Sparse details of an alleged exorcism emerged at Leeds Crown Court when Michael Taylor was found not guilty by reason of insanity for killing his wife, Christine. In an almost unprecedented move, the coroner decided it would be in the public interest to reopen the inquest so that the full story would be held on record... (Part 2 of 2).

Not a usual sight when minding your own business, a man appeared in the doorway, completely naked apart from socks on his feet. It took a few seconds for Thomas to realise that the man’s face, hands, and body were drenched in blood. Before Thomas could react, the man looked directly at him and spoke the words: “I rebuke thee in the name of Satan”… (Part 1 of 2).

Julia Beal was under the impression that her daughter was on a residential school trip in Cumbria. When she learned that wasn't the case and no one had seen her since March 6th, Fiona’s mother reported her daughter missing. A high-risk missing persons inquiry was launched. According to colleagues, Fiona Beal had been going through a tough time, and they were worried she would do something drastic…

Monday mornings were typically quiet. However, on August 23rd, 1971, four men wearing dark glasses and hats stormed into the shop. Joseph thought fast and ducked down—he hastily locked himself in the back room before the men could see him. He could hear the shop assistants being ordered to the floor at gunpoint, so Joseph pressed the silent alarm that alerted officers at Blackpool Police Station. It was 9:41 am. Within 15 minutes, three men would be fighting for their lives, and one of the largest manhunts in Lancashire history would be launched in search of one of the men responsible…

The train pulls into the platform on time. When the doors open, the passengers file out and begin heading for the exit. A boy walks through the crowd with purpose. His eyes scan the concourse, and he makes his way to the automatic doors. He leaves the station, and is never seen again….

The sergeant followed the single tyre track past the chrysanthemums that had tipped from their pot onto the ground. Dark red stains intermittently coloured the route from the garage, through the garden gate, to between the beech and oak trees on the rough cliffside terrain. A brown trilby hat lay in the dew-soaked grass. Close by was a bloodstained wallet. The narrow pathway led to the cliff’s edge, and as the sergeant peered down to the rocks 120 ft below, he saw who he’d been looking for….

Aly Austin had a feeling that she was close. Entering the rapeseed field from the roadside next to the roundabout, she lowered her eyes and began to scan the ground. It was typically fresh for a May evening, with a slight breeze. In full bloom, the yellow flowers stretched as far as the eye could see. The leaves of each plant were woven to neighbouring stalks, making the terrain tricky to navigate. Just a few minutes into the search, Aly stumbled onto something concealed beneath the dense crops. Decomposition had set in, but there was no doubt in Aly’s mind that she had found Mika Cudworth’s body…

The sound of knocking on the front door roused Dr Alfred Leach from sleep. It had been just a few hours after he had celebrated the New Year. The doctor recognised the young woman waiting on his doorstep as a patient’s servant. Before Annie Fulcher had a chance to speak, Dr Leach groaned and wondered whether Edwin Bartlett was truly sick this time or if it was just another one of his “notions”. Annie replied, “I know nothing about it. Mrs Bartlett only tells me he is dead”...

Investigators from numerous police forces across the Midlands had been searching for a connection between the unsolved murders of sex workers in the 1990s. After exhausting all resources, a cold case review was held in 1998 in an effort to identify the killer of Samo Paull and Tracy Turner. DNA obtained during Tracy Turner’s post-mortem had been collected after her death. As part of the re-investigation, the sample was cross-checked against the national DNA database in March 1998. After four years with no leads, the police finally had a match — a man awaiting trial for a violent sexual assault… (Part 2 of 2).

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 Nottingham 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).

A motorist became curious when he noticed something in a lay-by on the A464 road east of Shifnal to Wolverhampton. It was 9.30 on a cold winter’s morning. In a split-second decision, the driver decided to pull in to get a closer look. When he explored the undergrowth, he came to the realisation that he was looking at a dead body. It appeared as though a half-hearted attempt was made to cover the remains. Bushes had been placed to shield some of the body from prying eyes. Whoever had done it hadn't taken the time to thoroughly conceal the victim who bore the marks of being badly beaten…

After Benjamin Atkins and Debbie Pereira were caught with their lodger’s severed arms in their back garden, they were charged with murder and brought to trial at Winchester Crown Court. The prosecution alleged that the couple had acted together to kill Simon Shotton, dismember his body, and scatter his remains around Boscombe. Although Atkins had admitted to causing Simon’s death, he claimed that he had acted in self-defence, and Pereira argued she was innocent of any involvement… (Part 2 of 2).

As she waited for a break in the downpour, something heavy landed with a thud next to her. Dana worried someone had purposely thrown something. Undeterred, she quickly ran the remainder of the way to her workplace and grabbed her coat. A short time later, as she returned down the steps, Dana saw something wrapped in black plastic and grey masking tape. It had been discarded in the exact spot where she stood not fifteen minutes earlier. As she got closer, she recognised the object's shape. It looked like a human foot… (Part 1 of 2).

As Carlo approached the house, he found one of his children sitting outside. The boy explained to his father why he was lingering in the cold. 14-year-old Adrian had been waiting for over an hour. He couldn't get inside because the doors were locked, and no one was answering. Using his key, Carlo walked through the front door and immediately began looking for his wife. He went into the dining room. It took a moment for Carlo to comprehend what he was seeing…

The torchlight from the police boat was directed to the water surrounding the hired cruiser. An officer on board saw something gently swaying on the surface. At the same time, a man huddled in a blanket at the back of the cruiser noticed an object in the water next to the stern. He shouted, “Oh Lu Na, I see my wife!”…

Smeaton's Tower, a landmark on the waterfront, is a reminder of the city’s maritime heritage. Built in 1759, it originally served as a lighthouse on the Eddystone Reef before being decommissioned and meticulously rebuilt on Plymouth Hoe overlooking Plymouth Sound and the surrounding coastline. Standing 22 metres high, the red and white tower previously guided ships in the darkness. In late 2021, it was again illuminated, although this time, it was not to guide those at sea home safely, but to raise awareness and say goodbye to someone who was taken from their loved ones in the worst way imaginable…

Police Sergeant John Ross then saw something at the side of the beaten path — a single black shoe. His pace quickened in the seconds it took to reach it. He also noticed something else: a school bag discarded close by, and educational books scattered beside the bag. Sergeant Ross followed the trail of misplaced items. He found what they had been looking for, but the outcome was not what anyone wanted. He saw the body of a teenage girl…

Some people are fortunate enough to find someone they can envision spending the rest of their lives with. For the lucky few, their adoration for their partner can mean they will go to extraordinary lengths to prove their love. In some cases, people will do the unthinkable to keep a promise…

Within 24 hours of moving into a house in Penge, Harriet Staunton was dead. A chance encounter in a post office meant that what could have been recorded as death by natural causes, was listed as a homicide. Harriet Staunton’s husband, his mistress, his brother, and his brother’s wife were accused of starving Harriet to death to prevent the truth from coming out. The prosecution had spent days presenting damning evidence against the defendants, and due to the laws at the time that prohibited the accused from testifying in their own defence, they could only hope that their counsel would save them from the hangman’s noose… (Part 2 of 2).

A telegram arrived unexpectedly. Mrs Butterfield hoped it was a sign that her daughter was finally ready to speak to her again. She hadn’t seen Harriet in over a year, although she had tried unsuccessfully several times since then. The short message in the telegram dashed all hope of reuniting with her daughter. It bluntly read: “Harriet Staunton died yesterday at 34 Forbes Road… Will be buried today, Sunday”… (Part 1 of 2).