Advertise on podcast: The Crime Agents

Did Lucy Letby really murder seven babies, and attempt to murder seven more? This case has received global attention and has caused more public debate than any other in recent memory. In this episode, Andy & Neil debate whether, for the sake of public confidence in the British justice system, it's time for the former neo-natal nurse to be allowed a retrial. Many high profile figures, from politicians, to medical experts and influencers, have campaigned in support of Letby in the past couple of years. Among the most prominent people to call for a retrial is Sir Jeremy Hunt, who was Health Secretary at the time of Letby's alleged crimes. Sir Jeremy speaks to The Crime Agents about why he has doubts over the former nurse's conviction - and what he would like to see happen next. Lucy Letby: the UK's most sadistic serial killer? Or the victim of the worst miscarriage of justice this country has ever seen? Tune in to hear both sides of the case that divides the nation. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thecrimeagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

In this week's Q&A episode, Andy and Neil discuss whether AI is making life more dangerous for undercover police officers. Does AI put them at greater risk of their cover being blown? What extra precautions do they now need to take? Neil looks at what these technological advances mean for cops on the front line. They also debate whether it's realistic to expect police officers to know every detail of the law, and Neil explains why British Counter-Terrorism Police have signs up at airports asking travellers if they have any information about December's terror attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach. Later, Andy and Neil reveal whether the 'cake fines' seen in the likes of Hot Fuzz & Blue Lights are dished out as police punishments in real life - and whether they should be a thing of the past. Plus, they're asked about whether they are qualified to commit 'the perfect crime' by a listener Andy knows well... Have a question for a future episode? Email us at [email protected] and follow us on social media @thecrimeagents EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thecrimeagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

As part of the biggest reform to policing in the UK for 200 years, the government has announced a 'British FBI': a new body which will focus on counter-terrorism and tackling organised crime. But what will it actually look like? Is this all just a money-saving exercise? Should Britain really be trying to copy American law-enforcement agencies? And will the reforms ever actually be seen through, given the plans will take many years to implement? These are some of the questions that Andy & Neil put to Policing Minister Sarah Jones in this special bonus episode, while Neil gives his own reaction to the announcements. Plus, Andy & Neil unpick Andy's exclusive interview with Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the UK's head of counter-terrorism policing, and discuss whether we are more or less vulnerable to terror attacks now than we were 10 years ago. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thecrimeagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

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. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thecrimeagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

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. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thecrimeagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

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 [email protected] or follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thecrimeagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

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. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thecrimeagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

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 [email protected] or follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thecrimeagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

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. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents

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. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents

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. Follow us 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. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents

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. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents

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 [email protected] or leave a question on social media: @thecrimeagents

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. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents