For centuries a church has been seen as a place of refuge and sanctuary for some in desperate need of help and shelter. Many people who are down on their luck or require support go to their place of worship for guidance. They often hold the clergy in high regard, a group they entrust with their troubles and confessions. In 2006, a discovery in a Glasgow church demonstrated how evil can lurk in the most sacred places… (Part 1 of 2)
In rural Kent, the chances of being a victim of violent crime are minimal. The chances of using fatal force to defend yourself are even more unlikely, and having to do it twice seems unbelievable. For over twenty years, one man from Kent appeared to be connected to a significant amount of criminal activity in the area, including the biggest gold heist in history and at least two deaths…
PLEASE LISTEN TO ‘SEASON 7 - EPISODES 53 & 54’ FOR PARTS ONE AND TWO OF THIS THREE-PART CASE. At the start of 2003, three men were to stand trial for the murder of Arlene Fraser — her estranged husband, Nat Fraser, along with Nat’s friends, Hector Dick and Glenn Lucas. Arlene’s body had not been found, nor had any forensic evidence to show she had been harmed on the day of her disappearance. The trial opened at Edinburgh High Court on January 7th… (Part 3 of 3).
PLEASE LISTEN TO ‘SEASON 7 - EPISODE 53’ FOR PART ONE OF THIS THREE-PART CASE. Arlene Fraser had mysteriously disappeared from her home in New Elgin without a trace, three and a half months prior to her daughter's 6th birthday. The occasion — on August 5th 1998 — marked the 100th day since Arlene had been missing. While a scaled-down investigation was still ongoing, the Grampian Police were struggling to find any answers… (Part 2 of 3).
Helmsley is a small market town within the North York Moors National Park. The VisitHelmsley website describes it as “the perfect base for enjoying the wider area”. Helmsley has numerous attractions, including a nature reserve, an art gallery, abbey ruins, and a market square boasting a range of shops and excellent restaurants. Named Britain's Best Market Town in 2015 by the Great British High Street Awards, the quaint area on the banks of the River Rye is a peaceful and quiet place to live. It is one of Yorkshire's hidden gems, rarely mentioned in the media; that was until a grisly discovery thrust Helmsley under the national spotlight…
In some religions and communities, great weight is placed on the family and its so-called collective honour. Name and reputation can overshadow everything else, and a specific code of honour must be followed. Sometimes, when perceived shame has been brought upon a family, the alleged wrongdoer is forced to pay the ultimate price…
Torrential rainfall had caused flash floods along the coastal Cliff Road in Salcombe, South Devon. Once there was a break in the clouds on that remarkably wet summer day, holiday goers seized the opportunity to make the most of their vacation. It was around 5 PM on Sunday, June 27th, 2021, when Charlotte Rollings and her family left the beach, and returned to the cottage where they were staying. The clothes designer was walking along the footpath by Bennett Road with her partner and parents, when Charlotte’s mother noticed something unusual…
The dark web is part of the internet that is not indexed by search engines. It’s rife with criminal activity, from drug sales all the way to targeted attacks. In August 2022, a man was browsing the dark web when he came across a website claiming to provide hitmen for a fee. Curiosity got the better of him, and as he scanned through the forum, one post piqued his interest; a request seemingly from a female asking for a man to be killed in Norfolk…
In February 2023, a man was convicted of sexually abusing a child during the 1980s. Aside from the harrowing details presented to the jury at Stafford Crown Court, some information was kept from them. Jurors were unaware the defendant was already serving a life sentence or that he was suspected of being one of the worst serial killers in British history... (Part 1 of 2).
On the evening of Saturday, June 9th, pubs across the country were filled to the brim. It was the second day of the 2012 European football championship. Groups of friends jostled to find seats in front of the television screens in the pubs throughout Bedfordshire, to watch the matches; The Netherlands versus Denmark and Germany versus Portugal. Hours later, in the early morning, things were starting to wind down when a young man appeared outside the White Hart pub in Ampthill. He looked dishevelled, and his tracksuit was saturated in blood…
Ian Cooke was at home in Brighton, East Sussex, on the morning of August 25th, 2016, when his phone rang. The caller was his 21-year-old son, Ash. Ash told his father he had been struggling to contact his girlfriend, 19-year-old Shana Grice. She was not answering her phone, and to compound matters, Shana had failed to show up for work. Unable to leave his shift, Ash asked his father to go and check on Shana at her home on Chrisdory Road…
At around 4 PM on July 17th, 2015, John Jr. drove to Marsh Street to ensure his father was ok. He approached the front door and could hear the television blaring from the living room. John Jr. noticed the door was unlocked — a curious detail as his father was very safety-conscious. He slowly stepped inside. It took John Jr. a few seconds to register what he saw in the hallway. There was a trail of blood leading to the living room, and he felt he had no choice but to see where it led…