On the evening of December 23, 1959, a young woman named Margaret Katibeh was getting ready to leave her hostel lodgings to see her family for the festive period. As she was packing her suitcase, she heard a scream… (Part 1 of 2)

The Railway Tap on Bishops Bridge Road in West London was often the scene of drunken fights in the late 1970s and early 80s. Despite its reputation, it was one of the most popular pubs in the Bayswater area. When a barman failed to turn up to work, the pub landlord had an inkling that something didn’t seem right… 

The latter years of a person’s life unfortunately involve making arrangements for when they die. These arrangements typically include organising their finances, writing a will, and planning a funeral. Thankfully, services exist that can assist in these situations, but as is often the case during this time, a vulnerable person can be susceptible to being exploited. Some people are willing to prey on the elderly in order to better their own situation, and some will go even further than taking money… 

In February 1974, a two-and-a-half-year-old went missing. For four hours, dozens of police officers and relatives of the toddler searched the area. His older brother had been looking after him while they were out playing but came home not knowing where his sibling was. The youngster was eventually found, peacefully asleep in the long grass a short distance from his home. It was an incredible relief for his worried family. Unfortunately, this happy ending wouldn’t be granted in the case of another boy who went missing around 40 miles away, a day earlier… 

Dan Brockley was driving along Woodside Road, close to Woodsome Hall Golf Club in Huddersfield, when a woman stumbled out of the tree line and into the road. It was dark and quiet when the female suddenly appeared, shortly before midnight on Saturday, May 28, 2011. Dan instinctively slammed his foot against the brakes, bringing the car to a screeching halt. The woman scrambled to the passenger side door and pleaded with him to let her in. She was visibly distressed and dishevelled. When Dan took a chance and opened the door, the woman said her name was Michelina, and someone had just tried to kill her… 

Michael Gilbert had been living with the Watt family on and off since 2001. At first, he believed he had found a haven, away from life on the streets, but Michael soon realised that his sanctuary was, in fact, a nightmare… (Part 2 of 2).

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…

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…