstein's enabler, Ghislaine Maxwell, should she be concerned for her safety - and the continuing saga of the broken modern American Dream now embroiling Trump and the Clintons.
Has the main suspect in Britain's biggest ever missing person case cruelly taken his secrets to the grave? Detectives are convinced serial rapist and murderer John Cannan abucted and killed Fulham estate agent Suzy Lamplugh on a summers day almost 40 years ago but never had evidence to charge him. This week a Prison inquiry found Cannan died of natural causes and had been managed with respect and cared for by confident, competent staff - sadly he didn't afford the same compassion to his victims nor did he reveal to the Lamplugh family Suzy's last resting place. In this episode Professor of Criminology David Wilson and journalist Martin Frizell consider the latest update and start with an astonishing development in the case of the Beef Wellington murderer and a new lethal recipe - cookies laced with anti freeze!
Could a mum really be behind one of the UK's biggest drug smuggling families, teaching her children the dark arts of trafficking? Grannies and mums are more prolific than ever on the British crime scene, one jailed just in the last few days. Not just coerced partners but genuine Dons or Donnas of UK mafioso whose 'quiet lady next door' image belies the dedicated and determined Granny gangster.
And we're exporting our female felons around the world, peddling drugs in country's with the death penalty where one pensioner mum is waiting for the firing squad. So is the 'fairer sex' just as bad as the rest ? Broadcaster Martin Frizell and Professor of Criminology David Wison explore the alpha female.
Why can't we deport 28 year old prolific burglar Dorian Puka back to Albania? He's been convicted twice of burglary in the UK, sent to prison and and kicked out back to Eastern Europe twice and yet he'a arrived back for a third time by illegal means and now he's claiming asylum. That allows him to move around freely until his claim is processed and in doing so he's flaunting spectacular wealth posting TikToks from nightclubs, Knightsbridge restaurants and gifting himself a new £200k Lamborghini.
In this episode, Broadcaster Martin Frizell and emeritus Professor of Criminology David Wilson clash over calling out those responsible for organised crime, are we wrong to pick on Albanians or are they the new Mafia?
What's the latest on the Salt Path controversy?
It's seven days on from the original bombshell accusations in The Observer that accused Raynor Winn and Moth of not being 'unflinchingly honest" in their multi million best seller The Salt Path.
Raynor, real name Sally Walker, has rebutted the criticism, meanwhile the Observer journalists have unearthed another character from the past who claims Moth told him that he had just weeks to live -that was four years ago. And bookshops around the country are reporting back on sales and comments from customers and it doesn't look good. Journalist Martin Frizell and emeritus Professor of Criminology David Wilson delve between the covers once again...
A bumper edition with allegations that the worldwide bestseller The Salt Path is fabricated in parts plus our take on the guilty verdicts for Erin Patterson, the Beef Wellington multiple killer.
The Observer newspaper in the UK is either going to win awards or be sued out of business by Raynor Winn and her terminally ill husband Moth. It alleges the couple made up big parts of their triumph over adversity story including the claim that Moth is slowly dying from an incurable disease. The book has spawned two sequels and now a major motion picture - but what if it's all cobblers? Martin Frizell and Professor David Wilson are careful to acknowledge the authors denials and explore the shockwaves from the allegations.
Bryan Kohberger this week escaped execution by firing squad by sensationally changing his plea to guilty of the murder of four students as they slept in their beds in Idaho in November 22. But why the PHD Criminology student, from a different University, picked on these particular victims is still a mystery as he’s refused to explain a motive. In this episode, Professor of Criminology David Wilson, who has met Kohberger’s tutor, analyses whether classroom teachings were behind the killings and reveals that he has to censor some details from students who are worryingly over keen on the mechanics of serial killers. We also look at developments with Lucy Letby and consider six days of jury deliberations in the Beef wellington killer trial.