In the late 1970’s, LSD was big in Cambridge University’s radical academic fringe, inspired by LSD pioneer Timothy Leary. He had a strong belief that the drug broadened the mind and could transform society and make it better for all of us. Henry Todd got very much into this scene and then started his own LSD lab, producing huge quantities of the stuff. In the episode of the UK True Crime Podcast, I look at the undercover police operation ‘Operation Julie’ soon had Henry Todd and others making and selling LSD under surveillance, and how Todd later made the unusual move into high altitude mountaineering.

For my 500th episode, this is a special extended episode where I speak to Michael Ross about the tragic murder of his wife Jacquie, on just a normal Sunday morning when she was walking their dog Rosie as usual. We talk about Michael’s life with Jacquie, the murder, how Michael and his family coped with these events, the murder trial and how since the tragedy, Michael has used his experiences to bring hope to others who are facing terrible events in their life.

It was a happy occasion, Stanley Tawse’s birthday. The family headed to the pub in Aberdeen for the afternoon, and Stanley left at about 6pm to head home and to phone his daughter in South Africa. But Stanley didn’t call his daughter. And he didn’t make it home that night. Just what had happened to Stanley?

When 17 year old Simon Everitt suddenly disappeared from near Great Yarmouth, concern quickly grew among those who knew him. But what began as a missing person case soon unravelled into something far darker. As the investigation continued, the disturbing truth emerged that Simon had been murdered by people within his own circle, and his body hidden in a remote rural location in Norfolk in an attempt to cover up the crime.

Jean Windridge lived near Birmingham and was always immaculate in her appearance, with a real fondness for flashy costume jewellery which led to her gaining the nicknames among friends of ‘Diamond Lil’ and ‘Goldfinger’. She didn’t wear expensive pieces, but loved the jewellery that she wore. At 78, Jean had a busy social life and lots of friends, being known locally for her kindness and sense of community. So when she was found murdered in her own home after an afternoon party at the local church, nobody could understand why anyone would want to hurt Jean.

In this episode of the UK True Crime Podcast I cover the tragic murder of Karen Buckley (pictured). It was a normal Saturday night in Glasgow as mainly students headed to The Sanctuary nightclub. But while most were there to have some fun and enjoy time with their friends, there was one man there who was looking for something very different. Someone to attack.

In this episode of the UK True Crime Podcast I delve into the criminal history of Paul Bint, a serial conman known as the “King Con.” Bint repeatedly posed as high-status figures, such as barristers and senior officials, to manipulate victims, often targeting women and gaining their trust before exploiting them financially. With hundreds of offences and multiple prison sentences, his story reveals how confidence fraud relies on charm, deception, and psychological manipulation rather than complex schemes. It is quite a story.

For six terrifying years, a gang of robbers carried out over twenty raids on banks and Post Offices across Merseyside, stealing around £1.5 million. Armed, masked and highly organised, they spread fear among staff and communities whilst evading capture time and time again. In this episode of the UK True Crime Podcast, I look at how the gang operated, the impact on their victims, and how through great police work, the gang were brought to justice.

I look at two tragic cases where a normal night out at the pub, ended in devastating violence over minor issues. The killings of Jake Kemp and Liam Dent, both of whom lost their lives to total strangers, show how quickly situations can spiral out of control. I look at the events leading up to each killing, what happened on the night of the attacks, and the consequences faced by those responsible.

Bridlington, on the north-east coast of England. Local fairground worked Peter Foster first watched the film ‘A Clockwork Organge’ when he was just 15 and it had a profound effect on him all of his life. He often dressed like the main character, but he was also obsessed with the violence in the film – as we will hear today…

It was just a normal walk by the sea near his home for Steven Clark. He was with his mum walking on the seafront in Saltburn-by-the-Sea when he disappeared seemingly into thin air after visiting the public toilets. With no confirmed sightings and few answers, Steven’s disappearance is one of the UK’s most puzzling missing person mysteries. Just what did happen to Steven?

The Fire Service received a call from the Festival Fireworks depot at Marlie Farm, near Lewes in East Sussex. The blaze raged and the stituation continued to escalate with terrible and shocking results.

It is hard to comprehend that in the small town of Maesteg, lived a man with an obsession for the crimes of Fred & Rose West and fantasised about travelling the county abducting, assaulting and murdering innocent women. In this episode, we hear how this fantasy become a terrifying reality.

In this special episode, I revisit the murder of Vicky Hall in Felixstowe in 1999. Today, serial killer Steve Wright was sentenced for Vicky’s murder, his sixth known killing. I break down the developments from court at the sentencing hearing, reflect on the police investigation and its unanswered questions, explore why Wright may have chosen to confess after so many years, and consider what this case means for the possibility of further undiscovered victims.

When a workplace affair ends, the fallout doesn’t stay private. Loyalties fracture, tension poisons the environment, and what was once whispered behind closed doors becomes impossible to escape. Careers, reputations, and mental health can all be collateral damage when personal betrayal collides with professional life. In the story today from Norfolk, the end of an affair leads to one person looking for revenge and ends in the most shocking violence.

Julia James, a 53-year-old police community support officer, was murdered while walking her dog in woodland near her home in Kent. The seemingly random and brutal attack shocked the local community and sparked a major investigation. This episode examines the events leading up to Julia’s death, the evidence that led police to her killer, and the court case that followed – a case that raised troubling questions about violence, vulnerability, and safety in everyday spaces.

In the summer of 2002, 15-year-old Camilla Petersen, a Danish exchange student, travelled to the Isle of Wight expecting a life-changing experience. Instead, her visit would end in tragedy. What began as a quiet day in a beautiful rural setting triggered one of the Island’s most disturbing investigations, exposing how quickly innocence can collide with hidden danger.

All the data tells us that we are most likely to be harmed by those we know. But for most of us our real nightmares are about being snatched by a total stranger in the dark of the night when nobody is around to help us. This week on the UK True Crime Podcast from Yorkshire, this is exactly the terrifying crime at the heart of our story.

The Ultimate Traitor explores the chilling true story of Robert Hendy-Freegard — the conman who posed as an MI5 agent and manipulated his victims through fear, loyalty and lies. A real-life game of trust and betrayal that echoes The Traitors, this episode examines how deception became a weapon — and how ordinary people were drawn into his control, with so many lives destroyed. In the end he was just a Traitor, playing a game that nobody agreed to play.

The story from this week looks at a massive seizure of heroin and cocaine from a gang based in the north-west of England and rural north Wales. But what hit me is there is none of the drama we see in crime programmes on the television – it is a story of four men quietly going about their business under the radar, making money for themselves and causing untold misery in the communities where we all live…

Abdul Hadi Arwani’s life ended in a sudden burst of violence that left a community reeling and a trail of unanswered questions. This episode examines the time before his murder, the brutal reality of what happened next, and the consequences that continue to echo long after his death.

For Kenneth Bastow, from Yorkshire, it was his usual Friday night routine. A few drinks with his old pal at the pub to round off the week and put the world to rights. But this time as he waved goodnight to his friend as he drove away after dropping him home, he didn’t know that his house wasn’t empty. There was someone waiting there for him with deadly intentions.

It was the usual bus to college in Plymouth that 18 year old Alicia Eborne had caught so many times before. But this time, she had not made it to college or even been seen since leaving home as usual that morning – had she even made it to the bus? But one person knew exactly what had happened to Alicia. A man trusted by so many, but a man capable of a terrible murder…

It was such a minor event to happen, totally irrelevant in the scheme of things. But 26 year old Robert Thacker was believed to have been responsible, so his so-called friend decided he should be taught a lesson, and what he decided to do, is the stuff of our worst nightmares.

Elizabeth Baxter had lived in Plaistow, East London for all of her 77 years and was, as you can imagine, well-known and liked in the area. So just who had murdered her in her own home, leaving cash in the flat untouched – it seemed like a murder with no motive.

It was just a normal Staurday afternoon in Merseyside as Graham McKenna and his son Michael made their way to the football match to watch Everton. But tragically they never made it to Goodison Park for the game because a man was waiting for them. A man with a fatal grudge…

Maureen Stepan, from Bradford, was a quiet and shy girl with long blonde hair and a passionate love for animals. Maureen had done well at primary school but after this she got in with the wrong crowd and had soon developed a heroin addiction. By age 16 Maureen was selling sex on the highly dangerous streets of the Bradford Red Light District, where one night, she met a highly dangerous man…

Wing Fu Cheung, known as Nelson, was a popular figure in the Antrim area where he and he wife Winnie had had run Chinese restaurant for a number of years. But one night, as they drove home, they were the victim of a terrible and violent robbery, which tragically left Nelson dead at the scene.

A man murdered in his workshop in Yorkshire. A woman murdered in the Highlands. And the same suspect was befriending and stealing from a variety of people staying in guesthouses in England and Scotland. Detectives knew they were in a race against time before this man struck again….

A late-night Instagram date turned deadly when a honeytrap plan spiralled into violence. This is the story of Saul Murray’s shocking murder in Luton, he was just 33 when he died and a father of six children.