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Charles Bronson is often cited as Britain’s most notorious prisoner, having spent nearly 50 years behind bars. In this episode of True Criminals, Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero take a deep dive into the life and legacy of Michael Peterson—the man who became an underworld icon and later transformed into the artist known as Charles Salvador. Martin shares a unique perspective on the man behind the headlines, detailing a personal relationship built over years of correspondence. For the first time in the studio, Martin showcases original artwork sent to him by Bronson, offering a rare glimpse into the "cartoonish" yet often nightmarish creative world that has become the prisoner's primary outlet while in high-security isolation. The discussion traces Bronson's long history within the UK penal system, from his initial seven-year sentence for armed robbery in 1974 to the repeated violent outbursts and hostage situations that kept him inside. Martin explains the complexities of the 2000 discretionary life sentence—triggered by the 44-hour hostage-taking of an art teacher at HMP Hull—which has seen Bronson remain in custody long past his original minimum term. With the Parole Board having denied his 2023 public bid for freedom, the team examines what the future holds for his upcoming hearings. Martin reveals Charles’s own unwavering conviction that he will one day walk free, sharing a recent invitation from the prisoner to join him for a celebratory Guinness at a "freedom party" upon his release. The Origins: How a petty criminal became the "most violent prisoner in Britain." The Art: A look at the vivid, award-winning artwork Martin has brought into the studio. The Letters: Insights into the personal letters and postcards Martin receives from HMP Woodhill. The Legal Battle: An analysis of the parole process and why the board remains hesitant despite Bronson’s claims of being a "reformed character." The Future: Martin’s expert prediction on whether Bronson will ever experience life outside a prison cell again. 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 Instagram: ⁠@true.criminals⁠ YouTube: Subscribe here⁠ Martin Brunt: Follow Martin on Twitter at ⁠@skymartinbrunt⁠. Discover more about his career in his book, No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter, available here. Helen Fospero: Follow Helen on Instagram at ⁠@helenfospero⁠ and check out her podcast, The Convex Conversation, here. 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: Chap Mannequin | Artwork: Bleached Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a True Criminals exclusive first, the podcast interviews John J. Lennon, a writer and journalist currently serving a prison sentence at Sing Sing Correctional Facility following a conviction for murder. The interview, recorded inside the prison, examines Lennon’s account of his case, his life in custody, and his work as an author. Lennon is the writer of The Tragedy of True Crime, a book that explores how murder cases — including his own — are constructed, reported and consumed, and the consequences those narratives have for victims, offenders and the justice system. The conversation is conducted by Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero, who question Lennon on the circumstances surrounding his conviction, the challenges of writing from prison, and the broader issues raised by the true crime genre. The episode focuses on established facts, Lennon’s published work, and the realities of producing journalism while incarcerated. …………………………. Artwork photography credit: Luke Piotrowski 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

He stabbed her 24 times and nearly killed her and her unborn baby now the system is preparing to let him walk free. In the final part of this harrowing series, Natalie Queiroz reveals the devastating twist she never expected. Nearly a decade after surviving a brutal attempted murder, Natalie discovers that quiet policy changes could allow her attacker to move to an open prison years early, giving him day release and freedom of movement without her knowledge. Natalie speaks with raw honesty about the fear and trauma this decision reignites for her and her children, and why she believes the criminal justice system continues to fail victims of domestic abuse and stalking. She explains how learning of his Cat D eligibility shattered her sense of safety and forced her back into survival mode. But this is also a story of extraordinary resilience. Natalie shares how she transformed her pain into purpose, working inside prisons with violent offenders, campaigning against knife crime, supporting young people at risk, and becoming a victims advocate holding police and government to account. Her work earned her an MBE, but the fight is far from over. Presented by journalists Helen Fospero and Martin Brunt, this episode explores the uncomfortable reality of offender rehabilitation, early release, prison overcrowding and the lifelong sentence carried by victims. It asks urgent questions about public safety, victims rights, and whether the balance has tipped too far away from those who survive extreme violence. This episode contains distressing discussions of violence, trauma and ongoing fear. Listener discretion is advised. .................................. 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

After surviving a frenzied knife attack that nearly killed her and her unborn child, Natalie Queiroz is forced to confront an even more devastating reality: the man who tried to murder her was her fiancé, a partner she had trusted for decades, and the father of her baby. In this second episode, Natalie takes listeners inside the aftermath of the attack, the physical pain, the psychological trauma, and the slow unravelling of the truth about the man she thought she knew. As she pieces her life back together with a newborn baby and catastrophic injuries, Natalie reveals the hidden coercive control, lies and manipulation that only became clear once his carefully constructed façade collapsed. Natalie also recounts the criminal justice process in harrowing detail: the court hearings, the defence arguments, the judge’s damning assessment of a cold, premeditated plot, and the shock of what she believes was a lenient sentence. For the first time, she describes coming face to face with her attacker in prison, confronting him eye-to-eye in a tense restorative justice meeting that leaves her with few answers, but a renewed sense of power. Presented by journalists Helen Fospero and Martin Brunt, True Criminals continues its forensic examination of a case that raises urgent questions about coercive control, honour-based abuse, sentencing, and how victims survive — and live — after unimaginable violence. This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence, trauma and psychological distress. Listener discretion is advised. …………………………… 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

In March 2016, Natalie Queiroz was eight months pregnant, walking through a busy town centre in broad daylight, when a hooded man jumped onto her back and stabbed her 24 times with a 12-inch kitchen knife. Her lung collapsed. Her uterus was slashed. The blade missed her unborn baby by just two millimetres. Against all odds, both Natalie and her daughter survived. In this first episode, Natalie recounts — in her own words — the nine-minute frenzied attack, the strangers who risked their lives to save her, and the fight to stay conscious as she bled out on the pavement. As the full horror unfolds, listeners learn the devastating truth: the attacker was not a stranger, but her partner and the father of her unborn child. Presented by journalists Helen Fospero and Martin Brunt, True Criminals examines the story behind the headlines — with compassion, clarity and forensic insight. This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and is deeply distressing. Listener discretion is advised. …………………………… 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

In this special True Criminals Briefings episode, Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero reflect on a remarkable year in crime reporting — and a defining moment in Martin’s four-decade career. From the early days of Sky News in 1989 to some of the most notorious criminal cases of recent times, Martin looks back on the stories that shaped him: covering wars before choosing “a life of crime,” confronting fugitives in courtrooms, receiving letters and postcards from Charles Bronson, and reporting on cases that continue to haunt Britain. The episode dives into major crime stories that dominated 2025, including: The release of Christian Brückner, the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case Fresh hopes for a new search in the Muriel McKay murder investigation The Manchester synagogue attack A shocking train stabbing in Huntingdon Inside accounts of high-security prisons, parole hearings, and life in solitary confinement Alongside the hard-hitting journalism, there are lighter — and surprising — moments, including Martin’s unforgettable confession to once taking a goldfish for a walk in the early days of 24-hour news. As Martin steps back into semi-retirement from Sky News, this candid conversation explores the personal cost of crime reporting, the evolution of true crime journalism, and what lies ahead for True Criminals in 2026. Insightful, reflective, and deeply human — this is essential listening for anyone fascinated by true crime, criminal investigations, and the people who dedicate their lives to reporting them. …………………………… 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. 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

You won’t believe the questions we got this Christmas! In this special festive Q&A episode of True Criminals, hosts Martin Brunt and Helen Fospero dive into the fascinating, chilling, and sometimes puzzling queries from our amazing listeners. We want to start by thanking everyone who wrote in and shared their thoughts, theories, and questions with us. Your curiosity and engagement make this show what it is, and we love hearing from you all. In this episode, we cover everything from the enduring mystery of Madeleine McCann and the investigation into Christian Bruckner, to historical cases like Muriel Mackay’s kidnapping, as well as discussions about terrorism in the UK and notorious criminals like John Warboys and O.J. Simpson. We reflect on investigative techniques, crime reporting, and the stories that continue to captivate audiences worldwide. Martin and Helen also take a moment to wish all our listeners a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and to stay safe during the festive season. Tune in for a thought-provoking, gripping, and thoroughly festive True Criminals experience. …………………………… 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. 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

At 10.31pm a pop concert turned into a war zone. Children were screaming, parents were searching in terror and Britain was once again under attack. In this powerful episode of True Criminals, Sky News crime reporter Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero revisit the deadliest terror attack in the UK since 7 7. They take listeners back to the night of 22 May 2017 when a suicide bomber detonated a homemade device at the Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 innocent people and injuring hundreds more. Drawing on Martin’s frontline reporting and exclusive material from the investigation, the episode explores how the attack unfolded, the chaos and failures in the emergency response and the devastating human cost for victims and families. Joining the hosts is Neil Basu, the former Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and the UK’s senior national coordinator for counter terrorism policing at the time, who now co hosts the Crime Agents podcast. In a deeply personal interview, Neil gives rare insight into the first frantic hours after the bombing, the decision to declare a terror attack, the fear of further strikes and the immense pressure of leading the national response alongside MI5. He reflects on watching the CCTV of the blast, the hunt for accomplices and the long lasting impact the attack had on those tasked with preventing the next one. Eight years on, the Manchester Arena bombing still scars the city and the nation. This episode reflects on the resilience shown in the aftermath, the solidarity of ordinary people and why the lessons of that night continue to matter. …………………………… 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. 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 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 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

The terror that gripped California for over a decade finally came into focus in 2018. Joseph James D’Angelo, a former police officer and seemingly ordinary father, was unmasked as the Golden State Killer – a serial predator responsible for at least 13 murders, over 50 rapes, and countless home invasions from the mid-1970s to the 1980s. In this second part of our True Criminals special, Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero continue their conversation with retired FBI profiler Julia Cowley, who led the behavioural analysis of D’Angelo’s crimes. Julia reveals the full psychological profile of one of America’s most notorious offenders, providing a chilling window into the mind of a man whose need for control, feelings of inadequacy, and escalating violence allowed him to operate undetected for decades. We examine the investigation that finally brought D’Angelo to justice and explore his courtroom behaviour, revealing the stark contrast between the predator who terrorised families and the frail, confused man who faced the law. Julia also reflects on the key factors that shaped his deviant behaviour, the rare moments where his crimes escalated to deadly violence, and what his capture tells us about profiling, policing, and the evolution of forensic science. In Part Two, listeners will discover: How D’Angelo’s psychological profile explained his obsession with control, power, and sexual fantasy The breakthrough DNA techniques that cracked one of America’s most infamous cold cases Insights into his behaviour during arrest and court proceedings, exposing the true man behind the mask The challenges and debates within FBI profiling and the accuracy of Julia Cowley’s predictions Lessons for investigators and the public on identifying potential offenders before escalation This gripping episode offers an unparalleled insight into the criminal mind, the painstaking investigation that unmasked a decades-long predator, and the groundbreaking science that is transforming cold case investigations. 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. 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.  Senior Researcher: Rebecca Stinton Audio Production: Andrew Chappell.  Music Composition: Chap Mannequin.  Artwork: Bleached Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For more than ten years, California was terrorised by a phantom. A man who slipped into bedrooms, blinded victims with a flashlight, tied them up, and vanished before police ever arrived. He was a serial burglar, rapist and murderer who operated under multiple names , the Visalia Ransacker, the East Area Rapist, the Original Night Stalker, before the world finally knew him as the Golden State Killer. In this exclusive two-part True Criminals special, Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero trace the evolution of one of the most prolific offenders in US criminal history. From more than 100 ransackings to over 50 rapes and at least 13 murders, Joseph James D’Angelo’s decade-long spree left 61 known victims and decades of unanswered questions. Joining us is retired FBI profiler Julia Cowley, lead behavioural analyst on the Golden State Killer investigation and host of The Consult: Real FBI Profilers. Julia breaks down the ritualistic MO, escalating violence, sexual compulsions, and the psychological signatures that set D’Angelo apart, and ultimately helped identify him through pioneering genetic genealogy. We revisit the crime scenes, the methods, the fear that paralysed entire neighbourhoods, and the breakthrough that finally unmasked a predator hiding behind a police badge. In Part One, we explore: The Visalia Ransacker burglaries and early signs of sexual motivation The escalation to the East Area Rapist attacks His obsessive rituals: binding, blindfolds, threats, ransacking and “control theatre” How he manipulated couples and used psychological torture Why the case remained unsolved for 40 years Julia Cowley’s firsthand insight into profiling one of America’s most sadistic offenders A gripping deep dive into the mind and methods of a killer whose crimes haunted California for decades — and the investigators who refused to give up. ................................................. 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. 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.  Senior Researcher: Rebecca Stinton Audio Production: Andrew Chappell.  Music Composition: Chap Mannequin.  Artwork: Bleached Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He confessed to Shirley Banks. But what about Suzy Lamplugh? In this gripping second episode of our two-part series, True Criminals uncovers the terrifying link between two young women and one of Britain’s most dangerous predators. Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero trace how John Cannan, a convicted rapist and murderer, went from the shadows of Bristol to becoming the prime suspect in the disappearance of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh. Joined by former Detective Chief Inspector Michael Barley, who spent over a decade investigating Suzy’s case, we explore the chilling evidence, tense interviews, and investigative breakthroughs that connected Cannan to the mystery that has haunted the UK for decades. From a hidden car, altered number plates, and forensic clues, to his brazen confession to Shirley Banks’ murder, every detail exposes a predator’s twisted mind and the painstaking detective work that followed. This episode examines the heartbreaking consequences for Suzy’s family, the lessons learned for police and society, and why, nearly 40 years later, her fate remains a haunting unsolved puzzle. True Criminals reveals how one man’s crimes shaped national awareness of women’s safety and left an indelible mark on British criminal history. ................................................. 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. 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

A young estate agent leaves her office for a routine appointment and simply never returns. It is the kind of moment that stops ordinary life in its tracks and forces a country to look more closely at the shadows it usually ignores. In this first of two episodes, True Criminals follows the earliest steps of the investigation into Suzy Lamplugh’s disappearance and the man she was meant to meet, known only as Mr Kipper. Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero walk through Suzy’s final confirmed movements and the police actions taken in those first decisive hours. We are joined in the studio by retired Detective Chief Inspector Michael Barley whose experience brings a clear eyed understanding of how investigators approached a case that offered almost nothing and demanded everything. What followed shaped decades of inquiry, public speculation and police work. This episode sets the scene as Martin and Helen trace the small details and larger questions that defined the opening chapter of this enduring mystery. ................................................. 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. 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

In this special briefing of True Criminals, Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero break down the stabbing on the Doncaster to London Kings Cross train on 1 November 2025. Minutes after departing Peterborough, a lone passenger launched a knife attack, injuring several people. Martin details how the driver alerted control and made an emergency stop at Huntingdon, where armed officers boarded the train. A crew member was seriously injured while protecting passengers, a moment of extraordinary bravery highlighted in this episode. Martin and Helen explain how the suspect boarded at Peterborough, how the alarm was raised, and why Operation PLATO, Britain’s major-incident terrorism protocol, was briefly activated before police confirmed the attack was not terror-related. They examine the responses of passengers, staff, and emergency services as they dealt with a fast-moving incident on a moving train. The briefing also updates listeners on the investigation: a 32-year-old man from Peterborough has been charged with multiple counts of attempted murder and is being linked to earlier knife incidents in the area. ................................................. 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. 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

The woman who proclaimed, “I am Madeleine,” has finally heard her verdict. In this special episode of True Criminals Briefings, hosts Martin Brunt and Helen Fospero uncover the extraordinary and unsettling story of Julia Wandelt, the young Polish woman who shocked the world by claiming she was Madeleine McCann, the British child who vanished from a Portuguese resort in 2007. What began as an internet frenzy ended in a Leicester courtroom. After months of speculation and global attention, a jury found Julia Wandelt guilty of harassment against Kate and Gerry McCann, but not guilty of stalking. The court heard that her repeated visits, letters and online messages had caused serious distress to the McCann family. DNA testing provided conclusive evidence that she was not Madeleine McCann, closing one of the strangest chapters in the case’s long history. ................................................. 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. 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

He was the trusted face of London’s black cab trade, charming and friendly, always ready to share a drink to celebrate a big win. But the champagne John Worboys offered his passengers was laced with sedatives. The women who believed they were safe on their way home would wake up hours later with no memory, their trust betrayed. In this gripping episode of True Criminals, Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero discuss the chilling story of John Worboys, the man now known as The Black Cab Rapist. Between 2000 and 2008, Worboys drugged and sexually assaulted dozens of women across London while evading police for years. Martin and Helen revisit how Worboys’ horrific crimes came to light, the shocking police failures that allowed him to keep attacking, and the extraordinary courage of the victims who fought to bring him to justice. From his arrest and trial to the public outcry over his possible release, this is one of Britain’s most disturbing true crime cases, and a story that changed the UK justice system forever. Featuring first-hand insight from Martin’s original Sky News reporting, this episode re-examines the case that shattered trust in London’s taxi trade and exposed deep failings within the Metropolitan Police and the parole system. Patreon Exclusive: In this episode’s Extra Chat, find out what connects Eric Cantona and Boris Johnson’s wife to the John Worboys case — only on Patreon - Link Below ................................................. 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. 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