British Murders with Stuart Blues

In the early hours of the summer Bank Holiday weekend in 2016, a young man lay unconscious on a quiet street in Blackheath, south east London. Just minutes earlier, he’d been laughing with friends, chatting to strangers, waiting for a taxi home. Then a single punch knocked him to the ground. Within 24 hours, he was gone.

Oliver Dearlove was 30 years old. He had a solid career in banking, a long-term girlfriend he adored, and future plans for a house, a baby, and a big birthday trip to Las Vegas. He was the sort of lad who avoided trouble rather than invited it, yet on a night out that should have ended with nothing more dramatic than some food and a hangover, everything changed in seconds.

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British Murders with Stuart Blues

Disclaimer:
The case discussed in this podcast episode is real and represents the worst day in many people's lives. I aim to cover such stories with a victim-focused approach, using information from publicly available sources. While I strive for accuracy, some details may vary depending on the sources used. You can find the sources for each episode on my website. Due to the nature of the content, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for your understanding and support.
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In September 2023, police officers walked into house on Pump Hill in the village of Great Baddow, Essex. Standing in front of them was 35-year-old Virginia McCullough, who appeared calm and composed. But within moments, she was telling them her parents were dead, and that their bodies were still inside the house.

For four years, John and Lois McCullough had seemingly vanished. Family was told they’d moved to the seaside. Friends were told they were unwell. Birthday cards and text messages still arrived. Pensions were still being paid. To the outside world, it looked like two elderly parents enjoying a quiet retirement, but behind drawn curtains, a very different reality had been sitting undisturbed since June 2019.

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British Murders with Stuart Blues

Disclaimer:
The case discussed in this podcast episode is real and represents the worst day in many people's lives. I aim to cover such stories with a victim-focused approach, using information from publicly available sources. While I strive for accuracy, some details may vary depending on the sources used. You can find the sources for each episode on my website. Due to the nature of the content, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I’m joined by two former Crime Scene Investigators, Angela Davies and Dionne Watson, the hosts of The Crime Scene Insiders Podcast. Between them, they’ve worked countless real-life investigations - the kind you don’t see neatly wrapped up in 40 minutes on television.

We talk about what crime shows actually get right (if anything) and the many things they get completely wrong. From forensic myths and unrealistic lab results to the realities of working long hours inside taped-off properties, Ange and Dee take us under the barrier tape and into the real world of CSI work.

We also discuss some of the more unusual and unexpected discoveries they’ve made at crime scenes, moments that have stayed with them long after the evidence bags were sealed. If you’ve ever wondered what really happens once the police cordon goes up, this episode gives you an honest look behind it.

Check out 'The Crime Scene Insiders', a true crime podcast with a CSI twist, that will take you under the barrier tape of real criminal investigations:
Podcast Feed | The Crime Scene Insiders
Facebook | The Crime Scene Insiders
Instagram | @thecrimesceneinsiders
YouTube | @TheCrimeSceneInsiders

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British Murders with Stuart Blues

Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by my guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast or its host. This episode is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only.
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On May 12, 2020, during the first Covid lockdown, police were called to a quiet stretch of road in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. Officers had already stopped a car for breaching lockdown rules and issued a fixed penalty notice. But just a short distance away, sitting at the side of the road in the darkness, were two suitcases. Inside were human remains.

At the centre of this story are two women living in a shared house in Lozells, Birmingham - Phoenix Netts and Gareeca Gordon. Phoenix had taken Gordon under her wing, and to the outside world, they were simply friends sharing accommodation during a national crisis. But behind closed doors, tensions were rising, boundaries were being crossed, and one of them was becoming increasingly afraid.

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British Murders with Stuart Blues

Disclaimer:
The case discussed in this podcast episode is real and represents the worst day in many people's lives. I aim to cover such stories with a victim-focused approach, using information from publicly available sources. While I strive for accuracy, some details may vary depending on the sources used. You can find the sources for each episode on my website. Due to the nature of the content, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fifty-two years have passed since Donald Neilson committed his first known murder - that of 54-year-old Donald Skepper on 15 February 1974. What followed was a violent campaign that would stretch across four English counties and culminate in one of the most infamous kidnappings in British criminal history.

In the mid-1970s, sub-postmasters were targeted in a series of calculated and ruthless attacks. Then, in January 1975, 17-year-old Lesley Whittle was abducted and held for ransom - a crime that gripped the nation and ended in devastating tragedy.

This episode revisits my November 2024 coverage of the case, now re-released from the archives. It’s a story of lives stolen, families devastated, and the relentless manhunt that brought one of Britain’s most notorious serial offenders to justice.

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British Murders with Stuart Blues

Disclaimer:
The case discussed in this podcast episode is real and represents the worst day in many people's lives. I aim to cover such stories with a victim-focused approach, using information from publicly available sources. While I strive for accuracy, some details may vary depending on the sources used. You can find the sources for each episode on my website. Due to the nature of the content, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.