Winner of Outstanding Independent Podcast at this year’s True Crime Awards in London, True Criminals is your weekly deep dive into both historic and contemporary crime stories, hosted by Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero.
With decades of frontline reporting experience, Martin and Helen go beyond the headlines to uncover exclusive insights and untold details from some of the most gripping criminal investigations.
Each episode delivers powerful storytelling and rare access, featuring guests such as senior detectives, investigative journalists, bestselling authors, and individuals directly connected to the crimes. Whether it’s a high-profile case or one that’s never made the news, True Criminals offers a unique, behind-the-scenes view of the criminal justice system.
Produced by Audio Bleach Global, the series is helmed by BAFTA-winning producer Russell Barnes.
For questions and listener feedback, contact us at contact@audiobleachglobal.com
Follow us:
Instagram: @true.criminals
YouTube: @True-Criminals
TikTok: @truecriminalspodcast
Connect with the hosts
Martin Brunt on Twitter: @skymartinbrunt
Read his book No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter – Buy on Amazon
Helen Fospero on Instagram: @helenfospero
Listen to her podcast The Convex Conversation: Apple Podcasts
Credits
Produced by: Audio Bleach Global
Executive Producer: Lee Mann
Producer: Russell Barnes
Audio Production: Andrew Chappell
Original Music: Chap Mannequin
Artwork: Bleached
Learn more: audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals
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Stephen Lawrence: Legacy with special guest Neil Basu
Episode 48
lundi 29 septembre 2025 • Duration 01:06:41
We conclude this special double episode of True Criminals and are joined in the studio today by Neil Basu, former Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
Stephen Lawrence's murder in 1993 exposed shocking truths about institutional racism and failure within British policing.
In this powerful conclusion, hosts Martin Brunt (Sky News Crime Correspondent) and Helen Fospero talk to Basu about the profound, yet unfinished, legacy of the Lawrence case on the Metropolitan Police.
Basu, whose 30-year career was bookended by the case, offers an unprecedented insider perspective on:
The Macpherson Inquiry's seismic finding of "institutionally racist" and why police leadership failed to acknowledge it properly.
The flawed training and internal backlash to reform efforts in the wake of the inquiry.
The significant, positive policing reforms that were implemented, including changes to family liaison and emergency life support training.
The dramatic scientific breakthrough that led to the convictions of two of Stephen's killers 19 years later.
Why the Met still refuses to accept the term institutional racism today, and the consequences for community trust.
His own personal experience as an officer of colour navigating the Met's internal culture of "fit in or F off."
Listen to Neil Basu's candid reflections on how the Stephen Lawrence murder transformed the UK's approach to crime, justice, and race relations, and why the battle for true change is far from over.
For a copy of Neil book, Turmoil: 30 Years of Policing, Politics and Prejudice
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turmoil-Years-Policing-Politics-Prejudice/dp/0711294402
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Support the Show
Listen ad free and access our full catalogue, including a True Criminals coffee mug, on Patreon at www.patreon.com/truecriminals.
As an independent podcast, we rely on listener support. You can also donate via PayPal
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=YQVFJR5766BJE
Follow True Criminals
Follow us on Instagram at @true.criminals and subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals.
Connect with Martin Brunt
Follow Martin on Twitter at @skymartinbrunt. Discover more about his career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book, No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter, available here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY.
Connect with Helen Fospero
Follow Helen on Instagram at @helenfospero and check out her podcast, The Convex Conversation, here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575.
Credits
True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.
Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.
Executive Producer: Lee Mann.
Producer: Russell Barnes.
Audio Production: Andrew Chappell.
Music Composition:
Chap Mannequin.
Artwork: Bleached.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Stephen Lawrence: Legacy
Episode 47
lundi 22 septembre 2025 • Duration 32:20
In April 1993, 18 year old Stephen Lawrence, a bright and ambitious student, was murdered in a racist attack that shook Britain and exposed serious failings in the Metropolitan Police. His death, and the long fight for justice, transformed policing, the law, and race relations across the UK, leaving a legacy that continues to influence society more than 30 years later.
In this powerful two part episode of True Criminals, Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero revisit one of the most infamous cases in British history. From the night Stephen was fatally stabbed, to the mishandled investigation, to the relentless campaigning of Stephen’s parents, Doreen and Neville Lawrence, this episode examines the personal tragedy, systemic failings, and lasting impact of one of Britain’s most notorious murders.
You’ll hear Martin’s first hand reporting from the frontline, Helen’s exclusive interview with Neville Lawrence after two of Stephen’s killers were finally convicted, and an in depth exploration of how the landmark Macpherson Inquiryredefined institutional racism in policing and changed British law forever.
True Criminals goes beyond the headlines, providing true crime insights, exclusive interviews, and an in depth look at the cases that shaped modern justice in the UK.
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Support the Show
Listen ad free and access our full catalogue, including a True Criminals coffee mug, on Patreon at www.patreon.com/truecriminals. As an independent podcast, we rely on listener support. You can also donate via PayPal at PayPal.
Follow True Criminals
Follow us on Instagram at @true.criminals and subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals.
Connect with Martin Brunt
Follow Martin on Twitter at @skymartinbrunt. Discover more about his career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book, No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter, available here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY.
Connect with Helen Fospero
Follow Helen on Instagram at @helenfospero and check out her podcast, The Convex Conversation, here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575.
Credits
True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.
Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.
Executive Producer: Lee Mann.
Producer: Russell Barnes.
Audio Production: Andrew Chappell.
Music Composition:
Chap Mannequin.
Artwork: Bleached.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Forensic Breakthroughs with Ray Fysh: Sarah Payne, The M25 Rapist & The Bedsit Murders
Episode 38
vendredi 1 août 2025 • Duration 57:20
This week on True Criminals, hosts Helen Fospero and Martin Brunt are joined by former Metropolitan Police forensic advisor Ray Fysh, author of Shallow Graves: My life as a Forensic Scientist on Britain's Biggest Cases. In part one of this two-part special, Ray shares his involvement in three of the UK's most notorious cases: the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne, the M25 rapist Anthony Imiela, and the 1987 bedsit murders.
Discover how a single hair, cross-county cooperation, and the evolution of DNA databases led to breakthroughs that brought killers and predators to justice. Ray reveals the pivotal moments in these investigations, from the emotional impact of a DNA match in the Sarah Payne case to the crucial role of a neighbor's tip in catching the M25 rapist. This episode explores the painstaking work of forensic specialists and the moments of innovation that changed criminal investigations forever.
If you'd like to listen to this episode ad-free, along with our entire back catalogue, which includes a True Criminals coffee mug, please visit our Patreon page: www.patreon.com/truecriminals
As an independent podcast, we rely on listener support. If you’d like to help, you can donate via our PayPal link:
PayPal
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Ray's book:
Shallow Graves: My life as a Forensic Scientist on Britain's Biggest Cases
Available here
https://amzn.eu/d/2Y5Vn2f
Follow us:
Instagram: @true.criminals
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals
Connect with Martin Brunt:
Twitter: @skymartinbrunt
Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book: No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter. Read Here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY
Connect with Helen Fospero:
Instagram: @helenfospero
Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation:
Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575
Credits:
True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.
Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.
Executive Producer: Lee Mann
Producer: Russell Barnes
Audio Production: Andrew Chappell
Music Composition: Chap Mannequin
Artwork: Bleached
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Lord Lucan: Murder, Mystery & Disappearance - Part 2
Episode 37
lundi 21 juillet 2025 • Duration 58:17
Join journalist Helen Fospero and Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt on True Criminals as they continue their gripping investigation into one of Britain’s most enduring mysteries: the disappearance of Lord Lucan. In Part 2, we’re joined again by investigative journalist Glenn Campbell, whose decades-long pursuit of the truth has unearthed startling new evidence.
This episode picks up where Part 1 left off, delving into the global manhunt for Lord Lucan, who vanished after the 1974 murder of nanny Sandra Rivett. Discover the legal battles to declare Lucan deceased, shocking twists around John Aspinall’s intimations, and the renewed interest sparked by the internet and a Metropolitan Police cold case review.
We reveal:
The contentious 2016 High Court ruling that declared Lucan dead, and Neil Berriman’s fight to challenge it.
Explosive eyewitness accounts, including testimony from Mandy Parks, who claims to have seen Lucan alive days after the murder.
The extraordinary “Australian theory,” leading to a dramatic encounter with a man whose identity baffled investigators.
The groundbreaking use of AI facial recognition, with multiple studies yielding astonishing match probabilities.
Glenn’s personal conviction, based on a dying confession, about where and when Lucan truly met his end.
If you'd like to listen to this episode ad-free, along with our entire back catalogue, which includes a True Criminals coffee mug, please visit our Patreon page: www.patreon.com/truecriminals
As an independent podcast, we rely on listener support. If you’d like to help, you can donate via our PayPal link:
PayPal
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Treat yourself or someone special to a refreshing twist with Air Up!
Enjoy 10% off your order using the code TRUECRIMINALS at airup.link/truecriminals. Explore all their delicious flavours today.
The Search For My Mother's Murderer. : A son's hunt for the British aristocrat Lord Lucan.
Available here
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lord-Lucan-Search-Mothers-Murderer-ebook/dp/B0DV3THQG3
Follow us:
Instagram: @true.criminals
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals
Connect with Martin Brunt:
Twitter: @skymartinbrunt
Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book: No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter. Read Here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY
Connect with Helen Fospero:
Instagram: @helenfospero
Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation:
Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575
Credits:
True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.
Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.
Executive Producer: Lee Mann
Producer: Russell Barnes
Audio Production: Andrew Chappell
Music Composition: Chap Mannequin
Artwork: Bleached
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Lord Lucan: Murder, Mystery & Disappearance - Part 1
Episode 36
mardi 15 juillet 2025 • Duration 01:05:01
Step inside one of the UK’s most infamous murder mysteries in this gripping two-part special of True Criminals. Hosted by award-winning journalists Helen Fospero and Martin Brunt, we uncover the shocking events of November 7, 1974—the night Sandra Rivett was brutally murdered and Lord Lucan, one of Britain’s most notorious aristocrats, vanished without a trace.
In Part 1, we take you deep into the crime scene in Belgravia, London, and re-examine every chilling detail of that fateful night. You’ll hear an exclusive, minute-by-minute account of how Richard John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan—a wealthy playboy and professional gambler drowning in debt and marital turmoil—became the prime suspect in a savage attack that left nanny Sandra Rivett dead and Lady Veronica Lucan fighting for her life.
Through powerful insights from investigative journalist Glen Campbell, who has pursued the Lucan mystery for nearly three decades, we reveal shocking new perspectives on the case. We trace Lucan’s desperate escape, the blood-soaked discovery in his borrowed car, and explore explosive theories of a high-society cover-up involving his influential friends—business magnate Sir James Goldsmith and casino owner John Aspinall.
Was Lord Lucan murdered, did he flee abroad, or was he hidden by a powerful network? Join us as we unravel the evidence, secrets, and unanswered questions behind the disappearance that continues to haunt Britain to this day.
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Enjoy 10% off your order using the code TRUECRIMINALS at airup.link/truecriminals. Explore all their delicious flavours today.
The Search For My Mother's Murderer. : A son's hunt for the British aristocrat Lord Lucan.
Available here
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lord-Lucan-Search-Mothers-Murderer-ebook/dp/B0DV3THQG3
Follow Us:
Instagram: @true.criminals
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals
Support Us:
If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content:
https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals
Connect with Martin Brunt:
Twitter: @skymartinbrunt
Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book: No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter.
Read Here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY
Connect with Helen Fospero:
Instagram: @helenfospero
Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation:
Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575
Credits:
True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.
Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.
Executive Producer: Lee Mann
Producer: Russell Barnes
Audio Production: Andrew Chappell
Music Composition: Chap Mannequin
Artwork: Bleached
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/7: Reporting Terror – The London Bombings Part 2
Episode 35
lundi 7 juillet 2025 • Duration 40:13
Twenty years after the devastating 7/7 London bombings, True Criminals returns with Part 2 of its powerful two-part special, uncovering the untold stories behind the UK’s deadliest terrorist attack since Lockerbie.
Back in the studio, Chris Webb — former Head of News and Deputy Director of Media & Communications at the Metropolitan Police — shares insider insight into the intense manhunt for the bombers’ accomplices and the chilling second wave of failed attacks on July 21st.
Go behind the scenes of the unprecedented counter-terror investigation, the pressure on frontline journalists, and the bold media strategy used to control information, protect the public, and manage a harrowing victim identification process involving over 1,000 human remains.
This episode also investigates the tragic killing of Jean Charles de Menezes, the Brazilian electrician mistakenly shot by police. Discover the ethical dilemmas faced by police and press, and the fragile trust tested during one of Britain’s darkest modern crises.
With never-before-heard accounts from those at the centre of the story, True Criminals delivers a powerful look at the legacy of 7/7, the evolution of UK counter-terror laws, and the impact on modern policing, journalism, and national security.
Listen now to the shocking conclusion of the 7/7 London Bombings special, Reporting Terror.
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Enjoy 10% off your order using the code TRUECRIMINALS at airup.link/truecriminals. Explore all their delicious flavours today.
True Criminals – Winner of the 2025 True Crime Award for Outstanding Independent Podcast
Share Your Thoughts and Questions:
Connect with us via email at contact@audiobleachglobal.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Follow Us:
Instagram: @true.criminals
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals
Support Us:
If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content:
https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals
Connect with Martin Brunt:
Twitter: @skymartinbrunt
Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book: No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter.
Read Here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY
Connect with Helen Fospero:
Instagram: @helenfospero
Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation:
Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575
Credits:
True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.
Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.
Executive Producer: Lee Mann
Producer: Russell Barnes
Audio Production: Andrew Chappell
Music Composition: Chap Mannequin
Artwork: Bleached
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/7: Reporting Terror – The London Bombings Part 1
Episode 34
mardi 1 juillet 2025 • Duration 53:32
Twenty years after the 7/7 London bombings, True Criminals revisits the deadliest terrorist attack on British soil since Lockerbie.
In Part 1 of this powerful two-part episode, Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero relive the chaos of July 7th, 2005—when four coordinated suicide bombings struck London’s transport network, killing 52 people and injuring hundreds.
As frontline reporters, they describe what it was like to cover the breaking news amid fear, misinformation, and confusion. We’re also joined in the studio by Chris Webb, former Head of News for the Metropolitan Police and Deputy Director of Media and Communications at Scotland Yard, who reveals how the police handled media coordination during one of the UK’s darkest days.
This episode offers rare insight into the role of the press and police in real-time crisis response, uncovering how both institutions navigated the emotional and logistical fallout of a national emergency.
.................................................
Shop Air Up here:
Treat yourself or someone special to a refreshing twist with Air Up!
Enjoy 10% off your order using the code TRUECRIMINALS at airup.link/truecriminals. Explore all their delicious flavours today.
True Criminals – Winner of the 2025 True Crime Award for Outstanding Independent Podcast
Share Your Thoughts and Questions:
Connect with us via email at contact@audiobleachglobal.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Follow Us:
Instagram: @true.criminals
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals
Support Us:
If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content:
https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals
Connect with Martin Brunt:
Twitter: @skymartinbrunt
Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book: No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter.
Read Here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY
Connect with Helen Fospero:
Instagram: @helenfospero
Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation:
Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575
Credits:
True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.
Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.
Executive Producer: Lee Mann
Producer: Russell Barnes
Audio Production: Andrew Chappell
Music Composition: Chap Mannequin
Artwork: Bleached
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mark Dyer, the tireless grandson of Muriel McKay, has offered a £1 million reward leading to the ultimate recovery of his grandmother. To keep you better informed on breaking developments in the cases we cover, we're launching True Criminals: Briefings, our new spin-off series for urgent updates.
In this inaugural briefing, join hosts Helen Fospero and Martin Brunt as they revisit the chilling 1969 abduction and murder of Muriel Mackay, a case that has haunted Britain for decades. Though two brothers, Arthur and Nizamuddin Hussain, were convicted, Muriel's body was never found, leaving a painful void for her family.
Now, a half-century later, that £1 million offer has yielded three astonishing new leads. Mark Dyer shares exclusive details of these critical breakthroughs. Hear the shocking account from the daughter of Arthur Hussain's former employer, revealing a hidden burial beneath a Bethnal Green shop garden. We'll also explore intriguing clues involving a bone unearthed near Rooks Farm and a potential grave beneath a patio on Buntingford High Street.
Could these fresh revelations finally bring closure to the Mackay family? Tune in to this essential True Criminals: Briefing to hear the latest in this enduring mystery and the incredible pursuit of justice.
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Shop Air Up here:
Treat yourself or someone special to a refreshing twist with Air Up!
Enjoy 10% off your order using the code TRUECRIMINALS at airup.link/truecriminals. Explore all their delicious flavours today.
True Criminals – Winner of the 2025 True Crime Award for Outstanding Independent Podcast
Share Your Thoughts and Questions:
Connect with us via email at contact@audiobleachglobal.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Follow Us:
Instagram: @true.criminals
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals
Support Us:
If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content:
https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals
Connect with Martin Brunt:
Twitter: @skymartinbrunt
Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book: No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter.
Read Here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY
Connect with Helen Fospero:
Instagram: @helenfospero
Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation:
Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575
Credits:
True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.
Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.
Executive Producer: Lee Mann
Producer: Russell Barnes
Audio Production: Andrew Chappell
Music Composition: Chap Mannequin
Artwork: Bleached
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Night Stalker: Part 1
Episode 32
mardi 17 juin 2025 • Duration 31:45
Step back into the sweltering summers of 1984 and 1985 as we unravel the chilling true story of Richard Ramirez — the man who would become known as "The Night Stalker." In this gripping first part of our two-episode special, we examine the wave of violence that swept across California, leaving fear and chaos in its wake.
From quiet Los Angeles neighborhoods to the bustling streets of San Francisco, Ramirez’s crimes shocked the nation. His attacks were brutal, random, and terrifying — his victims ranged from 6 to 83 years old. Armed with guns, knives, and even a tire iron, he murdered, raped, and tortured without warning. Satanic symbols, chilling messages, and gruesome mutilations became his trademarks, deepening the public’s horror and fascination.
In this episode, we explore:
A Pattern of Chaos – Ramirez’s varied methods and diverse victim profiles confounded investigators, who initially believed multiple killers might be involved.
Statewide Panic – California, already shaken by serial killers like the Golden State Killer and Ted Bundy, was now consumed by fear amid the growing Satanic Panic of the 1980s.
The Relentless Hunt – Detectives like Gil Carrillo and Frank Salerno pushed past skepticism and setbacks, using a shoe print, stolen car, and eventually a fingerprint to close in on their suspect.
The Public Strikes Back – On August 31, 1985, citizens recognized Ramirez and chased him down, beating and holding him until police arrived, ending one of the most terrifying killing sprees in American history.
This episode dives deep into the brutality and chaos Ramirez left behind. In Part 2, we’ll examine his trial, public obsession, and the disturbing psychology of a killer.
.................................................
Shop Air Up here:
Treat yourself or someone special to a refreshing twist with Air Up!
Enjoy 10% off your order using the code TRUECRIMINALS at airup.link/truecriminals. Explore all their delicious flavours today.
True Criminals – Winner of the 2025 True Crime Award for Outstanding Independent Podcast
Share Your Thoughts and Questions:
Connect with us via email at contact@audiobleachglobal.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Follow Us:
Instagram: @true.criminals
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals
Support Us:
If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content:
https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals
Connect with Martin Brunt:
Twitter: @skymartinbrunt
Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book: No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter.
Read Here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY
Connect with Helen Fospero:
Instagram: @helenfospero
Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation:
Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575
Credits:
True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.
Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.
Executive Producer: Lee Mann
Producer: Russell Barnes
Researcher: Becca Stinton
Audio Production: Andrew Chappell
Music Composition: Chap Mannequin
Artwork: Bleached
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Wrongly Accused: The Joanna Yeates Murder
Episode 31
mardi 10 juin 2025 • Duration 43:04
In this gripping episode of True Criminals, hosts Martin Brunt and Helen Fospero revisit one of the most chilling and controversial murder cases in recent British history — the 2010 killing of Joanna Yeates, a 25-year-old landscape architect whose disappearance just before Christmas shocked the nation.
Join Martin, who covered the case live for Sky News, as he recounts the intense missing persons search, the tragic discovery of Joanna’s body on Christmas Day, and the high-pressure investigation that followed.
The episode explores how police initially focused on Joanna’s boyfriend, Greg Reardon, before wrongly arresting her eccentric landlord, Christopher Jefferies — a man vilified by the press before being entirely exonerated. Martin and Helen examine how trial by media distorted the investigation and led to a landmark moment in UK media law, resulting in substantial damages and a national conversation about press ethics and journalistic responsibility.
Listeners will also uncover how detectives eventually exposed the shocking truth: the real killer, Vincent Tabak, a Dutch engineer living next door. The hosts break down the forensic breakthroughs, disturbing online searches, and Tabak’s abrupt change of plea that shocked the courtroom.
This is a powerful story of misjudgment, media misconduct, and a community shaken by tragedy — a must-listen for fans of true crime, wrongful accusation cases, and criminal justice reporting.
.................................................
Shop Air Up here:
Treat yourself or someone special to a refreshing twist with Air Up!
Enjoy 10% off your order using the code TRUECRIMINALS at airup.link/truecriminals. Explore all their delicious flavours today.
True Criminals – Winner of the 2025 True Crime Award for Outstanding Independent Podcast
Share Your Thoughts and Questions:
Connect with us via email at contact@audiobleachglobal.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Follow Us:
Instagram: @true.criminals
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals
Support Us:
If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content:
https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals
Connect with Martin Brunt:
Twitter: @skymartinbrunt
Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book: No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter.
Read Here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY
Connect with Helen Fospero:
Instagram: @helenfospero
Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation:
Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575
Credits:
True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.
Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.
Executive Producer: Lee Mann
Producer: Russell Barnes
Audio Production: Andrew Chappell
Music Composition: Chap Mannequin
Artwork: Bleached
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