The Psychology of a Serial Killer: Harold Shipman

The spectre of Dr Harold Shipman hangs over the medical community like a black cloud on the horizon: ominous and bleak. His victims run into the hundreds, probably more than we’ll ever know. History tells us that Shipman would eventually die at his own hand, hung in his prison cell. But what of Dr John Bodkin Adams, a medical practitioner who preceded Shipman some decades before and is believed to have killed almost as many of his patients as Shipman did. So, why did Bodkin Adams walk free while Shipman died alone within the walls of Wakefield Prison?Welcome to An Appointment With Murder, hosted by Dr Harry Brunjes and Dr Andrew Johns; two good doctors examining the lives and times of two bad doctors. Johns, a forensic psychologist who met an ageing Peter Sutcliffe in Broadmoor, and worked on the Shipman enquiry and Brunjes, a former police and hospital doctor who worked at St. Mary's Hospital in Eastbourne where Bodkin Adams would spend his last days. As well as examining the strangely intertwined lives of the two murderous doctors, we look at the four kinds of serial killers and ask are those killers mad or simply bad?Presenters: Dr Harry Brunjes & Dr Andrew JohnsProducer: Philip WildingEditor: Chelsey MooreSound Design: John ScottProduction Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesJoin The Crime Desk to hear all episodes in series one straight away. Plus, you'll get exclusive weekly bonus episodes of our award-winning podcast The Trial, ad-free listening across all of our shows, and early access to brand-new series like our high-stakes investigative series, Heists, Scams & Lies.Become a member today at thecrimedesk.com.Go to enteromed.co.uk and use code IBS30 at checkout, for an exclusive 30% discount on Enterosgel IBS & Diarrhoea Relief. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.