In November 2003, Graham and Carol Fisher were found murdered at Perch Garage near Wadebridge, Cornwall. The couple had built a quiet life around their petrol station and bungalow on the A39, but a shattered window, a ransacked home and evidence of a violent double shooting left investigators searching for answers…
Read moreThe Last Fare / David Wilkie & The Miners’ Strike - Part 1
The winter of 1984 forced miners to confront impossible choices. Families faced a dilemma that would tear at the fabric of the country’s tight-knit communities. Miners could continue to strike, pushing them to the brink of poverty, or return to work to put food on the table… (Part 1 of 2).
Read moreHostile Gesticulation & The Death Of A Cyclist / Celia Ward / Auriol Grey
Through the crowd of hushed onlookers, Police Constable John Sparks made his way to an uneasy scene on Nursery Road. Outside the Newtown Centre in Huntingdon, the usual lunchtime bustle had frozen. Cars were stationary in the middle of the road as paramedics worked desperately on a cyclist struck down just minutes earlier…
Read moreWrongly Accused / The Murders of Pamela Hastie & Tracey Waters
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…
Read moreYour Wife Or Your Daughter? / The Barn Restaurant Murder - Part 2
The jury in George Ince’s first trial had been split 9 to 3, just one vote away from a majority verdict that would have likely seen him sentenced to life in prison. Despite Ince’s acquittal at the second trial, investigators felt that the case was closed and returned the exhibits to Robert Patience, including clothes and the cushions the bullets had been fired through… (Part 2 of 2)
Read moreYour Wife Or Your Daughter? / The Barn Restaurant Murder - Part 1
It was one of the busiest nights of the year at The Barn restaurant in Braintree. The bonfire night two-for-£5 deal was going down well, attracting over 300 customers. 24-year-old manager David Patience was waiting for the band to wrap up their set. It was past two in the morning, and he was eager to get to bed. The Patience family home was nearby, less than 100 yards from the restaurant. When the intercom system between the buildings rang, David wondered if his father, who had left not long before, had forgotten something. Robert Patience’s voice was panicked. He told his son, “Come over quickly, there has been a bit of an accident”... (Part 1 of 2)
Read moreSuicide or Murder? / Ryan & Sandra James
The Burton Mail published the article in March 1990. A local couple had the good fortune of winning a Vauxhall Astra with two years' worth of free petrol. The accompanying picture is fuzzy. Sandra and Ryan James pose almost formally and rigidly while standing behind the vehicle with the garage owner poised to hand over the keys. The next time the couple were mentioned in the newspaper, it would not be for such joyous reasons…
Read moreThe Wrong Man / Lily Volpert / Mahmood Mattan
In 1952, Cardiff was a bustling industrial hub, a Welsh city that was in the midst of post-war construction. Cardiff docks were the main economic driver, and they welcomed ships from all across the globe, trading goods and raw materials. This trade led to the city quickly becoming a hub of multiculturalism. In particular, it became home to many Somali sailors who had sought new pastures. That same year, one of those sailors would find himself at the centre of a murder investigation that would highlight the dangers of a biased justice system...
Read moreConvicted by Numbers & A Miscarriage of Justice / The Case of Sally Clark - Part 2
Sally Clark had been arrested and charged with murdering two of her sons. Sally was adamant she was innocent, but a magistrate at a committal hearing believed there was enough evidence to go to trial… (Part 2 of 2).
Read moreConvicted by Numbers & A Miscarriage of Justice / The Case of Sally Clark - Part 1
Two police officers arrived at Hope Cottage. They took photos of the bedroom and were sympathetic to the couple's loss. Their visit was expected, and Sally and Steve were not alarmed... (Part 1 of 2).
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