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. Andrea Troupe: The Girl in Warwick Gardens

    5D AGO

    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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. A life cut short: The shooting of Lathanial Burrell

    APR 1

    A life cut short: The shooting of Lathanial Burrell

    After a bit of chat about pub quizzes, questionable general knowledge, and why some people should never be trusted with a quiz answer sheet, we turn to a story that is anything but light. In March 2025, 16-year-old Lethanial Burrell was shot dead on his own street in Stockwell, in the middle of a Tuesday afternoon. What followed was the unravelling of a calculated attack involving a stolen moped, a modified firearm, and a network far bigger than it first appeared. This episode looks at who Lethanial was, what happened on Paradise Road, and the wider questions his death leaves behind about exploitation, violence, and the systems that failed to stop it. Sources in this episode include: https://news.met.police.uk/news/two-found-guilty-of-murder-following-stockwell-shooting-505941 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8e70g57d2xo https://www.cps.gov.uk/london-north/news/two-convicted-murder-16-year-old-shot-south-london https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr5752jpz5po https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/mar/05/teenager-shot-dead-in-south-london-named-as-lathaniel-burrell https://www.itv.com/news/london/2025-03-06/this-cant-happen-to-anyone-else-says-aunt-of-boy-shot-dead-in-south-london https://hounslowherald.com/yearold-charged-with-murder-of-lathaniel-burrell-in-stockwell-p27553-249.htm https://news.sky.com/story/second-person-charged-with-murder-after-shooting-of-teenage-boy-in-south-london-13326917 https://southwarknews.co.uk/area/peckham/teenager-from-peckham-arrested-over-shooting-of-16-year-old-in-stockwell/ https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/two-guilty-murder-stockwell-shooting-b1269986.html https://uk.news.yahoo.com/stockwell-shooting-london-latest-victim-police-update-murder-121341630.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGEZC2Yl4PFFaM_0HkI3z6C7xWu5TWTMGgO0bS1XUTknm0DhxMjN0dJOEQTlMh5XtvTudJ46xpzJirwZ2_h6hZIGaK6M4or6xZja26LFroWAxPVQr1b7ucd0zRkUzwTw7XtQoKvFYpV3VanHPCzuZQYUY9juEwqEX67YKBEdzcDB https://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/25039283.lathaniel-burrell-stockwell-shooting-two-arrests/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c871el85x02o https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iUeaVe5NOwc https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/stockwell-shooting-lathaniel-burrell-murder-arrest-b1215371.html 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)

    54 min
  7. The village that wasn’t safe: The children of Shirley Oaks

    MAR 25

    The village that wasn’t safe: The children of Shirley Oaks

    We start this week as we usually do, a bit of chaos, questionable life updates, and an Oreo milkshake that frankly had no business being that big… before we move into one of the most difficult cases we’ve ever covered. Shirley Oaks was meant to be a safe place. A village of cottages in Croydon, designed to give children in care a sense of normal life. Instead, it became the centre of one of the most disturbing child abuse scandals in British history. Over decades, hundreds of children were subjected to sexual, physical and racial abuse by those trusted to protect them (staff, volunteers, carers) within a system that repeatedly failed to act In this episode, we look at what was really happening inside Shirley Oaks, how multiple perpetrators were able to operate unchecked, and how survivors eventually forced the truth into the open. Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of child sexual abuse (including very young children), grooming, rape, physical abuse, racial abuse, institutional failure, suicide, self-harm, and substance misuse.  If you need support, you can contact: NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000 Rape Crisis England & Wales: 0808 802 9999 Samaritans (24/7): 116 123 Please take care while listening. Sources for this episode include: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-53258596 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/616d627fd3bf7f5604d83c8c/Lambeth-care-IICSA-investigation.pdf https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jun/25/over-46m-paid-to-survivors-of-abuse-at-lambeth-childrens-homes https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jun/25/survivors-tell-of-abuse-shirley-oaks-childrens-home https://www.shirleyoakssurvivorsassociation.co.uk https://news.sky.com/story/shirley-oaks-man-who-was-repeatedly-sexually-abused-at-childrens-home-reveals-why-he-kept-dark-secret-for-nearly-six-decades-12364798 https://www.iicsa.org.uk/reports-recommendations/publications/investigation/lambeth-council/part-b-reality-life-care-lambeth/b2-case-study-shirley-oaks.html https://www.leighday.co.uk/news/press-releases/2020-news/survivor-of-abuse-at-shirley-oaks-childrens-home-awarded-125-000-by-the-lambeth-redress-scheme/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-53314290 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKp4LLRNh8o https://www.itv.com/news/london/2022-10-20/lambeth-childrens-home-survivor-it-was-abuse-on-an-industrial-scale https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/oct/21/we-have-to-deliver-justice-the-man-who-fought-for-the-survivors-of-shirley-oaks https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/child-abuse-inquiry-london-care-homes-shirley-oaks-croydon-lambeth-council-compensation-millions-pounds-victims-a7478016.html 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 38m
  8. The cost of secrets: The mysterious death of Nimal Samarasinha

    MAR 18

    The cost of secrets: The mysterious death of Nimal Samarasinha

    HanFan Trevors... have we got good news for you! We're back... slightly frazzled, mildly sleep deprived and very much doing our best.  Tune in for chat about chaotic coach journeys, questionable life admin, Mother's Day highs and lows, and a near full-scale household meltdown involving a missing cat (don't worry, she's fine...)  In January 1992, on a quiet residential street in Wallington, South London, Nimal Samarasinha stepped outside to warm up his car before taking his daughter to school. Minutes later, he was dead. Stabbed once through the heart, in broad daylight, on his own driveway. No witnesses, no robbery, no obvious motive.  What followed uncovered a life built on layers of secrecy. A respected council official hiding a gambling addiction, mounting debts, forged documents and a double life that was on the brink of exposure. But even with a conviction, one question has never been answered. Who actually carried out the murder?  Sources used in this case include:  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 2m
See All (95)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 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
    95
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Sinister South
  • Show Website
    Sinister South

You Might Also Like