Crime Most Scots

Episode 25 - The Julie Reilly Case, A Vulnerable Lady With A Big HeartIn this episode we’ll be wondering why a lady with problematic health issues has missed a few important medical appointments.  Why the police only really have one suspect, and why trying to solve a murder case without a body is really not that common in Scotland. Her family is down in Ayrshire wondering where Julie is, so after 5 weeks it’s time to bring in the big guns and see what’s happened.Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com,for more information.

Episode 24: Archibald Hall, A Rubbish Raffles Who Turned His Hand To MurderIn this episode we'll be calling for lights, camera, action and following the career of a wee Glaswegian boy from a broken home,  with tinsel town stars in his eyes, who becomes very used to seeing the inside of a prison, and by the time he dies he’s one of the UK oldest inmates. We’ll be doing a lot of motorway miles, so make sure you go for a pee before we leave. Also, wear your Sunday best as we’ll be visiting some fancy lodgings on the way.Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com, for more information.

Episode 23: Two Weddings, Two Funerals and a whole lotta drugsIn this episode we’ll be digging out our wedding outfits, twice, whilst following the criminal career of Donald “Ginger” Forbes, a true illustration of a psychopath.  A guy who spent the bulk of his adult life in prison, and did the unthinkable, he got the last minute reprieve and managed to dodge the feel of the noose around his neck. He was once dubbed Scotland’s Most Dangerous Man, so it's not surprising he died in a hospital, handcuffed to the bed.  Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com for more information.

Episode 22: The Fawziyah Javed Case; Babymoon Disaster or Honour Killing?At the time we’re recording this episode  the Fringe Festival is in full swing in Edinburgh, so I thought I’d look at a case that involves tourists visiting the capital. We’re going back to September 2021, and this was supposed to be a “babymoon”, the young couple doing the touristy thing before 2 becomes 3, but in a tragic accident only the young groom comes off of one of Edinburgh’s natural beauty spots alive. The question is did the expectant mother slip and fall, or did she have a hand in falling to her death, killing not only her, but also the life of her unborn baby.  And, who had the phone that took the selfies?Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com,for more information.

Episode 21: Have (someone else’s) Card, Will TravelSo, here we are the podcast has come of age, it’s 21, so for this episode I thought we’d look back on a thief’s career that started just after he left school, until his early twenties.  As it’s holiday time lets jet off back to the 1990s/early 2000, and like our wee boy of the pod travel in first class style.  This is the story of a serial swindler, who had Qatar Airlines first class taste, but only had a Ryan Air budget. But that wasn’t going to stop his lust to see the world, and party like it was 1999. By the age of 22 he’d be speaking to a journalist who wrote a book about the last 5 years of his life, and how he managed to fly so much he could have flown to the moon and back with frequent flyer miles.  Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com, for more information.

Episode 20: The Highland Fling: The Renee and Andrew MacCrae CaseIt’s a cold November night in 1976, we’re in Inverness, and driving on the A9 road, we see two cars in a remote layby.  There’s a person pushing a pram, the person turns and looks at you, his eyes are intense, so you feel uncomfortable, and look away. There’s a wee body lollying out of the pushchair, but given the guy’s stare you don’t think anymore about it. A train driver spots a car on fire on the A9, in the same layby, and calls it in.  It’s a blue BMW, it’s on its own, no sign of the lady owner, Renee McCrae, or her younger son Andrew. Where are they, and why does her house have some packed boxes kicking around? This is a very sad case, with little in the way of resolution, or justice.Visit our website, https://crimemostscots.com, for more information.

Episode 19: Takin’ The High Road, The Helen Torbet CaseIt’s holiday season, and the B&Bs up and down Scotland are no doubt doing a roaring trade. Rural homes fling open their doors to strangers, and get to live in bucolic splendor, who doesn’t love a cozy trip away, staying in a B&B. In this episode we’ll be out in the wilds of the highlands, this is the case of an experienced walker going missing out in landscape she knew and loved well. Are we really sure she’s taken a tumble, lost and alone? Pack your simmet, it can get really cold out on them there hills.Visit out website, http://crimemostscots.com, for more information.

Episode 18: 3 Women and Scottish Law Enforcement, Handy To Have AroundIn this episode I’ll not be running you through a case from start to finish, but we’ll be looking at the three different ladies, and how they reached the headlines. They all have hands, big, strong shovel hands, hands that were accused of being where they weren't, and metaphorical hands that think hands are a lot more than just finger and palm prints. We discussed Wee Mary in the last episode, and we’ll stay in Partick, but go back a 150 years to a giant of a lady. Then travel back 15 or so years to a perjury case that ruined one police woman’s career, and finally we’ll take a look at one of my personal heroes, Scotland’s own answer to Fox TV’s Temperance Bones Brennan, should we be calling her McBones? Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com, for more information.

Episode 17: The Deadly Game of Dominos: The Mary McLaughlan CaseIn this episode we’re in Glasgow, well Partick to be precise. Wee Mary’s not been seen in a week, and the normal chap on the window to get Mary to the door isn’t getting an answer when one of her grown-up kids pops round to see her. And I think you’ve been listening to the podcast long enough to know the end of that part of the story. Mary’s inside, sadly passed away. Was it one of the family who throttled their Mum, or perhaps she attracted the attention of a strange man on the way home from playing dominos at the pub. This is a long journey for justice, and unlike the case in the previous episode, it’s got a whole lotta of science. Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com, for more information.

Episode 16: The John Barclay Smith Case, You Can’t Outrun the Hands of TimeIn this week’s episode we’re back in the North East, and the tartan time machine will be throwing us back to the Edwardian era. We’re in the tiny village of Lhanbryde, near Elgin, in Morayshire. A neighbour smells something out of the ordinary coming from the downstairs flat, and the occupant’s not been seen for a few days. Time to call the rozzer’s in to investigate.Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com, for more information.

Episode 15: Dr and Mrs Wood, The Doctor Won’t See You Now, Murder He WroteIn this episode we’ll be stopping off in Scotland’s 4th biggest city, and calling in at an infamous house, so much so that locally it’s referred to as The Murder House. We’ll be investigating the case of a retired doctor and his wife’s brutal death, and the fact that this double murder has seen no one in the docs answering the case of this savage attack, and that’s despite the fact that there’s a written confession out there.Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com/, for more information.

Episode 14: The Brenda Page Case, A Scientist Waiting for Science AdvancesIn this episode we’re back under the northern lights of Old Aberdeen again, right in the heart of the city. We’re in the west end, and a street that’s filled with starter flats for first time buyers, and for those that are starting again. It’s also a road I know well as I lived in the next street, albeit 30 years later. We’re with a couple of work colleagues from Aberdeen University, they’re just about to discover Brenda Page, dead in her bed, and sadly this super bright lady didn’t die peacefully in her sleep, she died a violent death. But who would want to kill a recently divorced scientist, yes, the husband obviously, but there’s a longer list than you’d expect for an academic in a small, yet booming city. Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com, for more information.

Episode 13: Spirited Away, The Arlene Fraser CaseThis case sees us standing at the school gates waiting for Mum to come and collect us, it’s Tuesday the 28th 1998. Mum’s normally home from college and doing the house work, she’s never missed a day of picking us up. Back at the Fraser family home we find the door open, but the house is deserted mid house cleaning, it’s like the Mary Celeste. Where is Arlene, and why is her estranged husband so distraught and helpful? Is it all crocodile tears, and a well constructed alibi? This case will leave you frustrated, and sees us back in court twice. It’s a case with a very recognisable face for those that live in that area, a face that has two sides.Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com/, for more information.

Episode 12: Peter Tobin, The Scumbag With A Thousand Names In this week’s case we’ll start off in the holiest of places, and finish in a Kent seaside town. Three young women will have their lives cut short, a national operation will be opened, and a slippery handyman will be caught after being lazy when putting carpeting back down in a chapel. And are we to believe that this man has only done this three times. Sadly we’re back in serial killer territory, so you may need a wee dram to go along with this one.Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com/, for more information.

Episode 11: Scumspotting - The Murder of Caroline GlachanIn this episode we’ll be discussing a seemingly motiveless murder of a 14 year old girl, a horrible start to a person’s forties and a murder trial with our youngest ever witness.  But why did it take so long for justice to be given to her Mum and father, and are we so sure that the 3 suspects are really the ones who savagely ripped life away from this young girl?Viist our website, http://crimemostscots.com, for more information.

Episode 10: Lynda Spence, Grifting The Wrong PeopleIn this episode I outline the case of a woman who gets herself in very hot water, stealing from the wrong kind of people that result in her being kidnapped, tortured and murdered.  I think of the cases we’ve covered so far she the most unsympathetic murder victim as she’s a scammer, and out and out thief, and she was a young lady that played with fire, and literally got burnt because of it.  Buckle up podfiends, this is an ugly one.  It’s a case so filled with twists and turns that it was just as well that the Major Investigation Team ran the case. Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com/, for more information.

Episode 9: Heart of Glass, The Stephen Donaldson SlayingIn this episode we’ll be heading to never land, but sadly this story sees us with two Captain Hooks and an evil tinkerbell. This case rocked a tiny town with such a savage murder, and yet another vehicle on fire, come on Scotland, what’s up with setting so many cars on fire. It’s a case that sees a possible love triangle, or is it a case of not paying what’s owed. Forensics very much played a major role in giving justice to a hard working guy, who was already a success at such a young age.Visit our website, http://rimemostscots.com/, for more information.

Episode 8: The narcisstic nurseIn today’s episode we’ll be racking up the air miles, seeing one woman lose her life, and three who all had a lucky escape. This man, in the caring profession, only cares about one thing, and that’s himself. He loves himself and will go to extreme lengths to make sure he’s well looked after. Fold away your tray tables, put your seats into the upright position and buckle up for a heartless, craven ride that may equal that of Frodo and his ring.Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com/, for more information.

Episode 7: The Ardlamont Murder: A hunting accident, or Murder?In this episode’s case we’ll be popping on our Sunday best, jumping in the time machine and heading off to the remote location of Adrlamont House, a Georgian country house, located in an isolated peninsula in Argyll. There, we see three young chaps having a jolly time slaughtering the local rabbit population.  But, wait, it seems there’s only two of them when they come back to the house.  There’s been a terrible accident, young master Cecil has shot himself in the head! It’s surely a horrible accident, right?  Nothing to do with the previous day’s boating accident, or the shady past of the young master’s tutor? It’s Elementary, my dear listener! After the horrific World’s End case, I’ve decided to take us back to late Victorian times, and only one death this episode!Visit our website: http://crimemostscots.com, for more information.

Episode 6: The World’s End Murders, A Long Road to JusticeIn this episode we’re in Auld Reechie!! We’ll start in an Edinburgh’s old town institution,and go through to Glasgow. This case was a shadow over Scotland for a long time, and it took a change in science, and a change in the law to bring a monster to justice.  He’s a psychopath in all senses of the world, who started his criminal career at a young age. Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com, for more information

Episode 5 : Spicy Food, Indian Bullet and an Protective Father: The Shamsuddin Mahmood MurderThis episode sees us getting our feet wet as we leave Lanarkshire behind, and head up North, and I mean north.  We’re leaving the mainland and warping back to 1994, and going to the Orkney Islands. A Pakistani waiter, here for the summer, starts his shift at the local Indian restaurant, but he’d not see the end of the shift, he was shot, in the face, point blank, and died instantly. The gunman turns on his heels and leaves, killing no one else in the restaurant.  But who was the masked man, and why did it take the police 14 years to take this case to trial?Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com, for more information.

Episode Four: Manhattan to Lanarkshire, the Beast of BerkinshawThis week’s episode finds us South of Glasgow, in Lanarkshire, in the 1950s.   We'll start with a triple homicide, a family brutally murdered in their homes, in their beds.  But wait, Dad’s off on a fishing trip miles away, so far that you need to take a ferry back.  Did he have time to take a late night boat, drive home, murder his family, and make it back again before his family are discovered dead?Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com, for more information.

Episode 3: Karen BuckleyAn international flavour to this episode’s case, an Irish nurse goes missing after a night out in Glasgow, a thankfully short search is started, but what the police discover will make your blood run cold.  The warning signs were there, but sadly they were ignored, leaving us to discuss a murderer that has shades of Walter White.Visit our website, http://crimemostscots.com, for more information.

Episode 2: The Judi Jones CaseOn a late summer’s afternoon a teenager sends a text to her boyfriend that she’s just leaving the house to come and see him.  It should have been a short, picturesque jaunt through a wood, but tragically it would become the location for Jodi’s last moments, and murder.  The family starts a search for her, and it would be the boyfriend who located Jodi’s body, like fast, and off the beaten track. Was it just a horrible piece of luck, that knife carrying boyfriend Luke Mitchell, the misfit found Jodi, or is he hiding something very dark? Visit our website: http://crimemostscots.com/, for more information.

Episode 1: The Fishy TriangleFor our inaugural episode we’re looking at a crime that’s a landmark in Scotland, and like a lot of murder cases involves matters of the heart. When a lonely fisherman’s wife seeks warmth in the arms of another, but then decides she’s made an awful decision, things turn deadly, and end in the last hanging in Scotland, but why was it seen as controversial?For more information, visit our website: http://crimemostscots.com/.

Episode 1: The Fishy TriangleFor our inaugural episode we’re looking at a crime that’s a landmark in Scotland, and like a lot of murder cases involves matters of the heart. When a lonely fisherman’s wife seeks warmth in the arms of another, but then decides she’s made an awful decision, things turn deadly, and end in the last hanging in Scotland, but why was it seen as controversial?For more information, visit our website: http://crimemostscots.com/.