The Pitcairn Trials

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TRUE CRIME
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Halfway between South America and New Zealand is a small piece of volcanic, British territory; Pitcairn. It has one shop open for a few hours a day, it’s accessible only by boat, it was born out of Naval mutiny in the 18th Century, it’s home to around 45 British subjects...and an almighty scandal.

EPISODE 1

Paradise, Lost

In Kent, UK, Police Officer Peter George is asked to investigate an alleged serious crime: the rape of a child. The crime is not in England but on the remote Pacific Island of Pitcairn, and what Peter and his colleague find is a complicated story. They decide that modern British law and policing must be taken to this worryingly lawless Island, but how to implement an entire legal system on a remote Pacific island? And what are the secrets that are hidden in plain sight? Follow The Pitcairn Trials on the Wondery App. This is episode 1 of The Pitcairn Trials. To listen to more episodes join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://www.wondery.com/links/the-pitcairn-trials There are organisations around the world that work to prevent the abuse of children and support survivors. In the UK: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/ https://thesurvivorstrust.org/ In the US: https://www.childhelphotline.org/ https://preventchildabuse.org/about-us/ In Australia: https://www.napcan.org.au/ In New Zealand: https://indigohouse.co.nz/ https://www.capf.org.nz/ https://www.familyaction.org.nz/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

27 min
EPISODE 2 • WONDERY+ ONLY

Up the Hill of Difficulty

Kent WPC Gail Cox is chosen as the woman to bring law to Pitcairn. She sets off to Pitcairn to teach the locals how to Police themselves. At a drunken Pitcairn party, one evening, another girl makes an allegation of rape. Detective Peter George returns to Pitcairn and a distressing and astonishing picture begins to emerge of child sexual abuse on an unimaginable scale. Listen to episodes of The Pitcairn Trials exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://www.wondery.com/links/the-pitcairn-trials In the UK: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/ https://thesurvivorstrust.org/ In the US: https://www.childhelphotline.org/ https://preventchildabuse.org/about-us/ In Australia: https://www.napcan.org.au/ In New Zealand: https://indigohouse.co.nz/ https://www.capf.org.nz/ https://www.familyaction.org.nz/

33 min
EPISODE 3 • WONDERY+ ONLY

Have you Ever Wanted to Disappear?

What is the history of the Island of Pitcairn, its myths and realities? Born from the 1789 Mutiny, the mutineers, led by Fletcher Christian stumble across Pitcairn. Handily wrongly located on maps, this is their opportunity to escape the British Navy and disappear, today all Pitcairn families are descended from the mutineers and their Tahitian ‘wives’. But they were not a contented community, marked by violence and death, which are marked on the Island in place names. Abuse survivor Glenda, now living in the UK, paints a vivid picture of life on the Island, eating breadfruit, swimming, the unique language, the red volcanic dirt. But her memories are not all full of sunshine… Listen to episodes of The Pitcairn Trials exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, or Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://www.wondery.com/links/the-pitcairn-trials. There are organisations around the world that work to prevent the abuse of children and support survivors. In the UK: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/ https://thesurvivorstrust.org/ In the US: https://www.childhelphotline.org/ https://preventchildabuse.org/about-us/ In Australia: https://www.napcan.org.au/ In New Zealand: https://indigohouse.co.nz/ https://www.capf.org.nz/ https://www.familyaction.org.nz/

36 min
EPISODE 4 • WONDERY+ ONLY

Glenda, A Survivor’s Story

Luke Jones meets Glenda at her home, in the UK. Glenda grew up on Pitcairn but now lives in the UK. She was abused growing up but told no one, until she was contacted by Kent Police during Operation Unique. This is the first time Glenda has recorded her story and it is very emotional. Glenda is supported in the room by her therapist and friend Sandy. And what about justice for the victims and survivors? Some fear the risks to the Island are too great to take this to trial. Politicians and lawyers around the world fiercely debate whether there is a case to answer. Listen to episodes of The Pitcairn Trials exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, or Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://www.wondery.com/links/the-pitcairn-trials. There are organisations around the world that work to prevent the abuse of children and support survivors. In the UK: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/ https://thesurvivorstrust.org/ In the US: https://www.childhelphotline.org/ https://preventchildabuse.org/about-us/ In Australia: https://www.napcan.org.au/ In New Zealand: https://indigohouse.co.nz/ https://www.capf.org.nz/ https://www.familyaction.org.nz/

34 min
EPISODE 5 • WONDERY+ ONLY

Order, Order

Despite immense pressure to withdraw their testimony, key witnesses for the prosecution are secured. A campaign to undermine the victims to withdraw from the trial begins, led by… Pitcairn women. Listen to episodes of The Pitcairn Trials exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, or Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://www.wondery.com/links/the-pitcairn-trials. There are organisations around the world that work to prevent the abuse of children and support survivors. In the UK: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/ https://thesurvivorstrust.org/ In the US: https://www.childhelphotline.org/ https://preventchildabuse.org/about-us/ In Australia: https://www.napcan.org.au/ In New Zealand: https://indigohouse.co.nz/ https://www.capf.org.nz/ https://www.familyaction.org.nz/

34 min
EPISODE 6 • WONDERY+ ONLY

White Wigs and Red Dirt

Judges, lawyers and a press pack make the long journey to Pitcairn and the trials begin. Journalists are summoned to a meeting of all the women on the Island at Big Fence as they argue that their men are innocent, and there are claims that the trials are a British conspiracy to reclaim Pitcairn. A punishment for the mutiny on the Bounty in 1789, revenge on Pitcairn, being a dish served well and truly cold. Listen to episodes of The Pitcairn Trials exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, or Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://www.wondery.com/links/the-pitcairn-trials.There are organisations around the world that work to prevent the abuse of children and support survivors. In the UK: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/ https://thesurvivorstrust.org/ In the US: https://www.childhelphotline.org/ https://preventchildabuse.org/about-us/ In Australia: https://www.napcan.org.au/ In New Zealand: https://indigohouse.co.nz/ https://www.capf.org.nz/ https://www.familyaction.org.nz/

34 min
EPISODE 7 • WONDERY+ ONLY

Taking a Stand

Glenda takes the stand. Through interviews and court transcripts, we examine the Defence team’s arguments, and the legal debates that surrounded them. Glenda and police officer Peter George wait for the verdict in the UK. Peter gets it first, then phones Glenda. All…Guilty. But the defence is not giving up… so before convictions are entered, it is back to London, to the Privy council as the Pitcairners lodge an extraordinary appeal before the Law Lords. Listen to episodes of The Pitcairn Trials exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, or Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://www.wondery.com/links/the-pitcairn-trials. There are organisations around the world that work to prevent the abuse of children and support survivors. In the UK: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/ https://thesurvivorstrust.org/ In the US: https://www.childhelphotline.org/ https://preventchildabuse.org/about-us/ In Australia: https://www.napcan.org.au/ In New Zealand: https://indigohouse.co.nz/ https://www.capf.org.nz/ https://www.familyaction.org.nz/

34 min
EPISODE 8 • WONDERY+ ONLY

The Aftermath

The Guilty men of Pitcairn received remarkably short prison sentences. Some on the island, sent to the luxury jail they helped to build. Some received community service, with time off to help with the island’s harvest and work. In the end the Pitcairn Trials cost £47 million, paid by the British taxpayer and government. By 2009 all the convicted men had been released. But the problem did not vanish in the years since. We examine what the future holds for Pitcairn. Can Pitcairn escape the shadows of its past? Glenda reflects on the Pitcairn paradox for some survivors, "I loved Pitcairn, the place…I didn't love what was done to me there." Listen to episodes of The Pitcairn Trials exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, or Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://www.wondery.com/links/the-pitcairn-trials. There are organisations around the world that work to prevent the abuse of children and support survivors. In the UK: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/ https://thesurvivorstrust.org/ In the US: https://www.childhelphotline.org/ https://preventchildabuse.org/about-us/ In Australia: https://www.napcan.org.au/ In New Zealand: https://indigohouse.co.nz/ https://www.capf.org.nz/ https://www.familyaction.org.nz/

40 min
4 SEPT

Introducing: The Pitcairn Trials

Halfway between Peru and New Zealand is a tiny volcanic island, a little known British Territory. The community of Pitcairn is home to 50 people....and a terrifying scandal. In The Pitcairn Trials, British Journalist Luke Jones uncovers a story of historic abuse in a remote place where prosecuting secrets and challenging centuries of power has left deep scars on generations of women and girls, and brought a unique, lonely, pacific island to the brink of extinction.The Pitcairn Trials is a chilling lesson in what human beings can be capable of when they think no one is watching them. Listen to episodes of The Pitcairn Trials exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://www.wondery.com/links/the-pitcairn-trials. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2 min

TRAILER

Introducing: The Pitcairn Trials

Halfway between Peru and New Zealand is a tiny volcanic island, a little known British Territory. The community of Pitcairn is home to 50 people....and a terrifying scandal. In The Pitcairn Trials, British Journalist Luke Jones uncovers a story of historic abuse in a remote place where prosecuting secrets and challenging centuries of power has left deep scars on generations of women and girls, and brought a unique, lonely, pacific island to the brink of extinction.The Pitcairn Trials is a chilling lesson in what human beings can be capable of when they think no one is watching them. Listen to episodes of The Pitcairn Trials exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://www.wondery.com/links/the-pitcairn-trials. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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HISTORY

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Halfway between South America and New Zealand is a small piece of volcanic, British territory; Pitcairn. It has one shop open for a few hours a day, it’s accessible only by boat, it was born out of Naval mutiny in the 18th Century, it’s home to around 45 British subjects...and an almighty scandal.