Crime Insiders

In 2021, a neatly dressed man in his 60s walks into a Sydney Police Station. He looks like a regular guy. But police are stunned - this isn’t just any man. It’s Darko Desic. A fugitive who escaped from Grafton Prison with a hacksaw and bolt cutters three decades earlier. A man who was a prolific weed grower. A man who lived in hiding for 30 years - right under the noses of the police.  How did he do it? How did he evade capture for so long? And why, after all that time, did he finally give himself up?  That’s what journalist Tim Elliot set out to uncover in the latest season of LiSTNR’s documentary series, Secrets We Keep. If you’re hooked and want more, click here to go straight to episode 2. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two people vanish without a trace from Logan, south of Brisbane in Queensland.  They hadn’t been seen in days. Their phones rang out. Their social media...silent.  Something had happened, but no one could possibly have predicted what was about to unfold… This episode contains references to violent crime. If you or anyone you know needs assistance, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It took 37 years, a failed murder trial, and an Australian mathematician to finally prosecute one of Scotland's most infamous serial killers. Professor David Balding is a pioneer in the field of mathematical computational genetics. In this Rewind episode of Crime Insiders Forensics, former host Kathryn Fox learns how David uses tools like probability to calculate the likelihood of DNA belonging to offenders, victims, and crime scenes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The courtroom drama that gripped Australia has finally reached its conclusion. Erin Patterson, the woman at the centre of the nation’s most infamous murder case in recent history, has been sentenced to life for three counts of murder.   Justice Beale did not hold back in his scathing remarks, saying Erin had zero remorse, chilling premeditation, and victims left across generations.  In this special bonus episode from The Briefing podcast, criminologist Xanthe Mallett joins Natarsha Belling to unpack the sentence, the judge’s remarks, and the question that still lingers: why did Erin do it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Peter Tickner is a seasoned auditor with over 40 years of experience across the NHS, central government and police.  Peter became Head of Internal Audit of Her Majesty’s Treasury in 1988. In 1995 Peter left to become Director of Internal Audit for the Met Police, a post he held until early retirement in 2009, when he set up his own consultancy and fraud investigation business. Host Brent Sanders sits down with Peter to discuss his role in high-profile investigations and the challenges of maintaining integrity in the face of institutional resistance. From the intricacies of the Leveson Inquiry to the unexpected twists in his career, Peter's insights offer a rare glimpse into the world of forensic auditing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A stolen car, a drunken joyride, and a woman left with injuries so severe, she’ll live with them for the rest of her life. What happens when a crime becomes a civil lawsuit?  When the thief becomes the victim and the driver becomes the one left holding the legal wheel? Miller v Miller is one of Australia's most significant legal challenges, determining if someone is still involved in the committing of a crime if they actively pursue leaving the criminal enterprise.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1997, two young girls from Bega in regional New South Wales were kidnapped, raped and murdered.  In this Rewind episode of Crime Insiders | Detectives, former host Adam Shand talks with former NSW Detective Sergeant Mark Winterflood to sift through the details and process of receiving the first notifications of the missing girls.  He explains the hard reality of not pursuing clues and following them to the end, how important it was to maintain a good relationship with the perpetrator and having to deliver the hard news to the parents. ****A warning – this case details the heinous crime of the Bega school girls, and involves abduction, violence, rape and murder****See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aged just 13, Thomas Carrick was placed under covert surveillance by the Australian Federal Police and lured into online conversations with them, posing as fake ISIS operatives. Ultimately, he was charged with terrorism offences. The most powerful intelligence agencies in the country knew Thomas had a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, and lived with an intellectual disability. Yet undercover operatives continued to engage with him in what a judge later described as ‘grooming’ for terrorist activities. But was Thomas ever truly dangerous… or simply a vulnerable boy, lost in a make-believe world crafted by highly trained police? In this episode, counter-terrorism expert Peta Lowe takes us inside the Thomas Carrick case, and reveals what it tells us about the rising threat of youth radicalisation in Australia. You can also hear Peta in Secrets We Keep: Lone Actor. This episode references extremist ideology and violent crime. If you need assistance, contact LifeLine on 13 11 14. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A woman wakes to a tragic accident on her rural Queensland property. She’s told one of her friends has fallen into a woodchipper. He was clearing trees with two other men at the time, but police soon suspect his death was no mishap and a murder investigation commences. They want to find the people responsible, and after the news goes public, members of the community share some theories with the police. Investigative journalist Tara Cassidy has been covering this case for years, and speaks to those who knew the victim, and potential perpetrators.  All people convicted of murder related to this case have lodged their intentions to appeal the outcomes. At the point of publishing this podcast those appeals have not progressed further.  Go straight to episode two here and binge the rest of the series. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Triple murderer Sef Gonzales has been granted the right to appeal against his life sentence. Gonzales was just 23 when he murdered his parents and sister over 20 years ago.  Sef has always maintained his innocence. Today, the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal granted him the right to appeal because Gonzales successfully argued that he had lived with PTSD after being sexually abused as a child. Former Crime Insiders Forensics host, Kathryn Fox, spoke about Gonzales with forensic child psychiatrist, Dr John Kasinathan.  We’ve put it back in your feed to provide some background and insight into Gonzales and his horrific crimes….See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Twenty years ago this year, Michael Long set fire to the Palace Backpackers hostel in the regional Queensland town of Childers. Fifteen people were killed, nine men and six women. Long inititally admitted to the crimes, but later retracted his confession. In this episode of Crime Insiders | Judgement we go into his trial and also the Coroner's Inquiry to learn what happened on that fateful night twenty years ago, and if Long is likely to get parole later this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard Bassed is one of Australia's most experienced forensic odontologists. His work is complex and important in solving high profile murders - like that of The Vampire Gigolo - but also, in identifying victims of mass fatalities and mass disasters.  In this Rewind episode of Crime Insiders | Forensics, former host Kathryn Fox discovers how forensic odontology is helping to solve and prevent crime in Australia.  Coming up…Richard’s first case and how he knew he’d made the right decision in moving from dentistry to odontology… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former QLD Detective Inspector Mal Gundry was head of the Queensland Police Criminal Investigation Bureau at Indooroopilly in Brisbane. He was integral part of the investigation into Sean Sargent, a 24-year-old Australian Army lieutenant, who disappeared in the early hours of March 20, 1999, after attending a party in St Lucia, Brisbane. Originally from Mackay, Queensland, Sargent was stationed at Enoggera Barracks and had a promising military career. His sudden disappearance prompted extensive investigations and speculation. Mal Gundry was also head of the CIB branch that led the investigation into the murder of Allison Baden Clay, that led to the arrest of her husband, Gerard Baden Clay.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karlie Pearce-Stevenson and her daughter Khandalyce Pearce were tragically murdered in 2008 in a case that shocked Australia. Their deaths remained unsolved for several years, with their identities and the circumstances of their deaths only being uncovered in 2015. In this episode of Crime Insiders | Judgement we learn how police linked the two deaths and how they tracked down the man responsible. **A WARNING…..THIS PODCAST CONTAINS DESCRIPTIONS OF EVENTS AND SITUATIONS THAT SOME LISTENERS MAY FIND DISTURBING OR DISTRESSING. PLEASE LISTEN WITH CARE**See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A crime without a motive. A detective who investigated the unthinkable. On September 2nd, 2001, a father murdered his three children, Jackson (6), Taylah (11 months), and Mikaylah (11 weeks). To this day, his motive remains unknown.  Former Detective Carla Tomadini was on the frontline of the investigation. At the same time, she had two young children of her own. Carla spent nearly two decades in the force before becoming a solicitor with the Director of Public Prosecutions. Hear about that case and the impact it had on Carla, as she sat down with host Brent Sanders on this episode of Crime Insiders | REWIND. This content contains references to domestic violence and violence against children. Help is always available, dial 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. If this content affected you, the number for Lifeline is 131 114.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reporting a sexual assault is deeply challenging in any context, so what happens when you’re in a war-torn region, where infrastructure has crumbled, and justice systems are non-existent? Associate Professor David Wells retired as Victoria's top forensic physician in 2013. Since then, his work has taken him to some of the world's most volatile places, including Gaza, the West Bank, and other corners of the globe where conflict has gutted hospitals and justice systems alike. There, he's helped build systems to support survivors of sexual violence, often under near impossible conditions. In this episode, David takes us to the front lines of forensic medicine in a conflict zone, and reflects on the challenge of treating survivors where hospitals barely exist, and navigating the cultural, legal and ethical landmines that surround violence in war. What does it take to offer care when the world is falling apart? And what role can forensic medicine play, not just in accountability, but in healing? If you or anyone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 131 114, beyondblue on 1800 512 348, Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the dead of night, Friday October 15, 2021, on the rugged coastline of Western Australia, four-year old Cleo Smith is abducted from a tent at a campsite. Her disappearance sparked a massive police search and captured the nation’s attention with ‘round the clock media coverage. The child was found 18 days later in what was one of Australia’s most successful police operations. Who abducted her….and why?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s National Science Week….Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology. In this episode of Crime Insiders Rewind, we re-visit three episodes of our Forensics series to learn how science helps us better understand how examining the human body contributes to solving crime or even someone being exonerated, and fibre and the role that fibre plays in solving crimes. We begin with forensic anthropologist Penny McArdle to determine if pigs can actually destroy a body.  Then it’s Dr Micah Newland, the Deputy Director at the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research to discuss what’s called time since death and finally we’re joined by distinguished Professor Claude Roux -a pivotal figure in Australian Forensic Science. He's the Director of the UTS Centre for Forensic Science and President of the International Association of Forensic Sciences.  Claude discusses a case from the mid-90s where fibre was critical in solving a murder…. ***Please be advised that this episode’s case studies may contain content that some listeners may find distressing. Listener discretion is advised***See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kathleen Folbigg is front page of every newspaper and news website this morning after we learned the NSW government had paid her just $2million in compensation after she served twenty years in prison after being wrongfully jailed for the deaths of her four children. NSW Premier Chris Minns has said Ms Folbigg should sue his government if she wants more compensation.  Ms Folbigg told News Ltd the suggestion is a slap in the face. After her convictions were quashed in 2023, many touted forensics as the saviour for Kathleen Folbigg. But, how did they fail her in the first place, and what led to one of Australia's greatest ever miscarriages of justice?  In 2021, Professor Stephen Cordner was one of 90 eminent scientists who signed a groundbreaking petition calling for the immediate pardon and release of Kathleen Folbigg. Let’s revisit our interview with Professor Cordner to try to understand the forensics behind Kathleen's final and successful bid for freedom, and unpack why her case was such a gross miscarriage of justice in the first place.  If this content raised issues for you, call Red Nose Grief and Loss on 1300 308 807.  Red Nose provides specialised bereavement support free of charge to any person affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a baby or child during pregnancy, birth, infancy or childhood.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Brent Sanders speaks with former NSW Police officer Justyn Backhouse, who spent 25 years on the front lines of law enforcement. From high-speed pursuits to complex aerial rescues, Justin’s career spanned some of the most intense and demanding roles in policing. But behind the action was a hidden cost. Diagnosed with PTSD in 2021, Justin turned to writing to process his experiences. The result is Hidden Scars: From Crime Scenes to Crisis – The Price of Service, a powerful memoir that reveals the unseen toll of a life spent in uniform. This episode makes mention of self-harm. If you or anyone you know needs someone to speak to, call LifeLine on 13 11 14.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.