
Who killed the Essex Boys? – Why an infamous conviction may be fatally flawed
The infamous Essex Boys triple murder is the case that will not die. Three men – Pat Tate, Tony Tucker, and Craig Rolfe – were found shot dead in a Range Rover in rural Essex in December 1995. These brutal killings shocked the nation and led to lurid speculation linking them to the Ecstasy-related death of teenager Leah Betts just weeks earlier. Two men, Jack Whomes and Michael Steele, were convicted in 1998 but always protested their innocence. Now, decades later, the case is being reviewed again by the Criminal Cases Review Commission. Could the real killers still be free?
Former Met Police detective-turned-private investigator David McKelvey once dismissed doubts about the case, until disturbing evidence emerged. From chaotic crime scenes to mishandled evidence, he talks us through an investigation that inspired books, films, and endless questions.
With Steele set to walk free we ask: Did the police get it wrong? And what happens if the system has jailed the wrong men?
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Presented by Bernard Hogan-Howe and Alison Phillips. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Simon Williams. Produced by Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis and Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Executive Producer: Martin Bojtos. Thanks to Helen Purvis at Knight Ayton Management. CRIME SCENE is a Podmasters Production
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Crime Scene – with Bernard Hogan-Howe and Alison Phillips
Cop shows and true crime dominate pop culture – but do we really understand what goes on inside major criminal investigations? In CRIME SCENE, ex-Metropolitan Police Commissioner BERNARD HOGAN-HOWE and former Mirror editor ALISON PHILLIPS take a deep dive into real cases, from gang hits to manhunts to fraud, extortion and drug trafficking, and explain what really goes on.
How do police commence an investigation? What happens when they face a wall of silence from frightened witnesses? How do covert intelligence, profiling and forensics come together to bring culprits to justice? And when it all reaches court, does the media hit the right spot between information, sensationalism and fear-mongering? Find out in CRIME SCENE: the truth behind true crime.
- No. of episodes: 5
- Latest episode: 2025-05-22
- True Crime News