Motive & Method

What happens when a cop crosses the line and partners with a kingpin? Renowned investigative journalist Neil Mercer joins Tim and Xanthe to unpack the criminal empire led by drug lord Terry Clark and the complicity of Detective Sergeant Roger Rogerson. In his latest book, The Kingpin and the Crooked Cop, Mercer reveals an intricate web of corruption and betrayal and how this deadly alliance unraveled into one of Australia’s most notorious criminal scandals... Want to get involved in the community? Follow @motiveandmethod on Instagram or TikTok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"At 5pm I was Deputy Police Commissioner of the New South Wales Police Force, at 5:30pm, I was unemployed" Mick Willing is one of our most decorated and experienced cops. In a career spanning decades he has seen it all, from drug busts, the Lindt Cafe and ultimately an timely end to a glittering career. In this episode of the podcast Mick opens up about it all, and more.  Want to get involved in the community? Follow @motiveandmethod on Instagram or TikTok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The worst serial killer in Australia’s history may be on the loose in the region from Newcastle to Byron Bay, where 67 murders and disappearances of women remain unsolved. Also in this episode we talk to Laura Clare, a former Byron Bay local who has begun a social media campaign from her troubling experiences in the region.  If you have any information contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the podcast Xanthe and Tim give us their thoughts on the Netflix show Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which has recently hit the headlines. Also Halloween is here, but what are there issues dressing up as Jeffrey Dahmer? Or walking around your neighbourhood as Leather Face? Want to get involved in the community? Follow @motiveandmethod on Instagram or TikTok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The podcast series 'Rotten Apple' is available now wherever you listen to your podcasts. In this episode of Motive & Method we talk to the award winning journalist behind Rotten Apple, Camille Bianchi, and also one of the whistleblowers taking part in the podcast. This episode discusses child abuse, grooming and exploitation, please listen with care   Bravehearts provides child sexual abuse counselling, they can contacted on - 1800 272 831 Laurel House for sexual assault support in Tasmania - 1800 697 877 Help is available through LifeLine on 13 11 14 Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently there have been some very high-profile cases of alleged poisoning, some of which we have already dissected on this podcast. This week we are going to look at the breadth of motives and methods of the people who select this type of weapon to harm someone, and what kind of personality types are more likely to engage in this type of abuse. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week the country was shocked by allegations that Nirmeen Noufl (53) killed and dismembered her husband, Mamdouh Noufl (62), who has not been since since May 2023. The police allege this is a case of domestic homicide. The addition of dismemberment, whilst unusual, is not unique, and this week we will compare and contrast a number of cases where women have killed and disarticulated their partner. We will also discuss the differences between male and female murderers who desecrate remains in this manner. A difficult conversation, so listen with caution. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we have a very special guest, Jae Gerhard, who we will be talking to about all things forensic DNA. Jae is an expert with over 20 years’ experience, working across all areas of casework – from multiple fatality incidents in the AFP, to crime scene analysis for New South Wales Police. She now works independently, and will be sharing her vast knowledge of new techniques to help us understand advances in forensics and investigation. We will be discussing this in relation to the Easey Street murders and other high-profile cases. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Childcare predator, Ashley Griffiths, plead guilty to 307 charges recently.  He was active across multiple childcare facilities, with charges against him dating back as far back as 2003.  He will be sentenced in November. This week we look at the motives and methods of those who prey on the most vulnerable, and how they can get away with it for so long. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve talked a lot about violence against women, in various forms, much of it domestic.  Largely this has focussed on Australian cases, highlighting the epidemic of family and domestic violence in this country. We’ve seen that FDV permeates all strata of society, all cultures.  And nowhere is this more starkly highlighted that in the sleepy, picturesque village of Mazan: The case of Dominique Pélicot.  Behind closed doors, Pélicot enlisted strangers to rape his heavily-sedated wife over the course of a decade.  Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Missing Campers Trial, Penny and Erin are joined once again by leading criminologist Dr Xanthe Mallett, and forensic psychologist Tim Watson-Munro, as they discuss the differences between killers who attack strangers and those who murder people they know. You can find Tim and Xanthe's podcast in your podcast app, it's called Motive and Method.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we will talk about the psychological impacts on families in unsolved child abduction and murder cases.  This discussion is timely, as September 12th of this year is the tenth anniversary since William Tyrrell went missing from his foster family’s home in 2014. Ten years is a long time for his families to wait for answers.  Other cases we will talk about are Madeleine (missing since May 2007), and the Wanda Beach murders – unsolved since 1965. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Missing Campers Trial, Penny and Erin are joined by leading criminologist Dr Xanthe Mallett, and forensic psychologist Tim Watson-Munro, as they take a deep dive into the mind of Gregory Lynn.  You can find Tim and Xanthe's podcast in your podcast app, it's called Motive and Method.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the 26 August 2024, Justin Stein was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the brutal and callous murder of 9-year-old Charlise Mutten in January 2022.  Stein claimed that the child’s mother, Kallista Mutten, to whom he was engaged, was the one who shot and killed her. But evidence proved otherwise. GPS tracking on Stein’s phone helped locate Charlise’s body, which Stein had cruelly put in a barrel and dumped off the side of the road.  Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we will be talking about female sexual predators, in the wake of two women school teachers being accused of sexual assaulting boys in their care.  There appear to have been a spate of these types of alleged cases this year, but are cases of alleged abuse by teachers on the rise, or are more alleged cases being reported?  We will addressing these questions, as well as discussing why some women target school age boys for inappropriate sexual relationships, what the offender demographics are, and can these women be treated and rehabilitated? Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1994 Henry Keogh was found guilty of the murder of his fiancée, Anna-Jane Cheney, and was sentenced to 26 years in prison. Henry’s conviction was overturned in 2014, when it was determined that Anna-Jane had died as the result of a tragic accident – she drowned in the bath whilst home alone. This is the sad case of a death that was misclassified, and a man who subsequently lost two decades of his life – partly due to the manifestly misleading and inaccurate evidence of South Australian ‘forensic pathologist’, Dr Colin Manock. Henry has now embarked on a new, positive life post-release, but he is no doubt scarred by his experience. However, his incredible resilience is a lesson to us all in how to deal with adversity and trauma.” Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ashlea Hansen is a familiar face to everyone interested in true crime, as she has spent over 15 years reporting on some of Australia’s biggest cases; including Malcolm Naden’s capture in 2012 and William Tyrell’s disappearance in 2014.  Her career has resulted in Ashlea finding herself in some unusual, sad, frightening, uplifting, and sometimes funny scenarios over the years.  We’ll hear some of the moments that she’ll never forget, the cases that have stayed with her, and a little tease about her next big project – a long-format podcast that’s currently in development. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Gareth, Nathaniel and Stacey Train shot and killed two police officers and their neighbour at their remote property at Wieambilla in December 2022, the country was shocked. What could motivate these three people to plan and carry out such premeditated violence? As the days unfolded, and we heard about the lives of the killers, their motives gradually became clear – this was Australia’s first case of Christian terrorism. In this episode, we speak to media identity Melissa Downes and senior news producer Jess Lodge, to learn more about this dark episode, and some of the details they have learnt whilst making their podcast on the case, ‘The Ultimate Sacrifice’. Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s April 1994, and Anthea Bradshaw has just married her high school sweetheart, Jeff Hall, before embarking on what she believed was her new adventure, a life with Jeff in Brunei, South East Asia. But just 96 days later, Anthea would be found brutally murdered half a world away – and who killed her remains a mystery. On this episode, we delve into the what, why, and how’s of this cold case with journalist Ben Avery, who has devoted years trying to get answers for Anthea’s family. Search 'Just Married' in your podcast app to hear Ben's investigation. Or tap the link here.  Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve all seen some very scary footage recently of youth gangs targeting stores, stealing goods at knife point.  The impression is that armed retail theft is on the rise, and data backs up that that is true.  We’re also seeing more organised retail theft – much of it is technology enabled scams.  What are the drivers for retail crime?  Who are the offenders, and who are the victims.  And what affect do these types of crime have on them, and society more broadly?  This week we ask, what is retail crime costing you? Want to get involved in the community? Follow Motive & Method @motiveandmethod on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.