NOT GUILTY - The Craig McLachlan Case

Vanessa Scammell

NOT GUILTY – The Craig McLachlan Case is a factual true-crime podcast hosted by Vanessa Scammell, examining the criminal case heard in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court and the events that unfolded around it. Through interviews, a detailed discussion of public court records, and a close examination of evidence, the series explores aspects of the story that were obscured, neglected or misunderstood in much of the original press coverage. With a calm and considered approach, the podcast invites listeners to engage openly with the full complexity of the case, and to reflect on the consequences of “page one guilt” — when public judgement is formed before a matter is tested in court, and when allegations reach the media before the police. Eight years on, the case continues to exact a heavy personal cost, raising difficult questions about justice, truth, rehabilitation and the enduring impact of accusation beyond a verdict of Not Guilty. This series examines materials that were published by the press, open court witness evidence, preparation materials of Craig McLachlan, personal accounts, court notes and materials made available to the press. The host endeavours to bring forward materials that have not been made public or have been obscured in the telling of this story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  1. EPISODE 1

    UNFILTERED EPISODE 1

    Part 2 of Not Guilty – The Craig McLachlan Case moves beyond the courtroom analysis and explores the human side of the story. After the detailed examination of timelines, evidence and legal rulings presented in Part 1, this second chapter features UNFILTERED interviews between Michael Cain and Craig McLachlan. The questions are not shared with Craig beforehand and his responses are entirely spontaneous — unscripted and unrehearsed. With no director or producer guiding the conversation, these interviews provide a candid and unfiltered insight into the experiences of the man at the centre of one of Australia’s most widely reported legal cases. You can watch the original video version of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap-wyeksXJo&t=9s Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    UNFILTERED EPISODE 2

    Host Michael Cain takes a deep dive into the Craig McLachlan case, cutting through the myths surrounding one of Australia's most high-profile legal battles. This episode explores questions relating to Episode 2 of the NOT GUILTY series, the unique culture of the theatre industry, the shock of charges being laid against McLachlan, court room language and the anxiety he experienced throughout the criminal proceedings. Craig speaks candidly about what it's like performing in a stage show like Rocky Horror — and whether it rivals the intensity of a grand final football match. He also weighs in on the significant outcome of Victorian police paying half a million dollars in costs related to the case. With insights shared for the very first time, this is a must-listen episode straight from the man at the centre of it all.  Not to be missed. You can watch the original video version of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtRd5c_7Ero Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    UNFILTERED EPISODE 3

    Was the fix in? In this episode, Michael Cain and Craig McLachlan go deeper into the details of the criminal case — including the charge that became almost too absurd to believe: the so- called "ankle tickle" But it's Vanessa who brings the questions that cut to the heart of it all. How can anyone be expected to modify or reflect on their behaviour if no one ever raises a concern with them directly? When friendly interactions and communications continue freely — in the workplace and beyond it — is it just to have complaints aired so publicly, and so devastatingly, in the press? This is the unfiltered, human side of a case that ultimately ended in full acquittal. No spin. No filter. Just the truth. You can watch the original video version of this episode here: https://youtu.be/GHjLmXbrNlY?si=j2Tvzf6pcTGIt5HE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    UNFILTERED EPISODE 4

    “Those doors would open every night revealing Frank N Furter and the audience would go nuts, and I just had to remind myself that the audience is going nuts for Frank N Furter they’re not going nuts for Craig McLachlan.” — C2 In this episode, Michael Cain and Craig McLachlan examine the allegations and charges brought against him in relation to his castmate, known as C2. After this cast member was passed over for a principal role in 2015 and was again unsuccessful in 2017 auditions, should her fury over not being cast have been directed at Craig McLachlan, and should that have been a major consideration for the press, the police, and the Magistrate? We explore the legal and procedural questions: How and why can the police add multiple charges after the initial ones? Why is the credibility of the complainant not weighed, especially after three drafts of a statement become increasingly detailed and inflammatory? Why wasn’t archival footage of the show considered or subpoenaed, and how is it that, even years later, not even the complainant’s husband could corroborate her story? Join us for this deeply perplexing episode and consider the “brave and honest” label the Magistrate publicly attached to the case. You can watch the original video version of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLH12d7p8gE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    UNFILTERED EPISODE 5

    In Episode 5 of Unfiltered, Michael Cain continues his conversation with Craig McLachlan, examining the charges and allegations made against him by a cast member of the 2014 Rocky Horror Show, referred to as C2. Vanessa delves into the criminal charge of attempted indecent assault, in which C2 claimed that on the final night of the tour, Craig allegedly knelt onstage in the middle of a song and attempted to kiss her. She stated that she then pushed him over in front of a full house of Rocky Horror fans and fellow cast members. Michael asks Craig to respond to this charge which was eventually thrown out of court, as well as further disturbing and serious allegations made by the same cast member.  Vanessa invites listeners to consider whether the Magistrate’s description of C2 as “brave and honest” is appropriate, and questions whether the allegations, which were ultimately discredited in court, could be considered perjury. How can demonstrably false claims be dismissed without consequences? A must listen. You can watch the original video version of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5_6X-dLDH4&t=167s Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    UNFILTERED EPISODE 6

    In Episode 6 of Unfiltered, Michael Cain continues his conversation with Craig McLachlan, delving into the allegations connected to the 2014 production of The Rocky Horror Show, and the cast member referred to as C3. This episode raises three central questions. Vanessa asks: were there double standards at play within the backstage culture? Was behaviour that appeared acceptable for some cast members viewed very differently when attributed to others? Did the idea of “what’s good for the goose is good for the gander” fall away under scrutiny? The episode also invites listeners to consider how specific moments have been characterised. For example—can a brief greeting, described by some as lasting only a second, be interpreted as something more serious? Can a moment such as sitting on a colleague’s lap be understood differently depending on context, perspective, or recollection—particularly when similar behaviour is said to have occurred between individuals at the time? And finally, Vanessa asks listeners to consider how narratives around workplace behaviour can develop and shift over time. Craig McLachlan was at various points associated with allegations of bullying; however, those claims were not ultimately upheld in findings relating to him. In that context, the episode invites reflection on how other accounts of workplace conflict within the same production were understood, including bullying claims made by C3 regarding conduct by another cast member, C1.  An episode that doesn’t hold back. Thank you for listening. You can watch the original video version of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kRunHGz_Lg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    UNFILTERED EPISODE 7

    In Episode 7 of Unfiltered, the criminal charges Craig McLachlan faced in relation to his former friend and Rocky Horror Show castmate, known as C1 are explored in-depth. In what is undoubtedly the most explosive and confronting episode of Season 2, Michael Cain takes Craig through the assault allegation made by C1 concerning the 2014 Rocky Horror Show bed scene—an allegation that became a defining part of the criminal case against him. Vanessa asks listeners to consider the disturbing contradictions at the centre of the proceedings: how sworn evidence could seemingly be set aside, how inconsistencies in testimony were left unexplored, and how judicial commentary appeared, in some instances, to depart from the hard facts presented in court. She invites listeners to question how changing accounts escaped proper scrutiny—not only by police, but by the media—and what the consequences of that failure meant for the accused. In this episode Michael tackles the questions few were prepared to ask, shining a light on the evidentiary gaps, unresolved contradictions, and the profound personal cost that followed. It is a confronting examination of how a case can be shaped not only by what is said in court, but by what is left unreported. A compelling listen. You can watch the original video version of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Na2HPg9dHU Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min

  8. EPISODE 8

    UNFILTERED EPISODE 8

    In the final instalment of Season 2 of Unfiltered, Vanessa continues with the allegations and criminal charges Craig McLachlan faced in relation to his former friend and Rocky Horror Show castmate, known as C1. How did this cast member go from sending affectionate text messages to making devastating front-page allegations? How did years of friendly communication between Craig McLachlan and C1 unravel into accusations that would alter lives forever? Michael Cain takes Craig through the final charge of which he was found not guilty, exploring how and why these allegations made it into a courtroom at all — particularly when the same accuser had texted Craig just weeks after the 2014 Rocky Horror Show tour had ended to say, “You were like a brother to me.” At the height of the #MeToo movement, with the allegations against Harvey Weinstein dominating headlines, the 2018 Rocky Horror Show cast announced without any of Craig’s accusers securing roles, and The Doctor Blake Mysteriesnewly announced for Seven Network, the timing raises serious questions. Was it merely coincidence — or was there motive? In this extraordinary final episode of the season, Unfiltered invites listeners to consider the circumstances, the timing, and unreported evidence surrounding allegations that changed lives forever. You can watch the original video version of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFpXYmtGiSM Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min
See All Season 2 (8)

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About

NOT GUILTY – The Craig McLachlan Case is a factual true-crime podcast hosted by Vanessa Scammell, examining the criminal case heard in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court and the events that unfolded around it. Through interviews, a detailed discussion of public court records, and a close examination of evidence, the series explores aspects of the story that were obscured, neglected or misunderstood in much of the original press coverage. With a calm and considered approach, the podcast invites listeners to engage openly with the full complexity of the case, and to reflect on the consequences of “page one guilt” — when public judgement is formed before a matter is tested in court, and when allegations reach the media before the police. Eight years on, the case continues to exact a heavy personal cost, raising difficult questions about justice, truth, rehabilitation and the enduring impact of accusation beyond a verdict of Not Guilty. This series examines materials that were published by the press, open court witness evidence, preparation materials of Craig McLachlan, personal accounts, court notes and materials made available to the press. The host endeavours to bring forward materials that have not been made public or have been obscured in the telling of this story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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