NOT GUILTY - The Craig McLachlan Case

Vanessa Scammell
  • 4.9 (10)
  • TRUE CRIME
  • SERIES

NOT GUILTY – The Craig McLachlan Case is a factual true-crime podcast hosted by Vanessa Scammell, examining the criminal case heard in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court and the events that unfolded around it. Through interviews, a detailed discussion of public court records, and a close examination of evidence, the series explores aspects of the story that were obscured, neglected or misunderstood in much of the original press coverage. With a calm and considered approach, the podcast invites listeners to engage openly with the full complexity of the case, and to reflect on the consequences of “page one guilt” — when public judgement is formed before a matter is tested in court, and when allegations reach the media before the police. Eight years on, the case continues to exact a heavy personal cost, raising difficult questions about justice, truth, rehabilitation and the enduring impact of accusation beyond a verdict of Not Guilty. This series examines materials that were published by the press, open court witness evidence, preparation materials of Craig McLachlan, personal accounts, court notes and materials made available to the press. The host endeavours to bring forward materials that have not been made public or have been obscured in the telling of this story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. EPISODE 1

    The Witch Hunt

    Watch the Unfiltered companion interview in which Craig McLachlan sits down with journalist Michael Cain to go beyond the headlines and unpack the story behind Not Guilty: The Craig McLachlan Case Podcast. https://youtu.be/Ap-wyeksXJo?si=pqPYByBJb7ZN91VX NOT GUILTY – The Craig McLachlan Case is a factual true-crime podcast hosted by Vanessa Scammell, examining the criminal case heard in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court and the events that unfolded around it. Through interviews, a detailed discussion of public court records, and a close examination of evidence, the series explores aspects of the story that were obscured, neglected or misunderstood in much of the original press coverage. With a calm and considered approach, the podcast invites listeners to engage openly with the full complexity of the case, and to reflect on the consequences of “page one guilt” — when public judgement is formed before a matter is tested in court, and when allegations reach the media before the police. Eight years on, the case continues to exact a heavy personal cost, raising difficult questions about justice, truth, rehabilitation and the enduring impact of accusation beyond a verdict of Not Guilty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    The Accused Man

    In this episode, listeners are taken backstage of the 2014 Rocky Horror Show, examining the culture behind the curtain and the community standards and accepted practices of the time. The episode also explores what criminal charges mean in legal terms, including the threshold police must meet, and the methods and evidence required before charges can be laid. Vanessa invites listeners to consider whether those who go to the press before approaching police should be granted anonymity and court protections, and, as the title suggests, examines the courtroom processes that reduce a person to the court-imposed label of The Accused Man. Watch the Unfiltered companion interview in which Craig McLachlan sits down with journalist Michael Cain to go beyond the headlines and unpack the story behind Not Guilty: The Craig McLachlan Case Podcast. https://youtu.be/jtRd5c_7Ero?si=NGrTNywyFT8PpJ0V Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    56 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    'Always a pleasure’

    In this compelling episode of Not Guilty - The Craig McLachlan case Vanessa examines the details of the criminal charges laid against Craig McLachlan for the first time. The discussion focuses on the evidence provided by the first understudy, including a charge referenced in court as the “ankle tickle,” and considers how such a charge could have been laid in the first place. The episode also closely examines key Magistrates’ rulings and asks how certain decisions could have been presented and sustained within the courtroom process.  Watch the accompanying Unfiltered episode in which Craig McLachlan is interviewed by Michael Cain: https://youtu.be/GHjLmXbrNlY?si=_TuzrSN6RjM-UtFW Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    ‘Thank You Darling’

    In this episode, Vanessa asks a confronting question: just how much can due process and an acquittal — being found not guilty — be affected by the pressures and trends of social and cultural movements in our society? How far have these movements, and the trending hashtags associated with them, infiltrated the bastions of the law? This episode focuses on the complainant known as C2 and the charges laid against Craig McLachlan in relation to her evidence. Vanessa takes listeners through allegations involving a “hug” and an “onstage kiss,” and examines courtroom commentary from the Magistrate that raises serious and troubling questions about how such matters are assessed. Watch the accompanying Unfiltered interview with Craig McLachlan and Michael Cain: https://youtu.be/kLH12d7p8gE?si=D2EIic7wEP5UVmW8 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    48 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    The Attempt

    In Episode 5, Vanessa examines the final charge laid against Craig McLachlan, relating to hisRocky Horror Showcolleague known as C2. This episode considers how questions ofreliability and credibility can arise in relation to a key witness, and how such issues areaddressed within the legal process. It explores whether inconsistencies or disputed accountscarry consequences, and reflects on the manner in which evidence was assessed in this case.The episode also examines why certain aspects of the complainant’s evidence receivedlimited scrutiny in public reporting, despite their relevance to the Magistrate’s ultimatefinding. Episode 5 offers a careful and detailed examination of allegations and charges that,upon closer inspection, may not be as straightforward as they first appeared. Watch the accompanying Unfiltered episode in which Craig McLachlan is interviewed by Michael Cain: https://youtu.be/J5_6X-dLDH4?si=ukeIfIviMSVa9sNA Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    'He's my Hotdog'

    In Episode 6, Vanessa turns to the charges Craig McLachlan faced in the criminal court concerning his Rocky Horror Show castmate known as C3. The episode examines key rulings and remarks made by the presiding Magistrate, asking whether some of those observations accurately reflected what had actually unfolded in the courtroom. It also continues the series’ central question: was there, in fact, sufficient evidence to justify the laying of charges? Vanessa also explores a difficult question: why did the judgment appear reluctant to portray the complainants in an unflattering light, even where evidence suggested that elements of the backstage culture of the 2014 production were actively embraced by those involved? If certain behaviour was criticised in one direction, why did similar conduct seem to be viewed differently in another? Another central question raised in this episode concerns the nature of truth itself. Is leaving out relevant evidence or context simply an oversight, or can omission be as misleading as an outright falsehood? In examining early interviews and reporting surrounding C3, Vanessa considers material she believes was not fully disclosed at the time, including accounts of persistent backstage bullying, and asks how the public narrative may have been shaped when some aspects were emphasised while others were left unexplored. Watch the accompanying Unfiltered episode in which Craig McLachlan is interviewed by Micheal Cain: https://youtu.be/-kRunHGz_Lg?si=ARttRZ2sIxG0REbT Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    The Bed Scene

    This episode turns to allegations first aired publicly in the press against Craig McLachlan — allegations that would later become criminal charges, and headlines that shaped a public narrative long before the courtroom was heard. In this instalment, Vanessa examines the final complainant in the matter, known as C1, and brings a central allegation and its surrounding story to a decisive end. Through a forensic and uncompromising analysis, the events surrounding the Rocky Horror bed scene are laid out in full. Evidence, timelines and testimony are examined piece by piece, revealing a version of events that is confronting, unexpected, and at times deeply shocking. But the episode goes further, asking questions that are rarely voiced aloud. When a complainant is not a stranger but a friend — when contact, messages and communication continued right up until the moment allegations were made — does that carry evidentiary weight? If no indication was ever given that anything was wrong, what does continued friendship mean, and how should a court interpret it? Vanessa also revisits commentary from the presiding Magistrate, questioning whether public remarks truly reflected what unfolded inside the courtroom, and whether the tone of those remarks shaped how the case was ultimately understood. Episode 7 is confronting listening. It challenges assumptions, revisits evidence, and asks whether the story told to the public was the same story tested under oath. Watch the accompanying Unfiltered episode in which Craig McLachlan is interviewed by Michael Cain: https://youtu.be/_Na2HPg9dHU?si=mvjKSG5qe62bPRMG Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 14m

  8. EPISODE 8

    “He Told Lies and F*cked My Reputation”

    In Episode 8 of NOT GUILTY — The Craig McLachlan Case, the title captures the central conflict: what happens when someone believes their reputation has been tarnished? Vanessa continues the examination of the final charge laid against Craig McLachlan, focusing on his former friend and colleague known as C1. The episode asks a difficult question — what does it mean when a friendship continues for years after events are later described as misconduct? And what, ultimately, prompted allegations that carried such serious and lasting consequences? This episode explores previously unseen context, including text messages sent to close friends that raise questions about C1's timing and intention. Were these messages related to motive? Attention also turns again to the police investigation itself. Why were certain claims not more deeply tested? What happens when supposed eyewitness accounts shift, evolve, or fail to align with other evidence before the court? Episode 8 confronts one of the most contentious issues in the case: the difference between mistake, exaggeration, and deliberate falsehood. When inconsistencies arise under oath, how are they characterised — and who decides whether a moment becomes a credibility issue, an error, or something more serious? More broadly, the episode reflects on the power of narrative. How do public frameworks and cultural slogans influence the way allegations are received, reported, and remembered? And what happens when a legal outcome does not fully displace a narrative that has already taken hold? This is an episode about friendship, credibility, investigation, and the lasting impact of reputational harm — asking whether the full story is ever heard once a public narrative is established. Watch the accompanying Unfiltered episode in which Craig McLachlan is interviewed by Michael Cain: https://www.youtube.com/@craigmclachlanofficial2102 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    40 min
See All Season 1 (8)

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4.9
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

NOT GUILTY – The Craig McLachlan Case is a factual true-crime podcast hosted by Vanessa Scammell, examining the criminal case heard in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court and the events that unfolded around it. Through interviews, a detailed discussion of public court records, and a close examination of evidence, the series explores aspects of the story that were obscured, neglected or misunderstood in much of the original press coverage. With a calm and considered approach, the podcast invites listeners to engage openly with the full complexity of the case, and to reflect on the consequences of “page one guilt” — when public judgement is formed before a matter is tested in court, and when allegations reach the media before the police. Eight years on, the case continues to exact a heavy personal cost, raising difficult questions about justice, truth, rehabilitation and the enduring impact of accusation beyond a verdict of Not Guilty. This series examines materials that were published by the press, open court witness evidence, preparation materials of Craig McLachlan, personal accounts, court notes and materials made available to the press. The host endeavours to bring forward materials that have not been made public or have been obscured in the telling of this story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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