Arlesey has stood the test of time. It is mentioned briefly in the Domesday Book of 1086 and has been through many reinventions over the centuries. It has witnessed the births and deaths of thousands of fleeting occupants, but nothing in Arlesey’s varied history could compare to the horror of one man's murder in 2009… (Part 1 of 2).
There was no evidence that the stranger was alive — no slow rise and fall of the stomach or chest, not even a hint of cold morning air visible from his mouth. While one of the pair called for an ambulance, another rang a neighbour to tell them what they had found. That neighbour wasted no time in getting to the alleyway. She looked at the deceased man and immediately recognised him as a local, who lived on the estate...
The television series ‘Midsomer Murders’ has been on-air since 1997. In a fictional rural setting, each episode of the British crime drama sees an individual harbour dark secrets as part of the ongoing whodunnit murder mystery. In a curious twist of life imitating art, the picturesque village of Furneux Pelham in Hertfordshire became an unwitting backdrop for a real-life murder mystery in 2004. An elderly man had been found dead on the front doorstep of his Grade II listed cottage. News outlets dispatched reporters to Furneux Pelham, and the media began to draw parallels between the murder and the fictional television series. As time passed and the crime went unsolved, life in Furneux Pelham slowly returned to normal. However, sometime later, a jailhouse confession would thrust the village back into the spotlight…
The ceilings were low, and the space was cosy in the 15th-century Woolpack Inn pub. Two couples were enjoying their evening meal when a commotion caught their attention. A regular patron had just fallen off a tall wooden stool, knocking over other people's drinks in the process. She was clearly intoxicated and agitated. The woman got back up and was goaded into a car, but was never seen alive again…
PLEASE LISTEN TO ‘SEASON 8 - EPISODE 20’ FOR PART ONE OF THIS TWO-PART CASE. After the public release of a letter that was thought to be written by Colette Aram’s killer, the investigation seemed to slow down. Christmas was approaching, but Colette's family had no reason to celebrate. They decided to forgo the usual decorations — no Christmas tree, no tinsel, no presents. Colette's mother, Jacqui, expressed the sad reality of losing a child, "There is no joy in our house now, only a deathly silence"… (Part 2 of 2).
As Halloween swiftly approached on October 30, the residents of Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, were busy preparing. Doorsteps displayed carved pumpkins, and bowls filled with treats were being stocked to hand out to trick-or-treaters the following night. On that same dark autumn evening, a teenage girl in Keyworth left her home to see her boyfriend. She had made the journey many times before, but there was no way of knowing this night was different… (Part 1 of 2).
PLEASE LISTEN TO ‘SEASON 8 - EPISODE 18’ FOR PART ONE OF THIS TWO-PART CASE. After serving 16 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Stefan Kiszko was acquitted and released. He died less than two years later. Lesley Molseed’s killer was still unidentified, but as so much time had passed, there was little chance the murderer would ever be brought to justice, especially after most of the evidence had been destroyed… (Part 2 of 2)
The murder of a vulnerable child causes sadness and unease throughout the country. The authorities are desperate to take a violent predator off the streets before they take another life. Within two months, it looks as though they have succeeded. But things are seldom straightforward, and rarely what they seem… (Part 1 of 2).
The Probation Service and Parole Boards are meant to safeguard our communities. However, no organisation or independent body is immune to errors or shortcomings. If they fail in their duty, then dangerous people can be released straight into the path of innocent victims…
Easter weekend 1998. An 18-year-old goes missing on the way to see a relative in Leeds. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, she was approximately 14 times more likely to become a victim of violent crime. The race was on to find the vulnerable young woman, but no one could be prepared for what they saw when they found her…
Most parents would do almost anything to save a child's life. Some are fortunate enough to be able to afford whatever treatment is needed, but money can’t buy everything. In 2023, a landmark case highlighted just how far one family was willing to go to help their child, even at the cost of someone else's...
Advancements in technology and home security have allowed people to feel safer than ever in their homes. CCTV systems are more accessible, and mobile phone apps can be used to receive alerts within seconds regarding movement outside a property. Generally, these notifications are triggered by a delivery driver or a welcomed guest, but sometimes that visitor has bad intentions. Home security systems can assist users to raise the alarm. However, in October 2021, a furious father to a young child took matters into his own hands. A jury would have to decide if the accused never intended to take a life or was enacting revenge on someone they felt deserved the ultimate punishment…