We talk to the victims of convicted rapist and killer David Jaggers. Jaggers raped his sister Vicky when she was just 12 years old and as a result she gave birth to their daughter, Kirsty. She kept the rapes and the identity of Kirsty’s father a secret for 18 years until she went to police. During the 18 years of silence, Vicky’s brother, David Jaggers went on to kill his girlfriend Helen Mitchell and also was convicted of other sexual offences against women before his arrest after a police siege in 2005. For the first time, David and Vicky’s mother Avril talks about the impact this had on her and the family, plus we hear from Helen Mitchell’s daughters for the first time, who were just four and two years old when their mother was killed in front of them. With never before seen exclusive footage of police interviews with Vicky about her ordeal and featuring an interview with the arresting officer in the case, we reveal a story almost too shocking to comprehend.
Murdered for a Free Breakfast In October 2010, 16-year-old schoolboy Joshua Davies murdered his on-off girlfriend, 15-year-old Rebecca Aylward, in Aberkenfig, Bridgend. At the trial it came out that Davies had been plotting to kill Rebecca for some time and with two of his friends had been texting about killing her for a “free breakfast”. Around the time he killed Rebecca he texted “you may just owe me a breakfast”. It was a story that sent chills down every parent in Britain. Davies had become part of Rebecca’s family, liked by his mum she described him as 'a nice boy'. In this episode of Britain's Darkest Taboos, Sonia Oatley, Rebecca’s mum, retraces her daughter’s steps on the day she was murdered and re-visits the woods where she was killed for the first time since the killing two years ago. With interviews from school friends of Rebecca’s, a teacher who taught both children and with expert analysis from forensic psychologist Dr Keri Nixon and psychologist Emma Kenny, we get an insight into the mind of Josh Davies, plus we reveal the devastating impact the murder had on Rebecca’s family and friends.
In April 2009, Kirsty Grabham was murdered by her husband Paul Grabham. Her battered body was found in a tiny suitcase after it was thrown from the M4. There was a huge murder investigation in Swansea which made headline news when it was revealed that Kirsty and her husband both worked as escorts. We reveal the truth about their marriage within the sex industry and the horrific murder, plus how Grabham tried to get away with the killing. We interview Kirsty's mother, Cathy Broomfield, and her sister Sonya, and we reveal the other side to the Kirsty they knew, not the working girl reported in the media. With exclusive access to never seen before home footage from their wedding and Kirsty’s childhood, plus extracts from her diaries where she talks directly to her killer, asking him why he wants her to sleep with other people for money. We uncover a tragic story which culminated in a horrific murder.
In October 2000 in a tiny hamlet in Cornwall, police discovered the bodies of Lesley Ford and her four eldest children, buried in a woodshed in the garden of the family home they shared with Lesley’s husband and step-father to the children, Lee Ford. It was a crime that shocked the nation. Ford confessed to killing them all one by one by garotting them in the kitchen of the family home, before burying their bodies. Now, for the first time since the murders 12 years ago, Lesley's ex-husband and biological father of their four children, Michael Tranter, talks about what happened and how Ford tried to cover up his terrible crimes. Peter Wyatt, Lesley's brother, who raised the alarm when the family went missing also talks to us, as well as the children's teacher and the senior police officer on the case. With expert analysis from Forensic Psychologist Dr Keri Nixon and psychologist Emma Kenny, we profile Ford and reveal the horrific impact this had, not only on the loved ones left behind, but also those in the community nearby.
In February 2006, 19-year-old Carly Fairhurst was killed by her boyfriend, convicted killer Darren Pilkington. Pilkington had already served time for killing a friend in 2000. At the age of 15 Carly began writing to 'Pilky', a friend of her brother's in jail. He murdered her within two years of coming out of prison. In this incredibly powerful story we reveal what happened and the impact Carly’s death has had on her family and friends. With exclusive access to home video footage of Carly, plus interviews with her parents Trevor and Sheila, we discover that she was a victim of domestic violence who suffered in silence and paid for it with her life. We also talk to her school friends who also became pen pals with prisoners and with the nurse who eventually switched off Carly’s life support machine. This is a story of the dangers of domestic abuse and the impact the death of a child has on a family. Expert analysis from Forensic psychologist Dr Keri Nixon and psychologist Emma Kenny, gives us an insight into the mind of her killer, Darren Pilkington.
In a story that shocked Britain, A&E nurse Jane Clough was murdered by Jonathan Vass in July 2010, her ex-boyfriend and the father of her daughter. He stabbed her repeatedly and slit her throat outside the hospital where she worked. At the time Vass was on bail for repeatedly raping Jane in front of their daughter. Jane predicted her own murder in her diary entries in the weeks leading up to her death. Featuring previously unseen home video footage of Jane and her family, and including extracts from her diary never before published, we uncover a horrific crime. We hear from Jane’s parents, her brother, the A&E nurse who was first on the scene when Jane was murdered, the senior police officer involved in the case and with expert analysis from Forensic psychologist Dr Keri Nixon and psychologist Emma Kenny, we get an insight into the mind of Jonathan Vass, plus we reveal the devastating impact the murder had on Jane’s family.
Mick Philpott became a symbol of hate across the nation when he was convicted of manslaughter following a flawed benefit scam which saw six of his children die. In a television exclusive CI discovers the harrowing story of how, over 30 years previous, Philpott stabbed his then teenage girlfriend, Kim Hill, 27 times. Leaving her for dead, Philpott then went onto attack Kim’s mother, Shirley, stabbing her 11 times. Convicted and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, Philpott was released after serving just three years, leaving him free to commit more devastating crimes years later. In this disturbing television exclusive, Kim Hill recounts the brutal attack, whilst revealing how her mother’s terminal cancer may have been accelerated by the lasting effects of the stabbing. The episode also explores the incredibly moving account of how two of Philpott’s neighbours tried in vain to save the children from the house fire.
The abduction and murder of 15-year-old Essex school girl, Danielle Jones, left the nation shocked in 2001. Last seen near her home in East Tilbury, Essex, suspicion fell on Danielle’s Uncle, Stuart Campbell, when Danielle went missing. It soon emerged that builder, Campbell, was a secret paedophile who posed as a professional photographer from a modelling agency to lure underage girls to his home. Upon his arrest, more than 30 young women came forward claiming that Campbell had taken inappropriate pictures and assaulted them. However, after the largest murder investigation in Essex Police’s history, detectives are still unable to locate Danielle’s body. The episode reveals how the police convicted Campbell using forensic authorship analysis of text messages sent on Danielle’s phone, and with psychological analysis, explores the mental state that drove Campbell to commit this horrific crime. Danielle’s family hope this documentary will encourage Campbell to finally tell them where their daughter’s body can be found.
The nation was left stunned in 2011 when pregnant 19-year-old, Nikitta Grender, was brutally murdered just days before she was due to give birth. Killed by her fiancé’s jealous cousin, Carl Whant in a horrific attack, the soon to be mother was raped and violently stabbed to death by the killer in her home in Newport, South Wales. Whant, a former night club bouncer, then attempted to cover his tracks by setting fire to the first floor flat before fleeing the scene. Speaking to all those closest to Nikitta, the episode reveals the horrific impact her murder had, not only on the loved ones left behind, but also those in the community nearby. It also explores how Gwent Police caught Whant using DNA analysis from the crime scene and how the case led to the first conviction for child destruction in Welsh history.
In a chilling story of familial sexual abuse, sisters Nicola Twomey and Emma Willis reveal how they were molested by their father, Kevin Twomey, over a 12-year period in Port Talbot, South Wales. A well respected member of the community, Twomey raised money for charity by playing Santa at local community fund raisers. However, under his friendly demeanour lay a core of evil. The abuse began when Emma was 10 and Nicola just five years old, culminating in the horrific rape of Nicola when she was 17 years old. In a courageous act of strength, the sisters found the bravery to go the police. In this emotional episode, the sisters tell the story in their own words, detailing the extent of the abuse they suffered at the hands of their father, while psychologists reveal the devastating impact that sexual abuse has on a family.
When 45-year-old Lorna Smith accepted a stranger’s friend request online, she had no idea of the tragic consequences that lay ahead. After ending her four year relationship with Clifford Mills in 2006, Lorna began seeing other men, much to the dismay of her ex-partner. Mills subsequently set up a fake Facebook profile to bombard Lorna with phone calls and messages, before stabbing her to death in a jealous act of violence. In a case that led to new stalking laws being introduced in the UK, the episode delves into Mills’ psychological state after claiming his alter ego, ‘Stan’, killed Lorna, as well as revealing the chilling way he plotted the murder of his ex-partner on internet forums.
On New Year’s Day 2012, suicidal taxi driver, Michael Atherton, went on a destructive shooting spree in his family home in Horden, killing three women before pulling the trigger on himself. Among the victims were his partner, Susan McGoldrick, her niece, Tanya Turnbull, and Tanya’s mother, Alison Turnbull. Atherton was allowed to keep six guns in the family home. When Susan tried to leave Michael to start a new life, he committed a horrific late-night killing rampage inside the family home. Susan’s daughter, Laura McGoldrick, witnessed the bloodbath and survived only by escaping through a first-floor window and jumping to safety. The bloodsoaked teenager then raised the alarm. This episode reveals how the family members left behind following the horrific gun attack are still coming to terms with the events that took place, as well as following their endless campaign to change gun licensing laws in the UK.
Dubbed ‘Britain’s first white honour killing’, the murder of 17-year-old single mum, Laura Wilson, is a story of love, deception and resentment. In October 2010, the Rotherham based young mother was entangled in a fatal love triangle which led to her being brutally stabbed to death by ex-boyfriend, Ashtiaq Ashgar. After a brief fling with neighbour Ishaq ‘Zac’ Hussein, 22, Laura fell pregnant with their daughter, but Hussein refused to accept responsibility for the child. Stung by his rejection, Laura confessed to both the men’s families. Believing she had brought shame and dishonour to both their families, Ashgar lured Laura to a local canal before attacking her in a frenzied knife attack and throwing her into the water. The episode explores how Laura’s honesty, coming forward and revealing the truth, led to a plot for her murder, while also explaining the devastating effects the horrific murder had on Laura’s mum and sisters.
In November 2010, 50-year-old gamekeeper, Nigel Bacon, was killed by hitman Peter Jacques, hired by Nigel’s wife, Susan, and son, Michael, in a plot to claim his heritance. Nigel, who had a history of domestic violence, had more than £150,000 in cash at the family home, while his wife, Susan, and son, Michael, were both deep in debt. To get their hands on the money, the pair hired Jacques to stab Bacon six times at their remote cottage on the edge of Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire. Told from the view point of Nigel’s three other children, Kerry, Lyndsey and Stuart, the episode explores how they are all coming to terms with their father’s death. It also details the shocking revelation that Stuart was physically abused and neglected by his parents as a teenager. Adding a twist to the case, we also finally discover whether Stuart and Kerry are actually siblings when they take a DNA test.
In August 2012, 12-year-old Tia Sharp went missing from her grandmother’s home in South London. This sparked a nationwide search for the missing schoolgirl. Unbeknownst to the family and police, Tia had been sexually assaulted and murdered by her step-grandfather, Stuart Hazell. Her body was discovered a week later in the loft. We reveal the extent of Hazell’s perversions, including that he had been secretly filming Tia before her death. And the police reveal the true horror of Hazell’s deviant sexual behaviour for the first time. In the ultimate betrayal he led the search for Tia and comforted her family, whilst knowing exactly where she could be found. Tia's grandmother, Christine and mother, Natalie, talk for the first time since the trial about the impact the murder had on them and their family. With expert analysis from forensic psychologist Dr Keri Nixon and psychologist Emma Kenny, we get an insight into the twisted mind of Stuart Hazell.
In September 2012, 27-year-old Carl Mills murdered three generations of the same family in a house fire in Cwmbran, South Wales. Mills set the fire then stood and watched as his 6-month-old daughter Kimberley, her mother and his girlfriend, 17-year-old Kayleigh, and Kayleigh’s mum Kim all perished. In this powerful and emotional episode we hear from Kim's mum, Gwyneth Swain, who lost her daughter, granddaughter and great-grandaughter that night. We also have interviews with Kim’s partner Dai, her best friends and the neighbours who witnessed the fire that night. DSI Peter Jones of Gwent Police describes the investigation that resulted in Mills being convicted of the murders and sentenced to 35 years in prison. With expert analysis from forensic psychologist Dr Keri Nixon and psychologist Emma Kenny, we examine Mill’s behaviour prior to the murders plus we reveal the devastating impact familial homicide has on those left behind.
On 2 January 2012, 18-year-old Myles Williams broke into the family home of his girlfriend, Kirsty Treloar, and murdered her in front of their 26-day-old baby. He also stabbed Kirsty's sister Gemma twice and brother and brother Dean three times in the chest before dumping Kirsty’s body in an alleyway. The previous night, Williams had sent Kirsty a text with a new year's resolution promising not to hit her again. Twelve hours later, he killed her. For the first time on television, in this incredibly emotional and powerful programme, we hear from all of Kirsty's family who were there that night. With expert analysis from forensic psychologist Dr Keri Nixon and psychologist Emma Kenny, we profile Williams and reveal the horrific impact his actions had on a loving family.
In a horrific story of a holiday romance gone wrong, Kurdish Turk Ensar Gol brutally murdered his 28-year-old wife Michala and his mother-in-law, 50-year-old Julie Sahin, in Thame, Oxfordshire in September 2011. Gol stabbed Michala more than 40 times in front of their two-year-old daughter and then stabbed Julie more than 50 times before heading into Thame town centre armed with the knife. With incredible access to dramatic CCTV footage of Gol’s arrest, we chart the course of events that led to the murders.
On 3 May 2008, Rab Thomson brutally stabbed to death his 7-year-old son Ryan and his 25-year-old daughter Michelle, who had severe learning difficulties, in the family home in Buckhaven, Fife. Thomson murdered the children in revenge after his wife June left him after she had suffered 27 years of abuse. Thomson, laid the children in their beds before cutting his wrists. June found the bodies of her children and Thomson survived.
In April 1998, 17-year-old Sylvia Fleming went missing in Omagh, Northern Ireland. Six weeks later, police discovered Sylvia’s dismembered body under the floorboards of a new build house in the town. She had been murdered by her on/off boyfriend, part-time fireman Stephen Scott. Scott was obsessed with serial killers Ted Bundy and Charles Manson and was a sadomasochist. He tied Sylvia to his bed, killed her, and then showed two teenagers her body.
On Bonfire night 2012, 30-year-old Michelle Mills murdered her toyboy boyfriend Eddie Miller in their cottage in Scalford, Leicestershire. Mills stabbed Eddie more than 20 times. She had a history of threatening partners with knives and had done so to Eddie previously. This is the story told by Eddie’s mum and those closest to him. And we hear from the neighbour who heard the attack that night.
Identical twin sisters Rachel and Tracy were raped by their uncle John McCallum when they were just 5-years-old. The abuse lasted over a period of eight years until they were 13. The sisters' lives were ruined by the abuse but in 2012 they broke almost 30 years of silence and told each other what had happened. Courageously, they went to the police and their uncle was convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison. This is the journey of two young girls who had their childhood's stolen, but through the strength of their relationship managed to get justice in the end.
The first episode of the series explores the murder of 20-year-old hairdresser Hollie Gazzard, who was stabbed 14 times in broad daylight in front of colleagues and clients at the salon where she worked on 18 February 2014. The perpetrator was Hollie’s ex-boyfriend, 22-year-old Asher Maslin, who had subjected Hollie to domestic abuse since the previous year. Hollie tragically died two hours after the attack due to extreme blood loss. In July 2014, Maslin was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 24 years in prison. The episode marks the year anniversary of Hollie’s murder.
In a case police described as the worst example of abuse they had ever seen, April 1996 saw the horrific torture and murder of 17-year-old Kelly-Anne Bates at the hand of her boyfriend of three years, 49-year-old James Patterson Smith. Prior to her death, Kelly-Anne had suffered shocking injuries including scolding of her buttocks and legs, stab wounds inside her mouth and mutilation of her body. Patterson Smith was found guilty and in November 1997 was sentenced to life imprisonment.
In 1998, Sikh woman, Sarbjit Kaur Athwal, played witness to the arranged murder of her sister-in-law, Surjit Kaur Athwal, who was ordered to be killed by their mother-in-law, Bachan Kaur. Leaving her two young children behind, Surjit was lured to India by her mother-in-law and killed for shaming the family after threatening to end her unhappy marriage to Kaur’s son. Proud of her actions, Kaur revealed the truth to Sarbjit, warning her that she would be next if she also stepped out of line. Sarbjit had the courage to tell her father who, in turn, reported the crime to the police. Both Kaur and her son, Athwal, who acted as an accomplice, were sentenced to life in prison.
In March 2012, 19-year-old Elisa Frank was forced to watch helplessly as her former lover, Ahmad Otak, ferociously stabbed both her sister Kim and best friend Samantha, before bundling Elisa into a car and driving to Dover. Having been in an abusive relationship with Otak, the attack was sparked when Elisa had plucked up the courage to leave him. Elisa was lucky enough to escape on the way to Dover and run to a nearby house to find help. Otak has since been convicted and sentenced to life, with a minimum of 34 years in prison.
Dubbed as ‘Britain’s most sadistic mother’, Eunice Spry physically and mentally tortured her three foster children, Victoria, Alloma and Christopher, across a period of almost 20 years. Playing mind games with the children to justify the abuse and causing serious physical injuries, the three youngsters suffered for years at the hands of someone who was meant to protect them. Victoria, in particular, has had lasting damage from the ordeal, with surgery needed to mend the hearing in one ear from being repeatedly kicked by Spry and veneers fitted after her front teeth were knocked out. Spry was jailed in 2005, convicted of 26 counts of child abuse and sentenced to 12 years, but served only 7 years, and was released in June 2014. The programme will be the first time all three victims have formally told their story together.
In May 2008, anti-gun activist Pat Regan was viciously stabbed by her own grandson, Rakeim Regan, at her house in Leeds. Pat, whose son had been killed in a gang shooting years earlier, was attacked by the perpetrator who she was caring for after he had been admitted to hospital. Rakeim was later diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. In her first TV appearance, daughter of the victim and mother of Rakeim, Franky Fenton, discusses the case alongside her brother Shane Fenton, who is continuing his mother’s legacy through his charitable projects and endeavours. Following the crime, Rakeim was detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act.
Stalker Al Amin Dhalla began a campaign of terror against former girlfriend, trainee doctor, Alison Hewitt, in 2012. Having met through a dating agency in January 2010, the couple were in a relationship for over a year before Alison’s mother became suspicious of Dhalla and hired a private investigator. The investigation soon revealed the string of lies that Alison’s boyfriend had told, but it wasn’t until Alison tried to leave him that the real Dhalla came out and he started stalking her, writing to neighbours and publicly accusing Alison of killing a patient using NHS drugs. The harassment continued until police arrested Dhalla, finding a torture chamber built in the back of his van including knives, tape and most shockingly, a loaded crossbow. However, when released on bail, Dhalla headed straight to Alison’s parents’ house which he torched. Luckily, the family were able to escape and, after a deadly game of cat and mouse, Dhalla was put behind bars and sentenced to a minimum of 6 years.
Care home worker and recluse, Mark Howe, blurred fiction with reality by killing his mother, Katrina Wardle, in July 2013 after becoming obsessed with TV series, Dexter. The 21-year-old from Leicester who was an avid viewer of the US series stabbed his mother 53 times with a 12-inch knife after an argument about his cannabis use. Police reported that the force of the stabbings was so severe that the tip of the knife was bent. The offender then chillingly proceeded to call his sister to confess his crime as he headed to work. Howe was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 21 and a half years.
Labeled the ‘Black Widower’, sociopath Malcolm Webster was a pathological liar, a serial seducer and bigamist who married three different women. The episode focuses on first wife, Claire Morris, who Webster married in 1993 and murdered in 1994, drugging and setting fire to the car she was in to fake a fatal car crash. Following Claire’s death, Webster married again twice – once in New Zealand and once in Scotland – and attempted to kill again before the law caught up with him. Webster was convicted in 2011, 12 years after Claire’s murder.
In September 2007, Gareth MacDonald was brutally killed by his lover and secret con-man, Glenn Rycroft, at a Travelodge on the way to London. Having met in a gay chat-room in 2005, MacDonald left his wife and children to be with Rycroft, but unbeknownst to him, the man he loved was a serial con artist recently released from a four-year prison sentence for fraud. Conducting a lavish lifestyle with his new partner, Rycroft continued to commit fraud to pay for their luxuries, but the lies began to unravel when MacDonald noticed money going missing. Rycroft murdered the man he supposedly loved in cold blood. In July 2009, Rycroft was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 25 years in prison.
On February 17, 2014, fourteen-year-old Breck Bednar was lured to his death by Lewis Daynes. Daynes, aged 18, had been grooming Breck over the internet for several months after the two of them met through an on-line gaming community. Breck told his parents he was staying with a friend near his home in Caterham, Surrey, but instead went to Daynes’ flat in Grays, Essex. Once there, Daynes used duct tape to bind his young victim’s wrists and ankles before slashing his throat in a sadistic attack. Breck’s mother, Lorin LaFave, tells us she was aware of Daynes, was suspicious of him from the outset and tried to stop her son communicating with him. Former Detective Superintendent David Swindle and psychologist Emma Kenny examine the motives behind this disturbing murder and look at how Daynes managed to gain Breck’s trust.
In the early hours of September 10, 2011, Danai Muhammadi and an accomplice used a garden spray to start a blaze that killed his estranged wife Melissa Crook, his father in law Mark Crook and his own baby, 15-month-old Noah Crook. Melissa, aged 20, walked out on Iraqi-born Muhammadi six months earlier after he hit her across the face during a violent row. We reveal how Muhammadi struggled to accept the marriage break-up and, with expert analysis from former Detective Superintendent David Swindle and psychologist Emma Kenny, we get an insight into the simmering rage that drove him to wipe out three generations of the same family. Amanda Crook, who escaped the blaze by climbing out of a bedroom window, opens her heart and tells us how she is facing a daily battle to cope with the loss of her husband, her daughter and her grandson.
On August 9, 2010, Gemma Hayter, a 27-year-old woman with a learning disability, was found stripped, stabbed and beaten to death on the bank of a disused railway track in Rugby, Warwickshire. The five people responsible for her death included Chantelle Booth, a young woman who Gemma had previously described as her “best friend”. Gemma’s family tell us how she had always struggled to make friends because her disability marked her out as different. Former Detective Superintendent David Swindle and psychologist Emma Kenny examine Gemma Hayter’s child-like trust in people and look at chilling CCTV recording that show her being led to her death.
On May 26, 2013, porn-obsessed killer Jamie Reynolds lured 17-year-old Georgia Williams to his home where he hanged her and took photographs of himself sexually assaulting her. He then dumped her body in woodland and went on the run. Georgia’s father Steve, a serving police officer, and mother Lynette, tell us how they discovered the sickening details of their daughter’s death and the devastating impact it’s had on their lives. We hear how Reynolds has been jailed for life, branded a potential serial killer and told he will never be released. Former Detective Superintendent David Swindle and psychologist Emma Kenny give us an insight into Reynolds’ twisted mind and reveal the full extent of his morbid fascination in extreme violence against women. Detectives who worked on the case tell us Reynolds stored thousands of images and videos on his hard drive and reveal how he meticulously planned, then acted out his sadistic fantasies on Georgia.
Rana Faruqui’s former boyfriend Stephen Griffiths refused to accept that their relationship, which had only lasted a few months, was over and that Rana wanted nothing more to do with him. He stalked her for several weeks and on August 2, 2003, he stabbed her to death with an eight inch serrated hunting blade. Rana was in a field fetching her horse in for the night when she was attacked and repeatedly stabbed. Griffiths was jailed for life but is eligible for parole in 2017. Rana’s mother, Carol Faruqui, and siblings, Simon and Gemma, tell us about their sense of injustice and former Detective Superintendent David Swindle and psychologist Emma Kenny analyse the extent of Griffiths’ controlling nature and what drove him to murder Rana.
Christine Chambers found the courage to leave her violent partner David Oakes and to fight for custody of their two-year-old daughter Shania. But on June 6, 2011, Oakes turns up at her home unannounced, forces her to strip and subjects her to a degrading attack, torturing her and telling her "If I can't have you, no one else will". The attack culminates in Oakes shooting dead both Christine and their daughter two-year-old Shania at point blank range. Oakes is sentenced to life in jail and is told he will never be released – but two years into his sentence he dies of cancer. Christine's sister tells us how she feels cheated of justice and former Detective Superintendent David Swindle and psychologist Emma Kenny examine the disturbing details of this horrific double murder.
On December 3, 2013, Ben Blakeley flew into a rage and strangled his teenage girlfriend Jayden Parkinson to death after she told him she was pregnant. He dumped the 17-year-old's body in a ditch and then, a few days later, buried her in his uncle's grave. Her body wasn't found for more than two weeks. Jayden's mother, Samantha Shrewsbury, tells us of her deep sense of loss and how she tried to get her daughter to end her violent and abusive relationship with evil Ben Blakeley. Former Detective Superintendent David Swindle and psychologist Emma Kenny examine the violent and abusive hold Blakeley had over Jayden and give us an insight into his twisted mind.
Louise Turnbull was subjected to years of horrific sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather Albert Maughan. Throughout her childhood, she was raped and indecently assaulted by the man she was supposed to trust. The abuse started at the age of three and continued for the next 12 years. In April, 2015, Maughan was jailed for 16 years, convicted of 23 counts of historic sex offences including rape and attempted rape. Now aged 43, Louise has waived her right to anonymity to give her first television interview about her lost childhood. Former Detective Superintendent David Swindle and psychologist Emma Kenny examine the horrific details of this case.
This special episode tells the tragic story of Ellie Butler, a six-year-old girl who was beaten to death by her father in 2013, at his home in Sutton, London.
This special episode looks back over five years and 40 episodes of Britain’s Darkest Taboos and examines what we can learn from some of the most disturbing familial crimes in British criminal history. In this special episode our regular experts psychologist Emma Kenny and former Detective Superintendent David Swindle are joined by award-winning Investigative Journalist Mark Williams-Thomas. They look into the patterns and profiles that lie behind Britain’s Darkest Taboos and ask: Who is most likely to be a victim of familial crime? And What are the most common methods and motives?
On March 24th 2014 driving test examiner Ian Walters drives his car off the M1 motorway at over 80 mph in a deliberate act, killing his wife Tracy. Ian and Tracy married in Cyprus in what appears to be a fairytale wedding in September 2012. To the outside world, Ian and Tracy seem a normal, loving couple but behind closed doors, the marriage was troubled from the outset. Walters was demanding and controlling. And he became physically and psychologically abusive towards his wife whenever she refused his sexual advances. In March 2014 they go on a make-or-break holiday but it ends in tragedy when Walters drives their car off the motorway at high speed. The incident is captured by motorway CCTV cameras. Tracy’s family talk for the first time in detail about the couple's troubled marriage and their fight to get justice for Tracy. Psychologist Emma Kenny and Former Detective Superintendent David Swindle examine how an apparently dependable and upstanding pillar of the local community commits murder and what happened in those final chilling moments leading up to the crash.
Ross Taggart dials 999 on the 23rd December 2014 to report his mother Carol missing. Two weeks later Carol’s body is found and her son is charged with her murder. Ross’s sister Lorraine Bristow and step father Shaun Taggart reveal how close Ross was to his mother and and talk about how the shocking truth emerged - that Ross Taggart murdered his mother at the family home and then buried her body under a caravan. In the days after murdering his her Ross goes clubbing and pawns his mother’s jewellery. In a television exclusive, Carol’s family reveal how Ross was his mother’s favourite and how he slowly began isolating her from the rest of the family. Former Detective Superintendent David Swindle and psychologist Emma Kenny examine how a son could commit such a callous act and then attempt to carry on with his life as normal.
On the 22nd October 2014 Darren Sykes lures his sons Jack and Paul into the attic with the promise of a new train set. He then sets fire to the house, leaving the children, and himself, no way of escaping. Jack and Paul’s mother Claire Throssell reveals the years of torment she and the boys suffered at the hands of Darren, how his behaviour spiralled out of control and the devastating impact of his actions. She also reveals how her oldest son Jack told fire fighters: My dad did this, and he did it deliberately. Our experts, psychologist Emma Kenny and former Detective Superintendent David Swindle, look into how a father could commit such an act and the impact it has had on Claire’s life. Claire also reveals how her local community have helped rebuild the house and how her campaigning work has helped her.
Alissa Moore was subjected to years of horrific sexual abuse at the hands of her father James O’Brien. The abuse started at the age of seven and throughout her childhood, she was repeatedly raped and assaulted by him. In July, 2015, O’Brien was jailed for 24 years. Alissa’s mother Joan O’Brien was also jailed for 6 years after being found guilty of 2 counts of child cruelty. In an incredibly brave interview, Alissa waives her right to anonymity to talk on tv for the first time about her lost childhood in chilling and sickening detail. Former Detective Superintendent David Swindle and psychologist Emma Kenny examine the horrific details of this case
Assia Newton is planning a fresh start after ending her violent and abusive marriage to Kelvin Newton. Then, on July 14th 2013, Kelvin Newton enters the family home and strangles his wife to death with a dog lead. Assia’s daughters Sameera and Charmaine reveal how losing their mother has shattered and divided the family and how, along with Assia’s sister Nadia, they are now creating a legacy in Assia’s name. The programme reveals the full extent of the abuse endured by Assia and the catalogue of offences committed by Kelvin, including threatening police officers with an axe and attempting to set the family home on fire. With expert analysis from former Detective Superintendent David Swindle and psychologist Emma Kenny the programme looks into the devastating effects domestic homicide has on a family.
Leanne Meecham is stabbed multiple times at her house in Southend on sea in February 2014. The killer is her stepfather and former lover Simon Meecham. Simon was married to Leanne’s mother before embarking on the six-year relationship with his step daughter in 2007. The relationship was abusive from the outset with the Police being called on several occasions. Leanne’s sister Carly Bush and her best friend Alex Speight tell us about their deep sense of loss and former Detective Superintendent David Swindle psychologist Emma Kenny look at Meecham's’ controlling and obsessive behaviour and what drove him to murder Leanne.
