Foretold: Australia's Whiskey Au Go Go Fire - Part 6

Foretold: Australia's Whiskey Au Go Go Fire - Part 6

July 12, 2026 · 44 min · Episode 120

About this episode

This episode covers the bizarre courtroom proceedings of the Whiskey Au Go Go fire trial involving John Stuart and James Finch, highlighting the controversies and challenges surrounding their convictions.

Episode 119 John Stuart and James Finch finally stand trial for the Whiskey Au Go Go firebombing—but this is no ordinary murder trial. As prosecutors build their case around disputed confessions, jailhouse informants, and weeks of alleged extortion threats, Stuart repeatedly sabotages the proceedings by swallowing homemade spring-loaded wire devices that send him into emergency surgery. Eventually barred from attending his own trial, Stuart dismisses his lawyer, forcing the court into the extraordinary position of conducting part of the proceedings in his hospital room. This episode explores the bizarre courtroom drama that followed, the witnesses whose credibility would be questioned for decades, and the evidence that convinced a jury to convict both men. But the story doesn't end with the verdict. From rooftop prison protests and repeated acts of self-harm to lingering allegations of fabricated confessions and unanswered questions about Stuart's death, the controversy surrounding Australia's "crime of the century" only deepens. And with another confession, a kidnapping, and fresh challenges to the convictions still ahead, the Whiskey Au Go Go saga isn't over yet. Sources for…

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