Murder Most British

Rachel & Zach
  • 5.0 (1)
  • TRUE CRIME
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A British-American couple unearths haunting murders from across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and neighbouring islands — one file at a time. Deep dives, dark humour, and cases that linger long after the verdict. Welcome to Murder Most British.

  1. 5D AGO

    Ep 33 – The Bullseye Killer - John William Cooper

    “In a quiet corner of west Wales, the countryside kept its secrets for years.” In the 1980s and 1990s, Pembrokeshire was a place of farms, coastal paths, and roads that emptied after dark. Movement was familiar. Faces were known. A man who looked like he belonged rarely drew attention. Then, across two decades, violence struck in isolated places — a farmhouse set back from the lane, a stretch of coastal path below the cliffs, an open field near a housing estate. The investigations ran separately. The answers never came. Years later, items preserved for decades were examined again. What had once been silent began to speak — and old assumptions shifted. This week, the Archive traces a case that unfolded slowly — where ordinary familiarity masked something far darker, and where time itself became part of the story.   Links to socials and Discord https://linktr.ee/MurderMostBritish Sources Court of Appeal (BAILII) — Appeal refusal judgment Cooper, Re Application for leave to appeal [2012] EWCA Crim 2240 https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2012/2240.html Wilkins, Steve & Hill, Jonathan — The Pembrokeshire Murders: Catching the Bullseye Killer (2013) First-hand account by the Senior Investigating Officer and ITV journalist https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/steve-wilkins/the-pembrokeshire-murders/9781841884509/ Conviction & sentencing report https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-13538545 Background profile — Spot-the-Ball win, burglary history, lifestyle https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-13409516 Son’s testimony — “shotgun walks”, hidden possessions, photographs, gun barrel https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-13077287 CCRC review request (recent status) https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-65374137 The Guardian — early court coverage https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/may/15/double-murders-accused-court The Guardian — convictions overview (technology breakthrough angle) https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/may/26/john-cooper-murders-finally-solved ITV News — True story explainer / timeline https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2021-01-11/the-pembrokeshire-murders-the-true-story-behind-the-notorious-double-murders-that-shook-west-wales ITV News — appeal/review coverage https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2023-04-24/bullseye-killer-john-cooper-to-appeal-sentence Forensic Access — Angela Gallop / forensic involvement https://www.forensic-access.co.uk/cold-cases/pembrokeshire-murders/ Western Telegraph — trial archive hub https://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/9063258.western-telegraph-murder-trail-25-years/  Western Telegraph — conviction review application https://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/23476698.serial-killer-john-cooper-applies-conviction-review Crime and Investigation https://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/article/john-william-cooper-the-bullseye-murderer  Royal Television Society — Bullseye history & viewership https://rts.org.uk/article/comfort-classic-bullseye UK Game Shows — Bullseye format details https://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Bullseye Huffington Post — case explainer tied to ITV drama https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/the-pembrokeshire-murders-real-story-itv-drama-cast-luke-evans-keith-allen-john-cooper-killer_uk_5ffc3f1bc5b63642b6fd68ef The Independent — The Pembrokeshire Murders: Where are John Cooper and his family now? https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/pembrokeshire-murders-john-cooper-wife-b1786770.html  Wikipedia                                                https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cooper_(serial_killer)

    1h 2m

  2. MAR 4

    Ep 32 - The Black Widow of Jack White’s Inn - Catherine Nevin

    “In a roadside inn on the Wicklow coast, routine was everything — until one night it wasn’t.” This week, the Archive crosses the Irish Sea for a case that gripped the neighbouring island. On March 19th, 1996, Tom Nevin was finishing the accounts at Jack White’s Inn, as he had done countless times before. By morning, he was dead in his own premises, and a robbery was reported in the early hours. His wife, Catherine, told police a masked intruder had entered their home above the pub. Money was missing. A car had vanished. The alarm had been triggered before dawn. What followed became one of the most closely watched cases in modern Irish history — built on reconstruction, credibility, and the story that unfolded as investigators tried to make sense of what had happened inside a place built on routine. This week, the Archive examines a killing that began in the ordinary — and ended somewhere far more complicated.   This case takes place in the Republic of Ireland — part of our wider ‘these islands’ coverage. Links to our socials and Discord: https://linktr.ee/MurderMostBritish Sources Court & Legal Record Court of Criminal Appeal — Catherine Nevin v. Director of Public Prosecutions (Judgment, 22 Nov 2010) https://ww2.courts.ie/acc/alfresco/696ba620-fbc7-473d-a924-8700355437cd/2010_IECCA_106_1.pdf/pdf#view=fitH  Investigation & Charges RTÉ News — Catherine Nevin charged with murder (14 Apr 1997) https://www.rte.ie/archives/2022/0330/1289316-catherine-nevin-faces-murder-charge/  The Irish Times — Widow of publican granted bail on murder charge (19 Apr 1997) https://www.irishtimes.com/news/widow-of-publican-granted-bail-on-murder-charge-1.63887  Trial Coverage (2000) Irish Independent — ‘Big game’ cartridge used to kill publican https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/big-game-cartridge-used-to-kill-publican/26126556.html  Irish Independent — Wife `wanted Tom to die in her arms' https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/wife-wanted-tom-to-die-in-her-arms/26121225.html  RTÉ News — Catherine Nevin denies affairs with retired Garda and judge https://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0315/6063-nevin/  RTÉ News — New jury sworn in to hear retrial of Catherine Nevin https://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0207/5478-nevin/  RTÉ News — Witness gives evidence of Nevin murder plot https://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0301/5841-nevin/  RTÉ News — Third man claims Nevin asked him to murder husband https://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0302/5861-nevin/  RTÉ News — Nevin trial prosecution ends closing speech to jury https://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0331/6313-nevin/  RTÉ News — Catherine Nevin begins life sentence https://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0411/6465-nevin/  BBC News — Wife jailed after marathon trial http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/709839.stm   The Irish Times — Nevin gets 7 years on each soliciting count https://www.irishtimes.com/news/nevin-gets-7-years-on-each-soliciting-count-1.279599  The Post.IE - Tom Nevin knew of murder plot https://web.archive.org/web/20090714231955/http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2000/09/10/story656559038.asp  Appeals & Later Proceedings RTÉ News — Nevin loses appeal against convictions (2003) https://www.rte.ie/news/2003/0314/36208-nevin01/  RTÉ News — Court rules murder conviction can be used in inheritance case (2013) https://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0301/370254-catherine-nevin-court/  RTÉ News — Catherine Nevin loses bid for Supreme Court appeal (2014) https://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0707/629146-catherine-nevin/  Retrospectives & Analysis The Irish Times — The trial and conviction of the “Black Widow” (2018) https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/catherine-nevin-the-trial-and-conviction-of-the-black-widow-1.3399075  The Journal — A murder, the IRA, and the Black Widow: Catherine Nevin and the trial that gripped the nation                https://www.thejournal.ie/catherine-nevin-murder-3861901-Feb2018/ The Irish Independent — Story of greed, lies and lust that made the 'black widow' a household name https://www.independent.ie/regionals/herald/story-of-greed-lies-and-lust-that-made-the-black-widow-a-household-name/36638383.html  Irish Independent — Inside the Garda’s Black Widow probe (2018) https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/inside-the-gardas-black-widow-probe/36640380.html  The Journal — A murder, the IRA, and the Black Widow: the trial that gripped the nation https://www.thejournal.ie/catherine-nevin-murder-3861901-Feb2018  Death RTÉ News — Convicted murderer Catherine Nevin dies aged 67 (2018) https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/0220/942127-catherine-nevin-death/  Background Reference Wikipedia — Catherine Nevin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Nevin

    58 min

  3. FEB 25

    Ep 31 - The Man in the Glass Box - Robert Maudsley

    “Hidden from sight, contained by design — a man the system decided could never be released.” In the 1970s, a series of violent crimes forced British authorities to confront a question they rarely ask aloud: what happens when someone is deemed too dangerous to exist among others? The answer would not be found in a courtroom alone — but behind reinforced walls, under constant observation. At the centre of this case is Robert Maudsley, a prisoner whose actions reshaped how the state manages extreme violence. His name became synonymous not just with murder, but with confinement itself — and with a form of imprisonment unlike any seen before or since. This week, the Archive examines a case defined by containment rather than escape — and the uneasy line between punishment, protection, and permanent isolation. Where to follow and link to our Discord  https://linktr.ee/MurderMostBritish   Sources Crime + Investigation https://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/shows/making-a-monster/abused-as-a-child-robert-maudsley-killed-abusers-as-an-adult  The independent - Visiting time: Charles Bronson invites us into his cell Talks about Maudsley and Bronson interactions. https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/crime/visiting-time-charles-bronson-invites-us-into-his-cell-6262619.html  The Guardian - The caged misery of Britain's real 'Hannibal the Cannibal' https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/apr/27/ukcrime  Manchester Evening News - The notorious serial killer locked inside 'Monster Mansion' in tiny bulletproof glass box underground https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/nostalgia/notorious-serial-killer-locked-inside-27970514 Manchester Evening News. Manchester Evening News - Life of Britain's 'most dangerous prisoner' who spends 23 hours a day locked inside a glass box https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/life-britains-most-dangerous-prisoner-22197596  Liverpool Echo -  'Brain-Eater' killer Robert Maudsley is now 40 YEARS into solitary confinement stretch https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/brain-eater-killer-robert-maudsley-14888774   Liverpool Echo - Tragic life that led to Hannibal killings https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/tragic-life-led-hannibal-killings-3554260  BBC News - Killer begs for budgie or suicide http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/687659.stm  The Guardian 7 October 1977 -  https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-robert-maudsley/21154786/  Robert Maudsley | Making A Monster: The Tapes. Directly from Dr Bob Johnson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLxpDGWoO_E  The Mirror - 'My serial killer brother's so polite - but he's on hunger strike after new accusation'  https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/my-serial-killer-brothers-polite-34815758  Yahoo News - UK's 'most dangerous prisoner’ transferred to new jail after 46 years in a glass box underground https://uk.news.yahoo.com/uks-most-dangerous-prisoner-transferred-100954419.html?guccounter=1  Yahoo News - Liverpool serial killer to spend Christmas underground in a glass box https://uk.news.yahoo.com/liverpool-serial-killer-spend-christmas-000728911.html IOL - Killer creature comforts: pet or poison https://iol.co.za/news/eish/2000-03-23-killer-creature-comforts-pet-or-poison/  Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Maudsley  Murderpedia https://murderpedia.org/male.M/m/maudsley-robert.htm#google_vignette

    1h 6m

  4. FEB 18

    Ep 30 - The Lover, the Letters, and the Poison - Madeleine Smith

    “Behind closed doors, a secret relationship unfolded — and when it was exposed, it shook an entire city.” In 1857, the sudden death of a young clerk seemed, at first, like another quiet tragedy in a crowded industrial city. But when arsenic was discovered in his body, investigators were forced to look beyond illness — and toward a hidden world of letters, secrecy, and forbidden intimacy. At the centre of the case stood Madeleine Smith, a young woman from one of Glasgow’s most respectable families. Her private correspondence, never meant to be seen, became the centrepiece of a sensational trial that asked how far suspicion could go when proof remained elusive. This week, the Archive revisits Scotland’s most infamous courtroom drama — a case that defined the verdict of Not Proven, exposed the cost of reputation, and left questions that still refuse to settle. https://linktr.ee/MurderMostBritish Sources Background & Overview Wikipedia – Madeleine Smith (overview of the case) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeleine_Smith Primary Trial Records & Historical Documents Archive.org – Full text of The Trial of Madeleine Smith (digitised 1857 trial transcript) https://archive.org/stream/trialmadeleines00smitgoog/trialmadeleines00smitgoog_djvu.txt 19th-Century press coverage Precognition and investigation coverage from the Glasgow Herald, Stirling Observer, Inverness Advertiser — reporting from April 1857 on the suspected poisoning and legal process. https://randomscottishhistory.com/2022/06/09/madeleine-smith-pre-trial-podcast/ Historical blogs & museum/heritage context National Records of Scotland blog (“Madeleine Hamilton Smith (1835–1928) – The Accused”) — summary of the case with legal and cultural framing. https://blog.nrscotland.gov.uk/2017/07/18/madeleine-hamilton-smith-1835-1928-the-accused/ Scottish Legal Podcast/article on how the Not Proven verdict still resonates in Scotland’s legal heritage. https://www.scottishlegal.com/articles/our-legal-heritage-new-forensic-science-podcast-puts-not-proven-madeleine-smith-case-under-the-microscope  Crime Chronicles https://vocal.media/criminal/crime-chronicles-madeleine-smith

    51 min

  5. FEB 11

    Ep 29 - A Night in Butetown - The Murder of Lynette White

    On Valentine’s Day 1988, in Cardiff’s dockside district of Butetown, Lynette White was murdered inside a flat above a betting shop. The killing shocked the neighbourhood and placed detectives under immediate pressure to make arrests. Within days, five local men were taken in for questioning. Three would become known as the Cardiff Three. But as the case moved forward, doubts began to surface — about the investigation, the evidence, and whether the right people had been accused at all. This week, The Archivist reopens the Butetown file: a murder that unsettled a community and a prosecution that would come to define one of the most controversial chapters in Welsh criminal history. Links to where to follow and join our Discord! https://linktr.ee/MurderMostBritish   SOURCES Official reports & judgments  Mouncher Investigation Report (Horwell QC, 2017) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a82d6cd40f0b6230269cfa0/mouncher_report_web_accessible_july_2017.pdf Court of Appeal / High Court Judgment — Mouncher & Others v Chief Constable of South Wales Police https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Moucher-v-SWP-full-judgment.pdf Contemporary and retrospective media reporting  BBC News Killing led to miscarriage of justice http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3038672.stm Lynette White case: Police officers’ trial collapses https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-15981541 Lynette White: Corruption inquiry review after civil case https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-33718653 The Guardian Murder appeal in prostitute case https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1991/jun/21/cardiff-three-wales Cardiff murder appeal man ‘beaten over head verbally’ https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1992/dec/10/cardiff-three-wales Security guard admits 1988 prostitute murder https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/jul/04/ukcrime1 Policemen face charges over Cardiff Three case https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/mar/03/cardiff-three-police-charges Cardiff Three are completely innocent, says convicted killer https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/jul/13/cardiff-three-innocent-lynette-white Eight former police officers accused of fabricating Lynette White murder case https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/jul/06/lynette-white-case-eight-policemen-accused The Cardiff Three: the long wait for justice https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/sep/17/cardiff-three-five-wait-justice Police were within rights to investigate Cardiff Three officers, judge rules https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/14/judge-rejects-wrongful-prosecution-claims-of-cardiff-three-ex-officers Trial of Cardiff Three police collapsed due to human error, inquiry finds https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jul/18/trial-of-cardiff-three-police-collapsed-due-to-human-error-inquiry-finds The Independent Police in court over framing of Cardiff Three https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/police-in-court-over-framing-of-cardiff-three-2308189.html An injustice that won’t go away https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/an-injustice-that-won-t-go-away-8034860.html       Wales Online Lynette White vanished for five days before body found, corruption trial told https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/lynette-white-vanished-five-days-1820989 Urgent review ordered as £30m Lynette White police corruption trial collapses https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/urgent-review-ordered-30m-lynette-1798844 Wikipedia — Murder of Lynette White https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Lynette_White

    1h 9m

  6. FEB 4

    Ep 28 - The Last Hanging - Robert McGladdery

    “A murder in rural Northern Ireland in 1961 became something larger — and left a permanent mark on the justice system.” In the early 1960s, a young woman vanished from her community, sparking fear in a place where crimes of this kind were rare and deeply unsettling. What followed was a rapid investigation and a case that would come to carry significance far beyond the events that first drew police attention. As the story unfolded, it raised uncomfortable questions — not only about responsibility, but about punishment, finality, and the moment when the power of the state reaches its limit. This week, the Archive examines a case remembered not just for what happened — but for what followed, and why it still echoes decades later. Where to follow and links to Discord https://linktr.ee/MurderMostBritish   SOURCES Case & Historical Detail CapitalPunishmentUK — McGladdery case summary https://capitalpunishmentuk.org/robert-andrew-mcgladdery-northern-irelands-last-hanging/ Belfast History Project — Last execution in Northern Ireland https://www.belfasthistoryproject.com/belfastexecutions/ ExecutedToday — McGladdery execution entry https://www.executedtoday.com/tag/robert-mcgladdery/ Contemporary & Retrospective Reporting Independent.ie (The Indo Daily) — Pearl Gamble story https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-indo-daily/the-indo-daily-the-pearl-gamble-story-and-the-last-man-to-hang-in-northern-ireland/a927411546.html Belfast Telegraph https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/the-last-man-to-be-hanged-in-ulster/28263256.html  Harry Allen (executioner of McGladdery) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Allen_(executioner)   Robert McGladdery (Wikipedia) — Last hanging in NI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_McGladdery   The Newry Journal https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/history/living-history/pearl-gamble-missing/  https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/history/living-history/mcgladdery-as-chief-suspect/  https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/history/living-history/mcgladdery-walks-the-route/  https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/history/living-history/mcgladdery-cleans-his-trail/  https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/history/living-history/mcgladdery-buys-murder-weapon/  https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/history/living-history/mcgladdery/ https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/history/living-history/the-long-wait-mcgladdery/ https://www.newryjournal.co.uk/reminiscence/characters/dickie-talks-of-mcgladdery/

    49 min

  7. JAN 28

    Ep 27 - The Torture and Murder of Lynda Spence

    “A disappearance in Glasgow became something far more disturbing — and left questions that have never fully settled.” In April 2011, Lynda Spence vanished after an ordinary day in the city. At first, there was no sign of struggle, no clear explanation — just absence. As police worked to trace her final movements, the picture that emerged grew darker, pointing toward confinement, control, and a level of cruelty rarely encountered even in the most serious investigations. This week, the Archive examines a case defined not by speed, but by duration — where what happened after the disappearance matters more than the moment she was last seen. Links to where to follow and Discord  https://linktr.ee/MurderMostBritish   Sources Appeal Against Conviction And Sentence By Philip Wade And Colin Coats Against Her Majesty's Advocate https://vlex.co.uk/vid/appeal-against-conviction-and-878398540 Police Scotland - Update - Lynda Spence murder - 2011 https://www.scotland.police.uk/what-s-happening/news/2022/march/update-lynda-spence-murder-2011  The Kidnap and Murder of Lynda Spence (Channel 5)  https://www.channel5.com/the-kidnap-and-murder-of-lynda-spence The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/apr/08/lynda-spence-murder-two-convicted BBC News — Missing persons enquiries and initial disappearance reporting https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-22013752  BBC News — Follow-up reporting on sightings and investigation details https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-22064366  BBC News — Coverage of the case in later years https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-22068323  BBC News — Recent coverage (2022) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-60765214  Sky News https://news.sky.com/story/lynda-spence-two-jailed-for-torture-murder-10449357

    50 min

  8. JAN 21

    Ep 26 - A Smile Before the Knife - Joanna Dennehy

    “She laughed at the crime scenes — and smiled through the blood.” In March 2013, Joanna Dennehy carried out a series of killings later known as the Peterborough Ditch Murders — three men murdered in just ten days, their bodies left in remote Cambridgeshire ditches. This episode traces the violence from its quiet beginnings to its abrupt end, examining a case defined not by rage or desperation, but by intention. A rare and unsettling insight into a killer who described murder as something she wanted to feel. Where to follow us and our Discord!  https://linktr.ee/MurderMostBritish Court Records & Legal Reporting (Primary / Authoritative) The Queen v Dennehy, Stretch, Layton & Moore — Sentencing remarks of Mr Justice Spencer (28 February 2014) https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/JCO/Documents/Judgments/the-queen-v-dennehy-sentencing-remarks-28022014.pdf  High Court of England and Wales — Judgment on Joanna Dennehy v Secretary of State for Justice (2016) https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/dennehy-v-ministry-of-justice-1.pdf The Guardian — Serial killer loses claim for rights violations over solitary confinement (26 May 2016) https://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/may/26/serial-killer-loses-claim-for-rights-violations-over-solitary-confinement The Guardian —https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/18/woman-admits-murdering-men-stabbed-ditches? BBC News — https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26124076 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35840866 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25669206  Media Coverage (Referenced for Context Only) Daily Mail, New York Post, and related tabloids Referenced only to acknowledge post-trial media fascination and public narratives; not treated as primary factual sources.

    1 hr
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About

A British-American couple unearths haunting murders from across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and neighbouring islands — one file at a time. Deep dives, dark humour, and cases that linger long after the verdict. Welcome to Murder Most British.

Information

  • Creator
    Rachel & Zach
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Murder Most British

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