Australian True Crime

Faith Slatcher is the Governor of Goulburn Correctional Complex in New South Wales but you’ll probably be more familiar with the part of this prison known as the Goulburn Supermax which manages high risk inmates including Australia’s “Pablo Escobar” Mostafa Baluch and Bassam Hamzy, boss of the violent crime gang Brothers 4 life. There’s also the never to be released inmates there like Malcolm George Baker who murdered seven people on NSW’s central coast in a spree killing in 1992 and Lindsay Robert Rose, killer of five people over a decade from 1984 to 1994. So, does a corrections officer, particularly one so high up in the ranks as Faith, have to be as tough as the people she’s responsible for?  If listening to this episode has got you thinking about a career in corrections you can go to the Corrective Services NSW website or the corrections department in your state. You might want to go back and listen to some of our previous episodes about life in prisons.  The Killing Fields: Insi

For this episode we meet Angela Feeney, a Corrections officer in NSW who's been in the job for 27 years. Angela has worked a lot with women inmates – it’s something she tells us she swore she’d never do. Angela sheds light on life inside prison including the circumstances she’s seen on the job that break her heart and she also gives her honest opinion on how Meshel and Emily would go if they went to jail. If listening to this episode has got you thinking about a career in corrections you can go to the Corrective Services NSW website or the corrections department in your state. We spoke to Angela’s colleague Faith Slatcher, the Governor of Goulburn Correctional Complex in New South Wales which includes Goulburn Supermax - the highest security prison in Australia. LISTEN HERE You might want to go back and listen to some of our previous episodes about life in prisons.  The Killing Fields: Inside Australia’s most evil prison Prison Officer in Danger  Birds Eye Vie

RE-ISSUE: EPISODE #165.The murder of 14-month-old Jaidyn Leskie is officially unsolved. Journalist and author Michael Gleeson explains the prosecution’s theory as to how he died and the many distractions that prevented his killer seeing justice.Warning: please be advised this episode contains graphic content.Show notes for Episode 165:Your hosts are Meshel Laurie and Emily WebbWith thanks to Michael Gleeson from The Age and Sydney Morning HeraldListen to ChildersLike us on Facebook ​Follow us on Instagram or TwitterSupport us on PatreonVisit our BookshopSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/australiantruecrime. Become a subscriber to Australian True Crime Plus here: https://plus.acast.com/s/australiantruecrime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1997, fourteen month old Jaidyn Leskie was left by his young mum Bilynda Williams, with her boyfriend Greg Domaszewicz while she went for a rare night out. She never saw her child again. That same year, two families awoke to discover their teenage daughters were missing after a routine camp out with their friends. They were by then, miles away, having been abducted by two troubled young men with no boundaries, and nothing to lose. The responsibility of finding justice for the families of all three, fell ultimately to Rowland Legg and his team of detectives. You can find Australian Story's two part piece on Prue Bird here and hereYou can read Caroline Overington's piece on the Bega School Girls here If you have a true crime story, we’d love to hear it. You can send us a message on Facebook or Instagram or email us at hello@australiantruecrimepodcast.com If you are in immediate danger in Australia, call 000. There is help if you are experiencing family violence orcoercive control. You can

What does romance have to do with true crime? Anyone who's fallen prey to coercive control, stalking, cat-fishing or domestic violence will know that the fantasies we're taught about romance can be very damaging when it comes to resisting overbearing partners and recognising red flags. British philosopher and author Alain de Botton wrote the seminal book on the topic in 2016. It's called 'The Course of Love' and Meshel interviewed him way back then about the surprisingly inorganic and unrealistic origins of romance. Surprise! It's yet another convention we've invented ourselves that's impossible to live up to and leads to lots of heartache. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/australiantruecrime. Become a subscriber to Australian True Crime Plus here: https://plus.acast.com/s/australiantruecrime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ashleigh Rae is confident, smart, witty and really charming company. All of that is a testament to her powerful survival spirit because she was taken advantage of at a very vulnerable time in her life. For those of us who have young girls in our care, what Ashleigh Rae has to say is invaluable. If you have a true crime story, we’d love to hear it. You can send us a message on Facebook or Instagram or email us at hello@australiantruecrimepodcast.comSee us at the Yarraville Club on April 8 with Narelle Fraser. Book tickets here. If you are in immediate danger in Australia, call 000. There is help if you are experiencing family violence orcoercive control. You can call 1800 RESPECT 24/7on 1800 737 732, or visit theirwebsite here. You can also call Lifeline24/7 on 13 11 14.  CREDITS: Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram here.  Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guest: Kay Producer/Ed

Kay stepped out of her shower and into a nightmare that changed the way she lived her life forever. A brilliant storyteller, she also lets us in on the extraordinary unprofessionalism of the men who were assigned to assist her. If you have a true crime story, we’d love to hear it. You can send us a message on Facebook or Instagram or email us at hello@australiantruecrimepodcast.comSee us at the Yarraville Club on April 8 with Narelle Fraser. Book tickets here.  If you are in immediate danger in Australia, call 000. There is help if you are experiencing family violence orcoercive control. You can call 1800 RESPECT 24/7on 1800 737 732, or visit theirwebsite here. You can also call Lifeline24/7 on 13 11 14.  CREDITS: Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram here.  Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guest: Kay Producer/Editor: Meshel Laurie Executive Producer: Jacqueline Tonks 

Did you know a strangulation episode during a violent attack can kill months later? Even if it leaves no visible marks? Many victims don't even realise they've been strangled. Betty Taylor is the CEO of the Red Rose foundation in Brisbane that works to address the high number of domestic violence related deaths and suicides in the community. One of their main areas of focus is educating the community and first responders about non-fatal strangulation.You can learn more about the work of the Red Rose Foundation, and donate here.We'll be discussing male victims of domestic violence with Narelle Fraser at our live event at the Yarraville Club on April 8. You can book tickets here. If you are in immediate danger in Australia, call 000.There is help if you are experiencing family violence or coercive control. You can call 1800 RESPECT 24/7 on 1800 737 732, or visit their website here.You can also call Lifeline 24/7 on 13 11 14. CREDITS: Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram here.  

Narelle Fraser – Surprise!So many of you have asked to hear Narelle again so here she is. You may remember I promised another episode with Rowland Legg this week and I haven’t forgotten but here’s the thing, due to unforeseen circumstance, Rowland can’t make our live show at the Yarraville club on April 8, so our old friend Narelle Fraser has agreed to step in for that one too.You can get your tickets here. That’s right, you can see Narelle, live on stage with Emily and I at the Yarraville club, you can ask her questions while she’s onstage and if you’re lucky, you might even get to take a selfie with her.To celebrate, we bring you an episode of Narelle’s own podcast, ‘The Narelle Fraser Interviews’, featuring former detective Tim Peck. It’s always a treat to hear two detectives chatting and this conversation is very special. It does deal with severe mental health issues and suicide, so please be aware of that before you begin. You can subscribe to The Narelle Fraser Interviews here. If you are

Rowland Legg was the lead homicide investigator on some of Australia's most notorious crimes including the murders of Jason Moran and his bodyguard Pasquale Barbaro at a suburban children's football game at the height of the Melbourne gang war in 2003, and the shocking murder of Mercina Helvagis as she tended her grandmother's grave at Fawkner Cemetery by serial killer Peter Dupas in 1997. He joins us as a guest on this week's podcast and he will join us live on stage at the Yarraville Club on April 8. Thanks to the easing of restrictions we've been able to release extra tickets to that event. You can book them here.Next Week: Legendary Part 2 with retired homicide detective Rowland Legg discussing investigating the murders of the Bega School Girls and Jayden Leskie. If you are in immediate danger in Australia, call 000.There is help if you are experiencing family violence or coercive control. You can call 1800 RESPECT 24/7 on 1800 737 732, or visit their website here.You can also call Lifeline 24/7 on 13 11

The bullet point version of this week's episode of Australian True Crime. Two extended families continue to pay a heavy price for turning a blind eye to the disfunction in one household. A mother joins us to talk about the lead up to her child becoming a killer, and the aftermath so many people must live with for the rest of their lives.If you are in immediate danger in Australia, call 000.There is help if you are experiencing family violence or coercive control. You can call 1800 RESPECT 24/7 on 1800 737 732, or visit their website here.You can also call Lifeline 24/7 on 13 11 14.  Next Week: Legendary retired homicide detective Rowland Legg joins us to talk about some of Australia's most notorious killers, men he captured but not always saw convicted. Rowland will be live on stage with us in Melbourne on April 8 and thanks to the easing of restrictions we've been able to release extra tickets to that event. You can book them here.CREDITS: Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram here.&nb

Two extended families continue to pay a heavy price for turning a blind eye to the disfunction in one household. A mother joins us to talk about the lead up to her child becoming a killer, and the aftermath so many people must live with for the rest of their lives. If you are in immediate danger in Australia, call 000.There is help if you are experiencing family violence or coercive control. You can call 1800 RESPECT 24/7 on 1800 737 732, or visit their website here. You can also call Lifeline 24/7 on 13 11 14.  Next Week: Legendary retired homicide detective Rowland Legg joins us to talk about some of Australia's most notorious killers, men he captured but not always saw convicted. Rowland will be live on stage with us in Melbourne on April 8 and thanks to the easing of restrictions we've been able to release extra tickets to that event. You can book them here. CREDITS: Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram here.  Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and li

Melbourne criminal defence lawyer Bernie Balmer has represented some of Victoria’s most notorious identities like gangland matriarch Judy Moran, Mick Gatto and Mark “Chopper Read”, AFL and NRL players, past and present, and people you’ve probably never heard of, like the woman who stabbed to death the child she gave birth to, on an access visit, with the adoptive parents nearby. He and his team are also known for representing some of the most vulnerable people, including children, who enter the court system each day. Bernie is quite literally, a fighter - he was a boxer and has been involved in the sport, in and out of the ring, since 1966. Bernie, a country boy, even has an Australian University Heavyweight title. He boxed, nightclub-bounced and grafted his way through a law degree at Melbourne University.  On March 27, 1986 Bernie, then a young solicitor, was, fatefully, at the site of the Russell Street bombing just as the bomb detonated. He tended to young police constable Angela Taylo

RE-ISSUE: EPISODE #98. Retired Victoria Police Chief Inspector Rob Bailey has seen a lot over the course of his career. Among many other things, he was part of the legendary Victorian armed robbery squad in its heyday, and he was an eyewitness to what remains the most audacious attack ever carried out by the criminal underworld against Australian law enforcement, the bombing of Police Headquarters in Melbourne’s Russell Street.Warning: please be advised this episode contains graphic content.CREDITS: Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram here and get her free monthly newsletter here. Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guest: Rob Bailey Producer/Editor: Lachie Flannigan Executive Producer: Jacqueline Tonks GET IN TOUCH: Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast Email the show at hello@australiantruecrimepodcast.com Australian True Crime is a podcast by Smart Fella Media. Y

RE-ISSUE: EPISODE #16.Doug O'Loughlin was a founding member of the Victorian Special Operations Group. His job was to deal with sieges, hostage situations, terrorist attacks and everything in between. Doug's son Heath has written a book about it and they both join us for a chat.CREDITS: Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram here and get her free monthly newsletter here. Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guest: Rob Bailey Producer/Editor: Lachie Flannigan Executive Producer: Jacqueline Tonks GET IN TOUCH: Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast Email the show at hello@australiantruecrimepodcast.com Australian True Crime is a podcast by Smart Fella Media. Your story matters and how you tell it matters even more.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/australiantruecrime. Become a subscriber to Australian True Crime Plus here: https://plus.acast.com/s/australiantrue

Some of you may recognise the name and voice of this episode’s guest, It’s retired NSW Police Detective Sergeant Damian Loone who featured on Hedley Thomas’s extraordinary podcast The Teacher’s Pet. Damian investigated the 1982 disappearance of Sydney mum Lynnette Dawson for years, bringing the case to two coronial inquests. Lynette’s former husband Chris Dawson was charged with her murder in 2018 and is awaiting trial.Damian features again in another major podcast that’s gripped listeners' attention worldwide. It’s the excellent BBC Sounds multi-episode podcast Fairy Meadow about 3-year-old Cheryl Grimmer’s haunting disappearance from Fairy Meadow Beach in Wollongong in 1970.Damian and Detective Frank Sanvitale, were the detectives tasked with having another look at Cheryl’s disappearance. The case had basically gone nowhere for more than 45 years until the file was passed to them.The NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman can give the Grimmer family their day in court. You can contact him here.If you'd like to

The disappearance of 3-year-old Cheryl Grimmer in 1970 has gripped listeners around the world due to the extraordinary BBC Sounds Podcast Fairy Meadow and our guest for this episode Frank Sanvitale is a big part of that podcast.Now retired from the New South Wales Police, Frank has moved the wheels of justice further for Cheryl’s shattered family more than had ever been done in the more than 50 years since her disappearance.Frank, was teamed up in 2016 with Detective Sergeant Damian Loone and the pair set about looking into this long cold case, combing over boxes of stored evidence.It was a confession made in 1971 by a then 17-year-old that was found in one of these dusty boxes and set in motion events that would see that person, who we can only identify as Mercury, charged with Cheryl’s murder in 2017.But tragically, the case against mercury fell apart because the trial judge applied a retrospective law on the confession and would not allow it as evidence.The collapse of the case against Mercury was the brea

On January 12th 1970, Three-Year-Old Cheryl Grimmer disappeared from Fairy Meadow Beach. While it’s technically one of Australia’s longest-standing cold cases, Cheryl’s family and the two highly respected former homicide detectives believe they know exactly what happened to her, and who’s responsible.  Cheryl’s eldest brother, Ricky Nash, was the last person to see her on the day of her disappearance. Ricky joins us to discuss his fight to find justice for his baby sister. The NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman can give the Grimmer family their day in court. You can contact him here. If you'd like to go one step further to assist the Grimmer family, you can also sign this petition - addressed to Attorney General Speakman - to help in the fight to find justice for Cheryl. The brilliant BBC Sounds podcast Fairy Meadow, hosted by Jon Kay, can be found here.   NEXT WEEK  Staying with the Cheryl Grimmer story, we’ll hear from Frank Sanvitale & Damian Loone, the

This is an Australian True Crime short cut. It’s an abridged version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. Why The Whole Story Matters When Sex Crimes Go To Court.Criminologist Patrick Tidmarsh specialises in teaching police how to interview victims of sexual assault and sex offenders in the hope that he can have some positive impact in the pathetically low rates of conviction in that area. He joins us to talk about his new book ‘The Whole Story’.The Whole Story by Patrick Tidmarsh: www.booktopia.com.au/the-whole-story-patrick-tidmarsh/book/9781787331037.htmlNEXT WEEK Terror Knocks in FNQ - A young man is woken in the dead of night by a terrfied woman at his door. He barricades the two of them inside against the men from whom she’s fleeing, none of whom he knows, and frantically calls police for help. Before help arrives, he’s forced to defend himself and the 000 operator listens helplessly as the men outside lose patience and invade his home. What follows is a t

Why The Whole Story Matters When Sex Crimes Go To Court.Criminologist Patrick Tidmarsh specialises in teaching police how to interview victims of sexual assault and sex offenders in the hope that he can have some positive impact in the pathetically low rates of conviction in that area. He joins us to talk about his new book ‘The Whole Story’.The Whole Story by Patrick Tidmarsh: www.booktopia.com.au/the-whole-story-patrick-tidmarsh/book/9781787331037.htmlNEXT WEEK Terror Knocks in FNQ - A young man is woken in the dead of night by a terrfied woman at his door. He barricades the two of them inside against the men from whom she’s fleeing, none of whom he knows, and frantically calls police for help. Before help arrives, he’s forced to defend himself and the 000 operator listens helplessly as the men outside lose patience and invade his home. What follows is a tragedy. Author Robyn Bowles sheds light on how this bizarre night really unfolded. CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram here and get