Meet Neil Basu and Andy Hughes - aka The Crime Agents. Neil is a former top police officer and Andy is an investigative journalist who's been covering crime for two decades. In this podcast, from the makers of The News Agents, they'll go behind the headlines to uncover the truth about the crime that affects all of our lives.

In this trailer, Neil and Andy give you an insight into the frontline experience they've had of catching criminals and going undercover with them.

Starting next Wednesday, every week The Crime Agents will dive deep into the stories you think you know - from foiled terror plots and unsolved murders, to gang culture, far-right extremism, and the tactics police use to crack the toughest cases.

With over 50 years of combined experience, Neil and Andy don’t just report on crime - they’ve lived it.

In the very first episode of The Crime Agents, investigative journalist Andy Hughes reveals exclusively how hundreds of convicted terrorists have been released from UK jails over the past two decades, and are now living among us, many of whom continue to refuse deradicalisation treatment.

His co-host on the Crime Agents is the former Head of Counter Terrorism for the Metropolitan Police, Neil Basu. In this episode Neil explains how law enforcement go about catching terrorists, how terror plots are thwarted, and why there are now so many convicted terrorists no longer in jail.

In this week’s episode of The Crime Agents, investigative journalist Andy Hughes reveals the inner workings of Britain’s most violent street gangs.

He’s joined by his co-host Neil Basu, ex Assistant Commissioner at the Metropolitan Police. He describes how it felt to come face to face with the criminal underworld.

Andy and Neil explore why the children being recruited by gangs are getting younger, and why kids as young as nine are willing to kill.

Palestine Action – the extreme activist group that infiltrates and vandalises military sites and defence firms - is to become a banned terrorist organisation. But very little is known about its members or supporters.

The Crime Agents host and LBC crime correspondent Andy Hughes went along to meet them as they protested outside Downing Street on the day MPs voted to proscribe Palestine Action. He spoke exclusively to former Labour MP Zarah Sultana, who this week quit to form her own party with Jeremy Corbyn.

Andy and co-host Neil Basu, ex-head of UK Counter Terror Policing, debate whether members of Palestine Action deserve to be classed as terrorists.

Andy and Neil also take your questions in this bonus Q&A episode.

Police officers are increasingly forced to spend their time doing jobs they were never meant to - and that other public services are simply too stretched to respond to. This week, Neil and Andy discuss the intervention by Britain's top cop, Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, who's called for police to be allowed to focus on fighting crime rather than social work.

Neil and Andy analyse what difference that would make, and whether the Commissioner has the Home Secretary's support in calling for wholesale police reform. The pair also reveal the mental health impact for officers who are forced to deal with situations they haven't been trained in.

Plus, as the country marks twenty years since the 7/7 bombings, Neil reflects on the impact British foreign policy had on radicalising the bombers, and explains the lessons which still need to be learned from the tragedy two decades on.

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One year ago, Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies while working as a nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Many believe she was the victim of a miscarriage of justice - and in this week's bonus episode, Neil and Andy answer your questions on the idea that police were briefing against Letby to journalists during her trial. Andy covered that trial - so did that really happen? And can we have confidence in her conviction? Listen to find out what The Crime Agents think about the story that shocked the nation.

Neil and Andy also respond to your questions about gangs: how much is social media used to recruit youngsters? Do teachers have a role to play in stopping kids from being exploited by gangs? And how common is it for women to play important roles in gang crime?

Plus Neil explains why it's right that MI5 and the government aren't forced to reveal all their intelligence when banning groups such as Palestine Action. And finally - Neil and Andy both reflect on some of the most memorable cases and stories they've worked on in their long careers fighting and covering crime.

Send in your questions for Neil and Andy via email: thecrimeagents@global.com

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Andy is one of only a very small number of journalists to have successfully gone undercover and infiltrated the far-right. In this episode, he reveals for the first time what happened when the group found out his true identity - and why he needed a visit from the bomb squad and around-the-clock police protection.

Andy also explains why people are attracted to join these groups for real - and tells the story of what he was asked to do for his initiation into one of the UK's most dangerous far-right gangs.

Plus Neil explains the history of the far-right in Britain, from Sir Oswald Mosley to the recently proscribed Maniacs Murder Cult and Russian Imperial Movement. He also talks about why the decision to ban the group National Action was so controversial when he was in charge of counter-terrorism policing in 2016.

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Neil and Andy address the controversial issue of Shamima Begum, and whether it's right that she was stripped of her British citizenship, in this week's bonus episode. Neil recalls the moment when the then Home Secretary Sajid Javid interrupted his meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May to announce that he'd made that decision - and the pair discuss whether Begum should be allowed back in the UK now.

They also answer your questions on stop & search: invaluable tool for fighting knife crime, or a tactic which damages community relations beyond repair? And what exactly does 'county lines' mean? Andy explains and Neil reveals why it poses such a major problem for British police forces.

Got a question? Send it to thecrimeagents@global.com or follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents

No one ever forgets a terror attack. But what about the dozens which are foiled at the last minute? Or the threats which are stopped in their tracks months before they can become a reality? In this episode, Neil reveals the most memorable attack he ever thwarted in his time as Head of Counter Terrorism Policing, and the details of how police, MI5 and GCHQ work together to stop terrorists from committing mass murder.

Meanwhile Andy explains how he too helped to uncover a terrorist cell in Manchester - and reminds Neil of the vital role the media can play in tackling terror threats.

Plus, the pair react to Nigel Farage saying he wants police to look bigger and more intimidating. Would this help to make our streets safer? Should the public and criminals alike fear the police? Neil and Andy give their verdicts.

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Can it be right that the two men who needlessly felled the iconic Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian's Wall were sentenced to four years in prison? After all, that's the same as the minimum sentence for someone convicted of rape.

That's one of the questions that Andy and Neil tackle in this week's bonus episode of The Crime Agents - listen to hear whether they think this is an example of a judge bowing to the weight of public opinion, or fitting punishment for a crime that shocked the country.

They also take your questions on whether it's right that sacked police officers can be reinstated against a Chief Constable's wishes, the legal rights of journalists and police officers when they go undercover - and if there's any case for the return of the death penalty in the UK.

Protesters gathered outside the Bell Hotel in Epping for a 5th time this weekend - and there were also demonstrations outside other migrant hotels in several more towns around the UK. Andy went to Epping to see the protest for himself - and to find out if the far-right is trying to exploit the legitimate concerns local people have about these hotels and illegal immigration.

Hear what happened when Andy confronted Callum Barker - a prominent member of the far-right Homeland Party - at Sunday's protest. Andy's also joined by Joe Mulhall from campaign group Hope Not Hate, who explains how the extreme right is trying to weaponise illegal immigration across the UK.

Meanwhile, Neil dials in from Australia to give his verdict on whether we might see widespread unrest and even riots in Britain this summer.

Why are there 5 year backlogs in some of Britain's courts? Why are our prisons so full? And why doesn't any government seem interested in fixing the broken criminal justice system? In this week's episode, Neil and Andy look at who is to blame for breaking the system - and if it's too late for anything to be done to repair it.

Andy explains the maddening reality of a day in court - and why Britain's once-revered judiciary has been allowed to become a 'shambles'. And Neil gives his view on whether Keir Starmer should be making fixing these problems a higher priority, given his background as Chief Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service.

Plus Neil and Andy give you a step-by-step guide through the criminal justice system, from what happens the moment someone is arrested, to when they finally get their day in court.

When a criminal goes on the run, what do police do to try and catch them? In this episode, Andy is given exclusive access to a Met Police firearms unit who are on the tail of an armed drug dealer. Listen to find out exactly what happens when a manhunt starts - and whether the police can get their man.

Later, Andy and Neil look back on one of the most famous British manhunts of all: when Raoul Moat when on the run back in 2010. Andy explains how Gazza and Ray Mears ended up with cameo roles in the story that gripped the nation, while Neil explains what police learned from the mistakes they made in that most high-profile of cases.

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Send Andy and Neil a question to thecrimeagents@global.com

In this week's bonus episode, Andy quizzes Neil on some of the most memorable moments from his 30 year policing career. For example, Neil tells the harrowing story behind his most memorable murder case - the 2003 shooting of drug dealer Tony Byfield and his 7 year old daughter, Toni-Ann - and the unlikely way he and his team eventually cracked the case.

Neil also explains why being too outspoken cost him the chance to become Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police - aka the country's top cop - and how his ethnicity counted against him at every stage of his policing career.

Later, Neil finally tells Andy how he got his nickname of 'Bash' - and reveals the one key trait all police officers need to survive in a job that pushes you to the limit nearly every single day.

Have a question for the next bonus episode of The Crime Agents? Send it to thecrimeagents@global.com

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You've seen The Football Factory and Green Street. You remember the chaotic scenes at Wembley for the Euro 2020 final. And for years you've heard hooliganism described as 'The English Disease'. But what is the reality of football hooliganism in the UK in 2025?

This week, Andy tells the story of when he infiltrated one of the country's most notorious football firms, and Neil explains how even experienced police officers were shocked by the volume of Class A drugs being used by so-called fans who forced their way into Wembley back in 2021.

Plus Andy reveals why the rise of the far-right briefly led to a drop in the number of violent incidents and arrests at football matches - and why those numbers are now on the rise again as the new Premier League season gets underway. Later, they discuss whether there's any justification for cash-strapped police forces footing the bill for policing football, when billionaire-owned clubs spend their money on transfers instead.

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The Q&A is back! In this week's episode, Andy and Neil answer your questions on one of the major talking points from last week: an announcement of new guidance suggesting police should reveal the ethnicity of suspects in 'high-profile and sensitive' cases. Is greater transparency a step forward? Or could this lead to more racial tensions in the UK? Tune in to hear which way Andy and Neil think it will go.

Plus: has social media helped or hindered counter-terror police in their efforts to foil terror plots? Is it time to consider decriminalising drug use? And is there such a thing as a 'charming' serious criminal?

Have a question for a future Q&A episode? Email it to thecrimeagents@global.com or send it via social media: @thecrimeagents on all major platforms

Notting Hill Carnival is Europe's biggest street festival. It's been a fixture of London's cultural scene for decades and it's attended by millions every August Bank Holiday. But the event also regularly attracts negative headlines, with several murders and many more violent incidents in the last few years. So should Carnival be allowed to continue in its current form?

On the eve of this year's event, Andy and Neil take a look at the history of Notting Hill Carnival and why it's so important for Britain's Caribbean community. They also discuss the idea of moving the festival to a different venue, and the possibility of a Hillsborough-style crush taking place if changes aren't made to the current format.

Plus Andy and Neil reveal why officers consider the event 'unpoliceable' and suggest what can be done to make Carnival safer in the future. Later, Neil explains how the festival's Gold Commander once got into a social media spat with Stormzy - and lost.

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All summer, Britain's police have been kept busy by a range of protests. From demonstrations outside asylum hotels, to marches in support of Palestine Action, thousands of people have taken to the streets to make their voices heard from across the political spectrum. But have the police handled these protests even-handedly?

To answer that, Andy and Neil go back to the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 and the vigil for Sarah Everard on Clapham Common in 2021, to look at the origins of so-called 'two-tier' policing and why these events are so hard to keep under control. Neil takes us inside the Gold Command Centre to explain how officers prepare for major demonstrations, and Andy reveals the protest which made him feel more unsafe than he ever had before in the UK.

Later, Andy gives us a firsthand account of this year's Notting Hill Carnival - and he and Neil discuss whether the debate about where the event should be held in the future has gone away for good.

If you've ever watched Line of Duty and wondered how realistic AC-12 really is, then this is the episode for you. For the first time, Neil takes us behind the scenes of his four years working in anti-corruption units - and reveals the impact it had on his popularity among his fellow officers.

Andy and Neil also examine why there is such a history of corruption within the police, and Neil assesses whether policing is more honest now than when he started his career 35 years ago.

Later, they discuss whether the methods used in TV dramas such as Line of Duty are an accurate representation of how detectives root out corrupt officers from their ranks in real life - and Neil and Andy reveal their all-time favourite cop shows.

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In the last year, a child has been arrested almost every week by counter-terrorism police. That's a record - but why is this happening? And who is trying to radicalise these children? In this special episode, Andy speaks exclusively to an undercover intelligence officer to find out more about this shocking rise in minors being held on terror charges.

Neil gives his reaction to the revelation that kids as young as 11 have been accused of these crimes - and explains why the severity of the extreme right-wing threat is growing compared to when he was running counter-terrorism policing. Andy and Neil also reveal why Russia and other hostile states are behind many of the attempts to spread this hateful, terrorist material online.

Later, they discuss whether the government should u-turn on its decision to proscribe Palestine Action after the group's latest protest led to yet another record number of arrests. And finally: were the police too heavy-handed when they arrested comedy writer Graham Linehan last week? And what of Nigel Farage claiming the UK is becoming like North Korea?

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In this week's Q&A episode, Andy and Neil answer your questions on why the conviction rate for rape and other violence against women and girls is so low - and give their verdict on whether social media and the 'manosphere' is making it more dangerous than ever to be a woman. Neil also explains why he thinks the way rape is investigated in this country needs to be fundamentally changed.

They also answer questions on whether police rewards are ever actually paid out, if it's fair to say that the media is quicker to highlight violence at Notting Hill Carnival than at other major events, and how football hooligans are using social media to recruit members and organise fights.

Neil also opens up about why he feels he could and should have done more to call out institutional racism in policing while he was still in the job.

Have a question for a future episode? Email it to thecrimeagents@global.com or post it on social media: @thecrimeagents

Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom march was supposed to be in the name of free speech.

Around 150,000 people attended the protest in central London this weekend. The far right activist said he wanted it to be a family event with no violence or alcohol.

Andy and the Crime Agents team went down to find out for themselves. This special report features the voices of the protestors on the march, and the moment violence broke out.

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The UK is the biggest consumer of illegal drugs in Europe. From the British Pablo Escobar in the 1980s, to Albanian gangs taking over in the last decade, and a crack cocaine epidemic in between, Andy and Neil tell the story of how this shocking fact came to be a reality.

They're also joined by Tony Saggers - the man who, until recently, was the head of Drugs Threat at the National Crime Agency. Tony reveals the key role that pineapples and bananas play in drug smuggling, how the industry has changed since Brexit, and gives his theory on why Brits are so partial to illegal substances.

Later, Andy and Neil discuss whether characters like the notorious smuggler Howard Marks are responsible for glamourising the drugs trade - and debate whether it's still fair to describe cannabis as a 'gateway drug'.

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It's the debate which won't go away: is stop and search a vital tool for making our streets safer? Or is it a blunt, overused tactic which unfairly targets ethnic minorities? In this episode, Andy and Neil unpack exactly how stop and search is meant to work, why it's so valued by police officers - and why it’s such a cause of tension between police and the black community in particular.

They're also joined by campaigner and activist Sayce Holmes-Lewis, who's been stopped by the police dozens of times and now works with the Met to improve the way the tactic is used. Sayce, Andy, and Neil debate what the future should be for stop and search - and whether more diversity in police forces would improve community relations.

Later, Andy speaks to Lewis Goodall from The News Agents to hear about his new Global Original podcast, Coining It.

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Have a question for the next Q&A episode? Send it to thecrimeagents@global.com

Today, Andy from The Crime Agents joined forces with fellow Global podcast The Crisis Room for a special episode to react to yesterday's terror attack at a synagogue in Manchester.

If you'd like to hear more from The Crisis Room, find episodes weekly on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts.

What happens in the immediate aftermath of such an incident? Amber Rudd calls on her experience of responding to five terror attacks as Home Secretary in 2017 to explain what happens at COBRA, and what the security services do next to try and prevent any further attacks.

Plus - Mark Urban gives his personal response to the rising levels of anti-Semitism in the UK, while former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos describes the role the intelligence agencies will be playing in the investigation. The team also debate whether Pro-Palestinian protests planned for this weekend should be allowed to go ahead in light of the tragedy in Manchester.

In this emergency episode, Andy and Neil react to the shocking revelations in last night's Panorama, which exposed widespread racism, misogyny, and gratuitous use of violence within Charing Cross police station.

Two years after the Metropolitan Police was branded institutionally racist, sexist, and homophobic, this plunges the country's biggest police force into yet another major crisis.

Neil and Andy give their raw, personal responses to the undercover report and where it leaves the Met. They also discuss whether Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley can keep his job - as the Chief still continues to deny that his force's failings are institutional.

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Once upon a time, the police and journalists were friends and allies. But as the phone hacking scandal unfolded, and it became clear that many journalists had broken the law in their pursuit of stories, the close relationship between police and press was shattered. Scotland Yard was forced to investigate and prosecute many members of the media with whom they'd been friendly - and officers were later banned from speaking to journalists at all.

Andy explains exactly how the scandal came about, Neil talks about what it was like to run the Operation which investigated rogue reporters, and they discuss whether the fallout ended up going too far. They're joined by legendary crime journalist Martin Brunt, who uses the Nicola Bulley case as a prime example of why communication between police and the media is so important - and explains why that case could have been handled so much better.

Later, Andy and Neil look at the Manchester terror attack: they reveal what will be happening to the firearms officer who fatally shot a member of the public at a Synagogue last Friday, and how counter-terrorism police and the security services will be handling their investigation into the attacker.

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When three year-old Madeleine McCann went missing from a Portuguese holiday resort in 2007, it was a story which had the nation gripped for all the wrong reasons. 18 years on, the case remains unsolved - but the story still has the power to create headlines and dominate the news agenda.

In this episode, Andy and Neil look at the key mistakes that were made early in the investigation by the local police - and whether there is a realistic chance of this case ever being solved.

Neil also reveals how high profile murder and missing persons investigations are carried out in the UK, and why some 'cold cases' - such as the Stephen Lawrence murder - can eventually be solved many years later.

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In this Q&A episode, Andy and Neil debate what happened to TV presenter Jill Dando, who was murdered on her doorstep in 1999. Was she taken out by a professional hitman? Or was the Crimewatch presenter the victim of a random attack by a local criminal? Tune in to hear what Andy and Neil make of one of the nation's most notorious unsolved cases.

Later, Andy reveals whether his investigative journalism has ever put his personal safety at risk, and the pair discuss their past experiences with 'unscrupulous' journalists who would use illegal methods to obtain their stories.

Have a question for a future episode? Send it to thecrimeagents@global.com or follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents

Last weekend, a gang of thieves made off with hundreds of millions of Euros' worth of jewellery from the Louvre in Paris - including some of France's Crown Jewels. But how did they plan a job like this? How could the world's most famous museum be such an easy target? And how will the police be trying to track the perpetrators down?

In this episode, Andy and Neil examine what we know so far about the biggest heist of the last few years - and explain how some of the thieves' mistakes could end up proving costly as the French police pull out the stops to catch the gang behind this crime.

They also discuss why the public often seem to side with the villains in cases like this - and Andy and Neil reflect on some of the other most famous heists in history, from Hatton Garden in 2015 to the Great Train Robbery of 1963.

Later, the pair reveal their top three favourite heist movies - and you won't want to miss Andy's Sean Connery impression.

In this week's Q&A episode, Andy and Neil debate the effectiveness of the IOPC: the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Last year, the watchdog controversially pushed for NX121 - the firearms officer who shot Chris Kaba in 2022 - to be charged with murder, only for a jury to return a "not guilty" verdict in near record time. So how does the IOPC work? And is it fit for purpose? Andy and Neil give their forthright views on the future of the organisation, and discuss the best way for police officers to be held to account for their actions.

They also look at whether a toxic culture still exists within the Met Police as a whole, in light of the recent Panorama documentary which exposed widespread misconduct at one of London's busiest police stations. Is this just a few bad apples? Or is policing still a "boys' club" and are the problems systemic?

Andy and Neil also talk about why there is less media attention given to stories about black children going missing, and whether this reflects more badly on the police, or on society as a whole.

Have a question for a future Q&A episode? Email it to thecrimeagents@global.com

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Have you ever wondered how it feels to carry a firearm on the streets of London? Or what it's like to be among the first responders after a terror attack? And why do a small number of police officers in the UK choose to carry a gun, for no extra money, with all the added scrutiny and pressure that comes with the job?

In this episode, Andy and Neil sit down for an exclusive interview with Will, a former sergeant in the Met's Firearms Unit, who gives them a rare insight into armed policing in the UK. He talks about attempting to resuscitate the terrorist who carried out the Westminster Bridge attack in 2017, being there on the night his colleague shot and killed Chris Kaba in 2022, and whether firearms officers are unfairly held to higher standards by the justice system.

Just weeks after armed police played a key role in stopping the Manchester Synagogue Terror attack, this is a unique opportunity to find out what it's really like to serve in a role which feels more important than ever.

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As a train guard fights for his life and several other passengers recover in hospital, Andy and Neil bring you the latest on the story which continues to dominate the news: the mass stabbing on a train in Cambridgeshire on Saturday night.

They explain that the man charged with carrying out those attacks has also been charged with an attempted murder on a train in London the night before - and discuss whether more could have been done to prevent this tragedy from happening.

Neil also breaks down why this incident does not classify as a terrorist attack - and he gives his verdict on whether the police were right to give details of the suspect's ethnicity so soon after he was arrested. Later, they debate whether the idea of having more of a police presence on public transport is a realistic possibility - and whether it would help to stop more attacks like this from happening in the future.

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One day in September 1985, a dawn raid in South London went badly wrong. Police were looking for a man called Michael Groce - but they raided the wrong address, and ended up shooting his mother, Cherry Groce, who was left paralysed for the rest of her life. The incident led to an uprising in Brixton, and the anger soon spread to Tottenham, and even Toxteth in Liverpool.

In this episode, Andy and Neil explain the background to the shooting of Cherry Groce and the riots which spread across the country in the autumn of 1985. They also speak to Lee Lawrence, Cherry's son, who watched as his mother was shot by a Met Police officer in her own home.

Lee tells Andy and Neil the powerful story of his battle to get justice for his Mum, and why he's now decided to work with the police to help prevent what happened 40 years ago from ever happening again.

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Men are responsible for nearly 80% of all crime carried out in the UK and make up over 90% of Britain's prison population. In this Q&A episode, Andy and Neil are asked: why is this the case? Is testosterone to blame? Is it down to a lack of critical thinking skills in young men? Or is it an inevitable consequence of a patriarchal society?

Andy and Neil also explain whether Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is now more vulnerable to police investigations over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein - both in the UK and the US - now he is no longer a Prince and has been stripped of his Royal titles.

They're also asked which one law they would change in a bid to cut crime rates and whether deterrent sentences work in the way they are intended to. Plus, Neil explains the surprising reason why taking part in Nazi-themed chat rooms and sleeping under a portrait of Hitler isn't enough for someone to be convicted of terrorism offences.

Have a question for a future Q&A episode? Send it to thecrimeagents@global.com

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Why do less than 3% of all reported rapes in the UK lead to a conviction? Andy and Neil describe that statistic as "shameful" and "a scandal" - and attempt to explain why a combination of rape myths and problems in our creaking justice system make it so hard to prove someone's guilt.

Plus Andy reveals why one senior detective he's spoken to believes it's time to get rid of jury trials in rape cases - and why using lie detectors could be part of the way forward.

Plus Andy and Neil are joined by Jade Blue McCrossen-Nethercott: a rape survivor who was so badly treated by the justice system that she took legal action against the CPS - and won. Jade tells her story, including the extraordinary reason why her trial collapsed, and explains what she is doing now to work with police and prosecutors to improve the way this issue is handled.

You can find a link to the Jade's website here.

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What proportion of 999 calls in the UK are genuine emergencies? The answer will shock you.

In this episode, Andy and Neil play you some of the most bizarre and ridiculous 999 calls which have been made in the last year - and explain why these hoaxes and time-wasters could ultimately be a matter of life and death.

They also take you behind the scenes of an emergency response room to explain what happens when a genuine emergency is called in: who answers the phone? How quickly are officers deployed? And who decides whether firearms backup is needed? Plus, Neil reveals the top three most memorable 999 calls he responded to in his days as a PC.

Andy and Neil also discuss what it takes to deal with the unique challenges of being a response cop - and whether it's time to take tougher action on those who waste police time.

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Christmas: for most of us, it's a time of joy and celebration. But for a new group of organised criminals, Christmas means opportunity. Retail crime and shoplifting have hit record levels in the last few years - and the festive season, including Black Friday, is when this issue is at its worst.

So when did shoplifting go from petty crime to serious business? When did retail criminals turn from hard-up addicts and opportunists, to gangs with getaway cars and balaclavas?

In this episode, Andy and Neil explore why shop theft has become so rife, and what needs to be done for the police to regain control of Britain's high streets. They hear from two experts on different sides of the problem: Cullen Mais, who was once the country's most prolific shoplifter, and is now reformed and working with retailers to catch thieves. And Lucy Mitchell from the New West End Company, which runs private security for many of London's busiest shopping streets.

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The Justice Secretary has announced one of the biggest changes in hundreds of years to the way the British justice system works. Jury trials for crimes carrying sentences of three years or less will be scrapped - but will this really solve the deep-rooted problems at the heart of a creaking system?

In this episode, Andy and Neil explain how the backlog in our criminal courts has reached a record high - and debate whether getting rid of juries will really speed things up, or if it might end up leading to more miscarriages of justice. They also compare the UK's system to those in other countries, and discuss whether juries would have reached different verdicts in high-profile cases such as the ones involving Amanda Knox and Oscar Pistorius.

Andy and Neil also reveal the other changes the government could make to improve our broken criminal justice system - and later, they look at the impact the thousands of arrests at recent Palestine Action protests will be having on that very system.

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In The Crime Agents' latest Q&A episode, Andy and Neil discuss the way police and the CPS treated Caroline Flack, the TV presenter who took her own life in 2020. Did officers seek to make an example of her because she was a celebrity? Or did prosecutors have a duty to pursue the domestic assault case against her? Tune in to hear their verdict on how this tragic episode could have been handled differently.

Andy and Neil also discuss the NCA: the National Crime Agency, sometimes described as Britain's answer to the FBI. Is it right that it's been asked to help stop illegal Channel crossings? Or will it distract the Agency from investigating drug smuggling and other organised crime?

Andy and Neil also explain how police bail works, and reveal their favourite police dramas on TV today.

Have a question for a future episode? Send a voicenote via email to thecrimeagents@global.com or leave a question on social media: @thecrimeagents

In this follow-up to Andy's exclusive report (listen to Part 1 here), which revealed that a former Met Police officer has been accused of being part of a grooming gang by multiple survivors of sexual abuse, Andy and Neil take a deep dive into grooming gangs, and why children in care are so often the victims of this abuse.

Andy hears from someone who works in the care sector, who claims criminals are running some children's care homes, and also speaks to a victim of child sexual abuse to hear how these paedophiles exploit their victims - while those who are meant to protect them turn a blind eye.

Andy and Neil also discuss why there has been so little investigation into grooming gangs in London - and whether the capital might have as big a problem with the issue as many towns in the North of England.

Later, Andy reveals how he pieced together his special investigation.

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In this special episode, Andy exclusively reveals bombshell allegations of child abuse against a former Met Police officer, who has been accused of being part of a grooming gang by two different survivors.

He tells a shocking story of children in care being abused by a VIP paedophile ring that allegedly involved an MP and a judge, as well as this former police officer. Andy explains why some of the allegations were recorded properly at the time - and why some weren't. And he and Neil discuss whether this issue may have been covered up by the Met Police.

Tune in to hear a powerful story of alleged abuse by figures at the top of the establishment - and Neil's reaction to yet another potential case of a police officer being involved in serious criminal behaviour.

And don't miss part two of this special investigation - where Andy hears directly from victims of child sexual abuse, and he and Neil discuss why children in care are so vulnerable to exploitation. You can listen to it here.

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This week, Andy and Neil unpick last weekend's events at Bondi Beach in Sydney, where 15 people were murdered in an ISIS-inspired, anti-Semitic terror attack. Andy recounts the details of exactly what happened - while Neil explains how Australian Police and security services will be investigating. Plus they both pay tribute to the incredible heroism of Ahmed al-Ahmed and others who put their lives at risk to try and stop the attack.

Andy & Neil also tackle some of the questions to have emerged in the past few days, such as: did one of the terrorists slip through the net of Australia's security services? Should the father have been allowed to keep his firearms licence after his son had been identified as a potential terror threat? And why did both attackers travel to the Philippines shortly before committing this atrocity?

Later, Andy reveals why Tommy Robinson is the latest far-right figure to claim he has converted to Christianity, and explains why the Christian faith is increasingly being weaponised and politicised by those on the right. Andy also describes what it was like being at Tommy Robinson's Christmas carol service in London last weekend.

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In this Christmas special, Andy and Neil ask each other the questions they've always wanted to know the answers to. Andy explains how the unlikely combination of cricket and being sacked by his Dad let to him becoming a crime journalist - while Neil reveals the full details of how he ended up as a chocolate salesman on his way to joining the police.

They also recall some of the funniest and most bizarre cases they've covered or been called out to during their careers, talk favourite cop movies and characters, and discuss their most memorable crime stories from 2025.

Plus - find out whether it was Andy or Neil who once found themselves coming under attack from a two-seater sofa.

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The UK is the drugs capital of Europe, and more cocaine arrives here from Venezuela than from any other country. This week, in light of Donald Trump's operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Andy & Neil look at the impact this could have on Britain's drugs trade.

Was Maduro really a narco-terrorist, like Pablo Escobar and El Chapo? They're joined by Tony Saggers, former head of intelligence at the NCA and an expert in global drug smuggling, to find out more about the role Venezuela plays in sending narcotics to the UK. Tony explains how likely it is that former President Maduro was running drugs cartels - as Trump alleges - and reveals how cocaine travels from remote parts of South America to the streets of London and Los Angeles.

Later, Andy & Neil discuss who should play the leading roles when the Hollywood movie about this operation comes to be made.

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In light of Andy's recent investigation - which alleged that a former Met police officer was part of a VIP grooming gang - in this Q&A episode, he and Neil explain the signs to look out for if you suspect children are being groomed or exploited, and what to do if your suspicions turn out to be right.

After December's horrific anti-semitic terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Neil also addresses how people become radicalised, and why it's vital for counter-terror police to have a proper understanding of the history of Islam to do their jobs effectively.

Andy and Neil also return to the debate over juries, and in particular whether rape trials would be fairer if they were heard only by judges.

Have a question for a future Q&A episode? Send it by email to thecrimeagents@global.com or follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents

You've seen it in the movies, but what does undercover policing really involve? What makes an effective covert officer, and just how brutal is it for the men and women who are brave enough to go incognito? And do you get paid more for crossing the thin blue line and infiltrating the very people you're trying to convict?

In this episode, Andy and Neil explain the realities of undercover policing, with Neil drawing on his vast experience of deploying covert units throughout his career, and answering the key questions about what he describes as 'one of the most difficult jobs in policing'. They also speak to James Bannon, a former Met officer who went undercover in the 1980s with Millwall's notorious football firm - and whose story was later turned into the cult film, 'I.D'.

Later, Andy speaks to Alice Levine about her new podcast 'Explosive Lies' - part of Global's 'Unmissables' series.

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On this week's wide-ranging Q&A, Andy and Neil address the controversy over Grok, Elon Musk's AI tool which is widely used on X, and discuss whether the billionaire can be prosecuted over the way the tool has allowed users to undress women and young girls without their consent.

They also explain whether it's realistic for police ever to go after the head honchos of drug syndicates and organised crime gangs, and how the so-called 'top boys' can realistically be brought to justice.

Plus they respond to questions about whether a former detective showed racial bias on The Traitors, and what makes Blue Lights the most realistic cop drama on TV for a long time.

Have a question for a future Q&A episode? Send it on email to thecrimeagents@global.com or follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents

When Stephen Port - a serial killer who murdered four gay men - was finally brought to justice, the Metropolitan Police admitted that basic mistakes in their investigations had potentially cost some of the victims their lives. In 2023, the Casey Review described policing as 'institutionally homophobic'. In this episode, Andy & Neil ask: has anything really changed?

They speak to Miriam Blythe, the mother of Edward Cornes, a student who was found dead in a London hotel room aged just 19 in 2021. She describes the litany of police failings that blighted the investigation into his death, and explains why she believes that officers treated Edward differently because he was gay.

Neil also describes some of the problematic, homophobic behaviour he saw from colleagues during his three decades in the police, and he and Andy discuss whether this form of discrimination can ever be stamped out of policing.

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In 2017, a series of terror attacks hit Britain, claiming dozens of lives - including children's - and sending a wave of fear across the country. The state's response? To build a brand new counter-terrorism operations centre (CTOC), a space where all the key security agencies: counter-terror police, MI5, MI6, GCHQ, the military, and the emergency services - could work together to prevent attacks, and respond to any that slip through the net.

In this episode, Andy becomes the first journalist to see inside the operations room at CTOC, and he sits down for an exclusive interview with the new head of Counter-Terrorism Policing, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who speaks publicly for the first time since taking on the role.

AC Taylor explains the level of threat the UK faces from ISIS, who have been responsible for terror attacks in Manchester and Sydney in the past few months, whether the heavily-criticised Prevent scheme is fit for purpose, and if it's time for tech bosses such as Elon Musk to face greater consequences for allowing hateful material to flourish on their platforms.

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