This Much is True Crime

Hit subscribe so you don't miss any updates. ------- Lisa Hayden-Johnson convinced the country that her young son Matthew was suffering from a series of life-threatening illnesses. But the truth was far more disturbing. From cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis to diabetes and severe allergies, Matthew was subjected to hundreds of medical appointments, made to use a wheelchair and fed through tubes, despite not having the conditions his mother claimed. The story attracted national attention, with Matthew receiving a Child of Courage award and the family meeting figures including Tony Blair and the Duchess of Cornwall. But behind the public sympathy was a prolonged pattern of child abuse. Hayden-Johnson was eventually convicted of child cruelty and other offences, exposing a case of fabricated or induced illness, sometimes referred to as Munchausen syndrome by proxy. How could a mother fabricate her own child's illnesses for years? Why did so many people believe her? And how was the abuse eventually uncovered? ------- Check out our Patreon for bonus weekly episodes and access to live recordings, plus monthly newsletters! Click here to join: https://www.patreon.com/c/ThisMuchisTrueCrime ------- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thismuchistruecrime Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thismuchistruecrime ------- Produced by Podcast House. This Much Is True Crime is proudly sponsored by the TRUE CRIME channel. Watch TRUE CRIME on Sky 146, Freely 37, Freeview 67, Freesat 135 and Virgin 148. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hit subscribe so you don't miss any updates. SimpliSafe: For an exclusive 35% OFF and a FREE outdoor camera, click the link below and use the promo code: TRUECRIMEhttps://simplisafe.co.uk/build-my-system?utm_code=TRUECRIME In November 2001, 90 year old Mabel Leyshon was murdered inside her home on Anglesey in one of Wales's most disturbing murder cases.Her killer was 17 year old Mathew Hardman, a former paperboy who had developed an obsession with vampires and the idea that he could achieve immortality. Mabel was stabbed 22 times before her body was subjected to a series of bizarre rituals. Hardman removed her heart, drank her blood and positioned two fire pokers at her feet in the shape of a cross. The case became known as the ‘Welsh Vampire Murder’, but what drove a teenager to commit such an extraordinary crime? We look back at Mabel's murder, the evidence that led police to Hardman and the disturbing obsession behind the killing. Check out our Patreon for bonus weekly episodes and access to live recordings, plus monthly newsletters! Click here to join:https://www.patreon.com/c/ThisMuchisTrueCrime TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thismuchistruecrime Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thismuchistruecrime Produced by Podcast House. This Much Is True Crime is proudly sponsored by the TRUE CRIME channel.Watch TRUE CRIME on Sky 146, Freely 37, Freeview 67, Freesat 135 and Virgin 148. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hit subscribe so you don't miss any updates. SimpliSafe: For an exclusive 35% OFF and a FREE outdoor camera, click the link below and use the promo code: TRUECRIMEhttps://simplisafe.co.uk/build-my-system?utm_code=TRUECRIME Bombshell new findings from the Thirlwall Inquiry have concluded that Lucy Letby could and should have been stopped sooner, potentially saving the lives of three of her victims. The inquiry found serious safeguarding failures at the Countess of Chester Hospital and concluded that the failure to alert police earlier to concerns about Letby's conduct had devastating consequences for children and their families. Professor David Wilson and Martin Frizell are joined by Christopher Morris, author of a new book examining the Lucy Letby case. They discuss the findings of the inquiry, the ongoing investigation into potential corporate manslaughter and gross negligence at the hospital, and the growing debate surrounding the safety of Letby's convictions. While the Thirlwall Inquiry made clear its position that Letby is responsible for the crimes for which she was convicted, Morris's book brings together experts who question whether her convictions are safe and explores the possibility of the case returning to the Court of Appeal. Check out our Patreon for bonus weekly episodes and access to live recordings, plus monthly newsletters! Click here to join:https://www.patreon.com/c/ThisMuchisTrueCrime TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thismuchistruecrimeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thismuchistruecrime Produced by Podcast House. This Much Is True Crime is proudly sponsored by the TRUE CRIME channel. Watch TRUE CRIME on Sky 146, Freely 37, Freeview 67, Freesat 135 and Virgin 148. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hit subscribe so you don't miss any updates. Check out our Patreon for bonus weekly episodes and access to live recordings, plus monthly newsletters! Click here to join: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ThisMuchisTrueCrime?l=en-GB Join our Murder Club: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ThisMuchisTrueCrime?l=en-GB On 18th June, Jamie Varley was found guilty of the murder of Preston Davey and sentenced to life imprisonment. His partner, John McGowan Fazakerley, was sentenced to 25 years after being convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child. The verdicts brought to a close one of the most disturbing child abuse cases in recent years. Preston Davey was a vulnerable young boy who should have been protected by the adults responsible for his care. Instead, prosecutors argued that he was subjected to horrific abuse that ultimately cost him his life. As details of the investigation emerged, the case sparked widespread outrage and raised serious questions about how such a tragedy could have happened. In this episode, David Wilson and Martin Frisell examine the case, the investigation, the trial and the devastating circumstances that led to Preston's death. Produced by Podcast House — This episode is sponsored by the TRUE CRIME channel, where you can tune-in daily for a multitude of true crime documentaries that explore some of the nation's most chilling cases. The TRUE CRIME channel is available on Sky 146, Freely 37, Freeview 67, Freesat 135, Virgin 148. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hit subscribe so you don't miss any updates. Check out our Patreon for bonus weekly episodes and access to live recordings, plus monthly newsletters! Click here to join: https://patreon.com/ThisMuchisTrueCrime Join our Murder Club: https://patreon.com/ThisMuchisTrueCrime In 1989, 22-year-old Julie Hogg was murdered in her own home in Billingham. Her killer, Billy Dunlop, walked free twice despite damning evidence - protected by an 800-year-old legal loophole. It took one determined mother to change the law forever - Anne Ming David sat down with Ann at a true crime convention, and shares that conversation in this episode. Produced by Podcast House — This episode is sponsored by the TRUE CRIME channel, where you can tune-in daily for a multitude of true crime documentaries that explore some of the nation's most chilling cases. The TRUE CRIME channel is available on Sky 146, Freely 37, Freeview 67, Freesat 135, Virgin 148. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hit subscribe so you don't miss any updates.Check out our Patreon for bonus weekly episodes and access to live recordings, plus monthly newsletters! ⁠⁠Click here to join: https://patreon.com/ThisMuchisTrueCrime?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink In 1992, Rachel Nickell was walking on Wimbledon Common with her two-year-old son when she was brutally murdered in broad daylight. The attack shocked the nation — not only because of its horror, but because of what followed: a deeply flawed police investigation, a controversial undercover operation, and the wrongful targeting of an innocent man. In this episode, we look at the murder of Rachel Nickell, the devastating impact on her family, and the long road to justice after the truth finally emerged years later. Produced by Podcast House This episode is sponsored by the TRUE CRIME channel, where you can tune-in daily for a multitude of true crime documentaries that explore some of the nation’s most chilling cases. The TRUE CRIME channel is available on Sky 146, Freely 37, Freeview 67, Freesat 135, Virgin 148. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hit subscribe so you don't miss any updates. Check out our Patreon for bonus weekly episodes and access to live recordings, plus monthly newsletters! ⁠⁠Click here to join The infamous ‘Black Cab Rapist’ has been told he’s still a high risk to women and must remain locked up in the most dangerous category of prisoners. John Warboys victims, including Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie, welcomed the decision saying it was a huge relief but she continued to criticise the police for still not taking attacks against women seriously. Warboys reign of preying on single women late at night in his London black taxi is the subject of the new ITV drama Believe Me which reveals the misogynistic attitude of police officers who failed to link the attacks despite obvious clues. In this podcast episode, Martin Frizell and Professor David Wilson analyse Warboys’s background, his MO, the police failings and the shocking statistics that show attacks on women in cabs has tripled in the last three years!Sent from my iPhone Produced by Podcast House This episode is sponsored by the TRUE CRIME channel, where you can tune-in daily for a multitude of true crime documentaries that explore some of the nation’s most chilling cases. The TRUE CRIME channel is available on Sky 146, Freely 37, Freeview 67, Freesat 135, Virgin 148. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scotland Yard are hoping to bring the German paedophile suspect Christian Brueckner to the Old Bailey to stand trial for the murder and abduction of the missing three year old. This week, on the 19th anniversary of Madeline’s disappearance, Martin Frizell and Professor David Wilson have been to the Portuguese Algarve to trace the footsteps of her alleged killer. For the first time, they gain access to the holiday complex where the McCann’s spent an idylic week before their world changed for ever. Produced by Podcast House - Check out our Patreon for bonus weekly episodes and access to live recordings, plus monthly newsletters! ⁠Click here to join.⁠ ----- This episode is sponsored by the TRUE CRIME channel, where you can tune-in daily for a multitude of true crime documentaries that explore some of the nation’s most chilling cases. The TRUE CRIME channel is available on Sky 146, Freely 37, Freeview 67, Freesat 135, Virgin 148. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices