The Trial

4.2 (114)
True Crime
Updated Semiweekly

The Trial goes behind the headlines of some of the biggest trials in the world. We take you into the courtroom, bringing you the detail as the evidence unfolds, examining key moments and carrying out exclusive interviews with detectives, victims, and experts. For ad-free listening to The Trial, exclusive bonus episodes every week, and complete access to previous series of the show, subscribe to The Crime Desk now. Visit www.thecrimedesk.com to become a member. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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In 2003, 14-year-old Charlene Downes mysteriously vanished from her hometown of Blackpool. Chilling stories started to spread. And when two men are arrested for murdering Charlene, they are accused of cutting up her body – and using her remains as kebab meat. The story of what happened to this young girl has haunted Blackpool for more than twenty years. It has twisted and turned, taking in police, paedophiles, and far-right protests. But not all is as it seems – and so much of this story remains hidden in the shadows. Broadcaster Nicola Thorp is the same age as Charlene. She grew up in Blackpool too. Now, Nicola is revisiting this case – to uncover the truth, and the lies, about what really happened to Charlene. After all, Somebody knows Something. If you have any information about the disappearance of Charlene Downes, you can contact us at charlene@thecrimedesk.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5.0 (3)

True Crime
Launched in the UK in 2022, The Trial is an award-winning, chart-topping podcast that goes behind the headlines of some of the biggest trials in the world. We take you into the courtroom, bringing you the detail as the evidence unfolds, examining key moments and carrying out exclusive interviews with detectives, victims, and experts. The Trial series occasionally uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript. For ad-free listening to all of our shows, exclusive bonus episodes of The Trial every week, and complete access to our show archives, subscribe to The Crime Desk now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4.2 (144)

True Crime
David Ames was a twice-bankrupt double-glazing salesman from Basildon with dreams of building a Caribbean property empire. His company, Harlequin, promised ordinary investors luxury resort properties at bargain prices – their slice of paradise and financial security. Over nearly a decade, more than 8,000 people handed over £400 million. Many bet their entire pension pots on Ames' vision. But behind Ames’ slick marketing pitch lay financial chaos and systematic deception. While investors waited for dream properties, their money funded pirate ships, imported sand that washed away with the tide, and eye-watering sales commissions. From a local newspaper investigation that exposed the scheme to the Serious Fraud Office's decade-long pursuit of justice, this is the story of how thousands lost everything betting on one man’s vision. Featuring exclusive interviews with victims, investigators, and industry insiders, The Lost Caribbean Millions reveals the human cost of one of Britain's biggest investment frauds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

0.0 (0)

True Crime
The Trial goes behind the headlines of some of the biggest trials in the world. We take you into the courtroom, bringing you the detail as the evidence unfolds, examining key moments and carrying out exclusive interviews with detectives, victims, and experts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4.5 (17)

True Crime
To access episodes from previous series of The Trial, subscribe to The Crime Desk. Join today at thecrimedesk.com. Click here to sign up for The Crime Desk's weekly newsletter. It's free and packed with exclusive interviews, expert insight, and gripping deep dive investigations from across the world. Lucy Letby is a child killer. Last year she was convicted of murdering seven babies and trying to murder six more while working as a neo-natal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital, in the NW of England and was sentenced to spend her life in jail. She also went back in court to face a retrial on one charge the jury could not reach a verdict on - the alleged Attempted Murder of a premature baby girl, known as Baby K. She was found guilty once again. Follow the trial's evidence just as the jury do, with reports from Daily Mail northern correspondent Liz Hull and broadcast journalist Caroline Cheetham. In this podcast, they bring you far more detail about what the jury heard, examine key moments of the trial, and conduct exclusive interviews with investigative detectives, victims, and experts. The Trial goes behind the headlines of some of the biggest trials in the world. We take you into the courtroom, bringing you the detail as the evidence unfolds, examining key moments and carrying out exclusive interviews with detectives, victims, and experts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4.0 (23)

True Crime
The Psychology of a Serial Killer is a forensic examination of those who kill. In Series 1, we turn the scalpel inward on doctors who kill: trusted professionals who betrayed their oath to save lives. From the calculated crimes of Dr Harold Shipman to the dark legacy of Dr John Bodkin-Adams, this series delves deep into the minds, methods, and motivations of medical murderers. Hosted by Dr Andrew Johns, a leading forensic psychiatrist who spent years inside Broadmoor Hospital with some of Britain’s most infamous killers, and Dr Harry Brunjes, physician, expert witness, and senior figure in medical ethics, The Psychology of a Serial Killer is where medicine meets malice. Hosts: Dr Andrew Johns, Dr Harry Brunjes Producer: Philip Wilding Editor: Chelsey Moore Sound Design: John Scott Exec Producer: Jamie East Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5.0 (1)

True Crime

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Liz Hull

Host
Caroline Cheetham

Host
Ryan Hooper

Guest
Natalie Smith

Guest
Greg Almond

Guest
Louisa Rolfe

Guest
Emma Katz

Guest
Linda Dubrow-Marshall

Guest

4.2

out of 5

114 Ratings

Great

11/12/2023

simoneka1977

Grateful for the show
Poorly organized

09/29/2025

Lacey121212

Can we get a more organized feed with individual cases and filtering out all the paywalled episodes. And WHY are you using AI voices? Garbage.
It’s weird

03/01/2025

fredmacmurray

I don’t understand how this passed the litmus test? Who actually sat around together reviewing & reading and said “Yes, this is ready. I believe we have a hit on our hands” As others have said, it is painful to listen & follow seamlessly because one has to skip/fast forward so often & there’s so much repetition that I still am not sure I have heard it all. Terrible. Really really bad. I have second hand embarrassment.
Such a great podcast!

05/17/2024

JCBinkley

I love this. It’s the closest you can get to being inside a courtroom. Some have complained about it being so long, but these reporters are sitting in trial all day every day, and then coming to make this podcast and tell us about what they heard. I think they do a fantastic job.

The Trial goes behind the headlines of some of the biggest trials in the world. We take you into the courtroom, bringing you the detail as the evidence unfolds, examining key moments and carrying out exclusive interviews with detectives, victims, and experts. For ad-free listening to The Trial, exclusive bonus episodes every week, and complete access to previous series of the show, subscribe to The Crime Desk now. Visit www.thecrimedesk.com to become a member. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.