Sinister South

Rachel & Hannah

Join Rachel and Hannah on the Sinister South Podcast as they explore the shadowy corners of South London. Each episode digs into the gritty true crime stories that have left their mark on the local streets of South London. They’ll introduce you to the victims and dissect the mysteries while giving you a taste of the places these dramas unfolded. It’s not all doom and gloom; Rach and Han also have plenty of nonsense to chat about! So whether you're a true crime buff or just curious about the darker tales from their neck of the woods, pull up a chair, tune in and join the mischief!Want to get in touch with us, or request an episode? You can email us here: sinistersouthpodcast@gmail.com

  1. It wasn't an accident: Andrea Bernard and the Janice Nix Case

    6d ago

    It wasn't an accident: Andrea Bernard and the Janice Nix Case

    But first, the important business: Rach's new hair (currently being hated on a strict day-two schedule), Will's ongoing obsession with the Sidcup goose tattoo man, and the small matter of a Netflix documentary sending a flood of brand-new Trevors our way. If you're one of them, welcome. We have cookies, chocolate, and pins we will absolutely never send you. Then Han takes us back to the summer of 1978, and a five-year-old called Andrea Bernard. She suffered catastrophic burns in the bath at her family home in Thornton Heath, held on for nearly six weeks, and died of an infection the doctors couldn't beat. A coroner recorded the obvious conclusion: a heart-breaking accident. That was the story for 47 years. This week we unpick how it came undone. How Andrea's older brother carried what he'd heard through the bathroom wall since the age of eight, and finally walked into a Croydon police station decades later to say it out loud. And how the woman who'd been in that house, later celebrated as an author and a former drug dealer turned probation worker, came to stand trial for a death everyone had signed off before some of the detectives were even born. Please note: this episode discusses the abuse and death of a child, including burns. Look after yourselves. Support the show Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South." Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...  Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

    1h 31m
  2. Sally Hodkin: 500 Yards From Home | The Nicola Edgington Case

    Jun 3

    Sally Hodkin: 500 Yards From Home | The Nicola Edgington Case

    On the morning of 10th October 2011, 58-year-old Sally Hodkin left her house in Bexleyheath for her usual walk to work. She was 500 yards from her own front door when she was attacked and killed by Nicola Edgington, a woman who had murdered her own mother six years earlier and had been released back into the community by the NHS. In the hours before Sally's death, Edgington had told police she was dangerous, walked out of a psychiatric unit, and begged multiple services to help her. Nobody listened. This week Rachel takes Hannah through every missed opportunity, every form that wasn't sent and every door that should have been locked. It's a long one, but every minute of it matters. Trigger warnings: fatal stabbing, mental health crisis, drug use, miscarriage & graphic violence. Sources include: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-46022330 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40378509 https://www.england.nhs.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2017/06/Report-of-the-independent-investigation-into-the-care-and-treatment-of-Ms-A.pdf https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21321005 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicola_Edgington https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-66842327 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-21652436 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21195602 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-24868749 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21653018 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21260313 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21374967 https://www.hundredfamilies.org/independent-investigation-hodkin-family-statement/ https://www.itv.com/news/london/2023-09-20/victims-family-warns-she-will-kill-again-as-conviction-could-be-downgraded https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/mar/09/sally-hodkin-nhs-mental-health https://www.london-now.co.uk/news/25968695.bexleyheath-killer-nicola-edgington-loses-murder-conviction-appeal/ https://www.channel4.com/news/suspect-left-mental-health-unit-before-stabbing https://murderpedia.org/female.E/e/edgington-nicola.htm https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-46034803 https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/nicola-edgington-meat-cleaver-murder-manslaughter-court-of-appeal-b1107644.html https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2874993/police-in-100k-bid-to-cover-up-murder-of-gran-by-mental-health-patient-who-pleaded-to-be-sectioned/ https://www.hundredfamilies.org/sally-hodkin-memorial-match-2017/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15280814 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/17/nhs-pays-psychotic-killers-to-give-health-advice/ Support the show Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South." Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...  Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

    2h 12m
  3. Five Feet of Water: The Unsolved Death of Mary Clarke

    May 27

    Five Feet of Water: The Unsolved Death of Mary Clarke

    This week, we go back to 1831 and the Croydon Canal, where two empty boats were found drifting on still water. A week later, the body of a pregnant woman surfaced. Her name, or at least the name history gives us, was Mary Clarke. Mary had been seen days earlier preparing to meet the father of her unborn child. She was dressed in a fine cotton gown, a black silk cloak and a white straw bonnet, with a small key in her pocket that remains one of the most frustrating details of the case. But despite her injuries, despite the missing companion who vanished from the record, and despite the two unnamed men last seen with her, the inquest returned a verdict of “found drowned”. Nearly 200 years later, we’re left with a woman no one claimed, a canal that no longer exists, and a question that still hasn’t been answered: who put Mary Clarke in the water? This episode includes discussion of pregnancy, suicide, violence against women, murder, drowning and historical attitudes towards unmarried pregnant women.  Support the show Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South." Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...  Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

    1h 3m
  4. Andrea Troupe: The Girl in Warwick Gardens

    May 20

    Andrea Troupe: The Girl in Warwick Gardens

    This week, after a truly chaotic opening involving a pork pie-related road traffic incident, pocket hummus at the Palladium, Paul McCartney’s Meat Free Mondays, and the questionable social etiquette of bringing a meze board into a theatre, we turn to the heart breaking unsolved murder of 16-year-old Andrea Troupe. In May 1983, Andrea was found dead in Warwick Gardens, Peckham. She had been stabbed more than 12 times and was later revealed to have been pregnant, something her family had not known. More than 40 years later, nobody has ever been charged with her murder. Andrea’s case sits against the backdrop of 1980s South London, a time of deep mistrust between Black communities and the police, following the New Cross house fire and the Brixton uprising. It also becomes tangled in the disturbing story of convicted double murderer Michelle Smithyman, whose reported confessions raised even more questions than they answered. This is a story about a young girl whose life was brutally taken, a family left without answers, and a case that still deserves attention. Sources include:  https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/brother-pleads-for-help-to-find-killer-of-sister-37-years-ago/ http://www.blackkalendar.nl/c/4016/John%20Michael%20Smithyman https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-34712868 https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/murderer-confesses-part-fire-killed-22027197 https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/double-murderer-confessed-killing-girl-25561274 https://crimeimmemorial.com/2024/09/11/andrea-troupe/ http://www.unsolved-murders.co.uk/murder-content.php?key=8371&termRef=Andrea+Troupe https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/13944316.michael-smithyman-who-murdered-the-mother-of-his-child-in-meopham-may-have-killed-13-others-according-to-bbc-report/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/audio_video/programmes/panorama/transcripts/transcript_03_03_97.txt https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-13324293/Double-murderer-hold-key-solving-1981-New-Cross-fire-Killer-serving-life-told-cops-mystery-teen-started-house-blaze-killed-13-black-partygoers-Britains-notorious-unsolved-mass-murder.html https://www.meopham-pc.gov.uk/content/meopham-chronology-0 http://www.tmg-uk.org/did-met-police-halt-new-cross-fire-investigation/ https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/uk-news/2017/03/01/new-cross-fire-victims-cousin-demands-new-enquiry/ https://www.newsdons.com/2021/10/31/double-murderer-confesses-part-in-unsolved-new-cross-fire/ Support the show Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South." Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...  Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

    1h 24m
  5. The Cycling Cop and the Clapham Execution: PC Patrick Dunne & William Danso

    May 13

    The Cycling Cop and the Clapham Execution: PC Patrick Dunne & William Danso

    Welcome back, Trevors! It's season four and we are BACK, although you'd be forgiven for thinking otherwise given the chaos of recording this one (third intro, second go at the case, Hannah's suitcase touring Luton solo). Stick with us. This week, Hannah takes us to a quiet Wednesday night in October 1993, when a 44 year old former maths teacher turned beat bobby cycled onto Cato Road in Clapham. PC Patrick Dunne never made it home. Neither did his neighbour William Danso, a Ghanaian doorman and father of five, gunned down in his own hallway for being good at his job. The man who pulled the trigger was Gary Lloyd Nelson, a 24 year old gangster nicknamed Tyson, with a fuse so short he'd fired five shots at a van driver for overtaking him. The evidence was staggering. The CPS dropped it anyway. What followed was a 12 year fight by two families who refused to let the system forget. Settle in. Sources for this case include: https://thepolicememorialtrust.org/pc-patrick-dunne/ https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/feb/18/ukguns.rosiecowan https://www.londonremembers.com/subjects/pc-patrick-dunne http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4717168.stm https://x.com/metpoliceuk/status/1065279526656241664 https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/52225/pc-patrick-dunne https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1510792/Gangster-who-gunned-down-Pc-is-sent-to-jail-for-35-years.html https://murderpedia.org/male.N/n/nelson-gary-lloyd.htm#google_vignette https://www.independent.co.uk/news/roadrage-driver-gets-eight-years-for-gun-attacks-1596553.html https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/gangster-jailed-for-pc-death-may-have-killed-four-others-a3293531.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hijVRJrS9VA https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kQCD9LFV2Qs http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4703356.stm Support the show Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South." Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...  Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

    1h 22m
  6. Two Women, One Monster: Marsha McDonnell, Amélie Delagrange & the heinous crimes of Levi Bellfield

    Apr 22

    Two Women, One Monster: Marsha McDonnell, Amélie Delagrange & the heinous crimes of Levi Bellfield

    In February 2003, nineteen-year-old Marsha McDonnell stepped off a bus yards from her front door in Hampton and never made it home. Eighteen months later, twenty-two-year-old Amélie Delagrange was found dying on Twickenham Green after missing her stop on a late-night bus. Two women. Two streets we know. One man responsible for both — and for so much more besides. This week Rachel tells the story of Levi Bellfield: the wheel-clamper and nightclub bouncer who stalked bus stops across south-west London for years before anyone caught him, and whose crimes would eventually bring down one of the most powerful newspapers in the world. We hear from the women who survived him, the ex-partner whose courage finally got him arrested, and the daughters who had to rebuild their lives in his shadow. A content warning before you listen: this episode contains descriptions of violence, sexual abuse, and coercive control. Sources include: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/feb/08/vikramdodd http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2736407.stm https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/the-man-who-killed-amelie-and-marsha-6615651.html https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/marsha-killing-new-clue-7223992.html https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/mar/13/ukcrime https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8122841/marsha-mcdonnell-levi-bellfield-murder/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46787240 https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/oct/17/ukcrime.france https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a25746134/milly-dowler-killer-caught-manhunt-amelie-delagrange/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levi_Bellfield https://news.sky.com/story/manhunt-detective-who-caught-milly-dowler-murderer-levi-bellfield-reveals-tricks-police-used-in-battle-with-serial-killer-12354796 https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/nov/22/ukcrime https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37926858 https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/marsha-mcdonnell-died-yards-from-her-home/a/119479412.html www.bbc.com/news/uk-13455748 https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/jun/27/levi-bellfield-defence-milly-dowler https://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/271777.marshas-murder-link-to-strawberry-hill-attack/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-41652456 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_npFjpBJjw Support the show Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South." Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...  Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

    1h 42m
  7. The Child No One Heard: Ellie Butler

    Apr 15

    The Child No One Heard: Ellie Butler

    This week’s episode comes with a very serious warning. We’re covering the case of Ellie Butler, a six-year-old girl whose death shocked the country and exposed devastating failures within the child protection system. Before we get into the case, we talk honestly about how difficult this one has been for us to research and record, and why we felt it was important to flag that upfront. This is not an easy listen. Ellie was known as a bright, creative little girl, raised by her grandparents from just weeks old. But after a controversial court decision, she was returned to her parents, despite years of warnings, evidence, and concern from professionals. What follows is not just the story of one man’s violence, but a sequence of decisions that left a child unprotected. We cover:  The early signs that something was wrong  The legal battle that led to Ellie being returned home  The systemic failures that followed  And the events of the day Ellie died This episode contains discussions of child abuse, domestic abuse, and the death of a child. Please take care while listening. If this isn’t one you can face right now, that’s completely okay. Support the show Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South." Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...  Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

    1h 39m
  8. A Fragile Ego: The heartbreaking murder of Natalie Jarvis

    Apr 8

    A Fragile Ego: The heartbreaking murder of Natalie Jarvis

    This week, we start where we always do… somewhere between a rant about marketing “safe spaces” and a full-blown identity crisis over snake trousers 😅 But very quickly, things take a turn. We’re telling the story of 23-year-old Natalie Jarvis, a young woman from Swanley who went out for what she thought was a casual late-night drive… and never came home. Natalie was loud, funny, warm, and deeply loved by her family. She was rebuilding her life after heartbreak, spending time with friends, and starting something new with a man she thought she could trust. But behind the scenes, that man was saying something very different. In this episode, we unpack a case built on weeks of text messages, tweets, and group chats that should have set alarm bells ringing… but didn’t. A story where warning signs were laughed off, threats were treated as banter, and no one stepped in. We walk through the timeline of what happened that night in October 2012, the brutal reality of Natalie’s murder, and the devastating impact on a family still living with that loss every single day. This episode contains discussions of graphic violence and murder. Please listen with care. Support the show Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South." Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...  Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

    1h 27m
See All (98)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Join Rachel and Hannah on the Sinister South Podcast as they explore the shadowy corners of South London. Each episode digs into the gritty true crime stories that have left their mark on the local streets of South London. They’ll introduce you to the victims and dissect the mysteries while giving you a taste of the places these dramas unfolded. It’s not all doom and gloom; Rach and Han also have plenty of nonsense to chat about! So whether you're a true crime buff or just curious about the darker tales from their neck of the woods, pull up a chair, tune in and join the mischief!Want to get in touch with us, or request an episode? You can email us here: sinistersouthpodcast@gmail.com

Information

  • Creator
    Rachel & Hannah
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    98
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Sinister South
  • Show Website
    Sinister South

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