9 episodes
The Confession SMH & The Age
-
- True Crime
-
-
4.6 • 588 Ratings
-
The Confession is a podcast where the justice system itself is on trial.
At the centre of it all is Katia Pyliotis, accused of bludgeoning a man with a statue of the Virgin Mary. Four years of Katia’s life is spent behind bars, until the truth emerges because of a stroke of luck. When an item thought long lost is suddenly found and the spotlight is shifted from Katia to her accusers, the police.
Richard Baker tells the story of a murder, a botched trial and the system that allowed it to happen.
See our website for more exclusive content: https://www.theage.com.au/topic/the-confession-podcast-6fs2
-
Episode 1: Katia
Homicide detectives corner charity store volunteer Katia Pyliotis in an Adelaide laneway and arrest her for the brutal murder of an old man with a statue of the Virgin Mary more than a decade prior. She badly mishandles her first interview with police. But her nightmare is just beginning.
Read more on our website: https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/first-she-walks-now-she-talks-katia-pyliotis-on-facing-four-trials-for-the-same-murder-20221101-p5bula.html
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Episode 2: Unknown female DNA
Eliah Abdelmessih’s final day starts with his usual early morning breakfast at McDonalds. A creature of habit, staff would normally see him again for another meal within hours. But not today. Police talk to witnesses and two sides to Eliah emerge.
Read more on our website: https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/a-penchant-for-porn-and-mcdonald-s-the-final-lonely-days-of-eliah-abdelmessih-20221102-p5bv0l.html
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Episode 3: Crazy Sue
In the space of a few hours, Susan Reddie goes from witness to prime suspect in Eliah’s murder after she reveals to police her unsettling transactional relationship with him. Years later, Sue reappears as Katia’s best hope for freedom because of what she represents: a reasonable doubt.
Read more on our website: https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-original-suspect-crazy-sue-from-kew-confesses-to-murder-20221103-p5bvdm.html
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Episode 4: The worst part of the worst part
Under attack from inmates and guards, Katia contemplates ending it all after the lead detective in Eliah’s murder investigation drops a bombshell in court and causes yet another trial to be aborted.
Read more on our website: https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/fatal-recall-how-confession-confusion-put-an-accused-killer-in-a-quandary-20221103-p5bvgn.html
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Episode 5: When justice fails
When all hope appears lost, Katia gets a lucky break in an unrelated case before Australia’s highest court. Now it is time for her accusers, the police, to be put under the spotlight.
Read more on our website: https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/bombshell-backfires-a-long-lost-diary-is-found-and-the-fifth-murder-trial-of-katia-pyliotis-is-aborted-20221108-p5bwh0.html
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Episode 6: The vibe
The spectre of Sue Reddie returns in a most extraordinary cross examination. If the justice system has previously failed Katia, then this is it attempting to heal itself. Katia’s barrister and an inquisitive judge put highly experienced detectives to the test.
Read more on our website: https://www.theage.com.au/link/follow-20170101-p5bwjw
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Customer Reviews
Thank you for such an insight
Wow, To the journalist and team, if you no nothing else in your careers other than to have made this program you should feel proud of your work. Such an amazing insight into the systems community depend on and how imperfect they can be. Also on display is how it often falls to chance in finding individuals with strong values and high ethics to make it work as it should. We done on such a important yet entertaining podcast.
The confession
Loved it … very well put together
The legal system and the way the police ran this investigation certainly needs to be looked into at a top level,,
I can’t believe that a confession was put on the back burner….
Plus the official police diary’s going missing
Fascinating…..as long as it is not you.
Compelling listening, well presented, easy to follow. Amazing research. I hope the system learns and improves.