True Crime Investigators UK

Operation Julie (Part 3 of 4) - Living Undercover

We’re continuing our investigation into the story of ‘Operation Julie’, which was a UK police investigation into LSD production by two drug rings during the mid-1970s and resulted in the break-up of one of the largest LSD manufacturing operations in the world.In this four part series, we’ll be interviewing one of the undercover officers involved in the operation; Stephen Bentley and discuss the twists, turns and dangers of the investigation. As well as the people he had to get close to. We’ll also be talking about wider issues within undercover policing.In this third episode, Stephen takes a trip with Blue to Liverpool and meets a person called Bill, who wants help arranging a large cocaine deal. Stephen also gets challenged by both Bill and Smiles; asking if he’s a cop. How will he respond?Researched, produced and presented by John & Sally.Narration by Richard Ashwell

Operation Julie (Part 2 of 4) - Going Undercover

Join us as we continue our investigation into the story of ‘Operation Julie’, which was a UK police investigation into LSD production by two drug rings during the mid-1970s and resulted in the break-up of one of the largest LSD manufacturing operations in the world.In this four part series, we’ll be interviewing one of the undercover officers involved in the operation; Stephen Bentley and discuss the twists, turns and dangers of the investigation. As well as the people he had to get close to. We’ll also be talking about wider issues within undercover policing.In this second episode, Stephen explains how he prepared with Eric to go undercover in the small community of 'LLanddewi Brefi' in Wales, to meet their target. A person with the nickname of ‘Smiles’Researched, produced and presented by John & Sally.Narration by Richard Ashwell

Operation Julie (Part 1 of 4) - Plas Llysyn

In a new episode of ‘True Crime Investigators UK’, we tell you the story of ‘Operation Julie’ which was a UK police investigation into LSD production by two drug rings during the mid-1970s and resulted in the break-up of one of the largest LSD manufacturing operations in the world.In this four part series, we’ll be interviewing one of the undercover officers involved in the operation; Stephen Bentley and discuss the twists, turns and dangers of the investigation. As well as the people he had to get close to. We’ll also be talking about wider issues within undercover policing.In this first episode, we explain the reasons ‘Operation Julie’ began and the surveillance Stephen undertook at Plas Llysyn in Carno, Wales.Researched, produced and presented by John & Sally.Narration by Richard Ashwell

The Michael Pritchard Murder (Part 1 of 1)

In the new episode of ‘True Crime Investigators UK’, we look at the tragic death of Michael Pritchard, a delivery driver for Business Express in the Staffordshire and Derbyshire area. Who on Wednesday the 12th November 1997, was murdered by a young man who tried to steal his van and in doing so, ran him over and killed him.The murder is still undetected and as John was originally the family liaison officer in the case; this is still an investigation that he often thinks about. We hope by looking further into what happened on that day and talking to Michael’s widow Hilary, we can tell you more about their story and ask you to help us catch the people responsible.

The Wendy Sewell Murder (Part 3 of 3) – The Yorkshire Ripper

In the next episode of ‘True Crime Investigators UK’ we continue to investigate the murder in 1973 of Wendy Sewell in Bakewell Cemetery, asking the question if Stephen Downing didn’t kill Wendy; then who did? Was it a local man, someone known to Wendy? Or perhaps as the retired police intelligence officer Chris Clarke believes, this was actually an unreported attack by the Yorkshire Ripper? Join us as we investigate all this further and come to our final conclusions about the case.

The Wendy Sewell Murder (Part 2 of 3) – Stephen Downing

In the next episode of ‘True Crime Investigators UK’ we continue to investigate the murder in 1973 of Wendy Sewell in Bakewell Cemetery and the subsequent conviction of local teenager, Stephen Downing. In this podcast we resume our talk with Stephen about his life in prison and the events leading up to his appeal. His sister Chrissy, also tells us what it was like for the family when Stephen was convicted of a murder they didn’t believe he’d committed and how the subsequent years in prison affected them all.

The Wendy Sewell Murder (Part 1 of 3) – The Attack in the Cemetery

In the first episode of ‘True Crime Investigators UK’ we investigate the murder in 1973 of Wendy Sewell in Bakewell Cemetery and the subsequent conviction of local teenager, Stephen Downing. We discuss the background to the crime and how vulnerable suspects were treated at the time, interview the people involved (including Stephen Downing himself, whose conviction was overturned in 2002) and travel to the scene of the brutal attack in Bakewell Cemetery.