Blood Ties Podcast

In this episode of Blood Ties, hosts Molly and Geoffrey Wansell focus on Jon Venables, one of the two 10-year-old boys who abducted and murdered toddler James Bulger in 1993. The episode details Venables' initial eight-year juvenile detention and his complete inability to adapt following his 2001 release under a new identity. Struggling with substance abuse and trauma, Venables was re-imprisoned in 2010 and 2018 for possessing child abuse material. The hosts analyse his severe psychological decline and upcoming private parole hearing, questioning whether society failed to rehabilitate him or if his childhood actions permanently destroyed any chance of recovery.CREDITS:Presenters: Geoffrey and Molly WansellProducer: Peter Shevlin https://pod60.com/Artwork: George LeighMusic: Dan WansellCONTACT:Twitter: @BloodTies_PodInstagram:@bloodtiespodcastEmail: [email protected]: https://www.youtube.com/@bloodtiespodcastSupport: patreon.com/bloodtiespodcastPlease complete our survey if you have time: http://bit.ly/bloodtiespodcast-survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Blood Ties, hosts Molly and Geoffrey Wansell unpack the horrifying 'Limbs in the Loch' case. The investigation began in December 1999 when divers found dismembered human remains in Loch Lomond, later identified as 18-year-old Barry Wallace. Police traced the murder to William Beggs, a killer previously freed on a legal technicality after a strikingly similar 1987 crime. Geoffrey examines Beggs’s history, motive, and the harrowing legal fight to extradite and convict him.CREDITS:Presenters: Geoffrey and Molly WansellProducer: Peter Shevlin https://pod60.com/Artwork: George LeighMusic: Dan WansellCONTACT:Twitter: @BloodTies_PodInstagram:@bloodtiespodcastEmail: [email protected]: https://www.youtube.com/@bloodtiespodcastSupport: patreon.com/bloodtiespodcastPlease complete our survey if you have time: http://bit.ly/bloodtiespodcast-survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Blood Ties, hosts Molly and Geoffrey Wansell discuss the horrifying crimes of serial killer Christopher Halliwell. The conversation explores Halliwell's troubled childhood, his life as a Swindon minicab driver, and the 2011 abduction and murder of Sian O'Callaghan. They analyse how police errors by Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher initially compromised the investigation into the murder of a second victim, Becky Godden-Edwards, highlighting the complex and dark nature of the case.CREDITS:Presenters: Geoffrey and Molly WansellProducer: Peter Shevlin https://pod60.com/Artwork: George LeighMusic: Dan WansellCONTACT:Twitter: @BloodTies_PodInstagram:@bloodtiespodcastEmail: [email protected]: https://www.youtube.com/@bloodtiespodcastSupport: patreon.com/bloodtiespodcastPlease complete our survey if you have time: http://bit.ly/bloodtiespodcast-survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Blood Ties, hosts Molly and Geoffrey Wansell examine the tragic 2019 death of PC Andrew Harper, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a robbery. The father-daughter duo trace the harrowing event, the controversial trial that resulted in manslaughter convictions rather than murder, and the widow’s relentless fight for 'Harper’s Law'. Together, they analyse the complex, ongoing tension between public demands for justice and the realities of UK sentencing.CREDITS: Presenters: Geoffrey and Molly WansellProducer: Peter Shevlin https://pod60.com/Artwork: George LeighMusic: Dan WansellCONTACT: Twitter: @BloodTies_PodInstagram:@bloodtiespodcastEmail: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bloodtiespodcastSupport: patreon.com/bloodtiespodcastPlease complete our survey if you have time: http://bit.ly/bloodtiespodcast-survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode of Blood Ties, Molly and Geoffrey Wantsall close out Season 14 with a listener-recommended case that changed British legal history. They explore the tragic murder of 22-year-old Julie Hogg, whose body went undiscovered beneath her own bath for months after a flawed police investigation. When suspect Billy Dunlop escaped conviction under the double jeopardy rule, Julie's mother, Anne Ming, refused to accept injustice. Her relentless campaign led to a landmark change in UK law, allowing retrials when new and compelling evidence emerges. Dunlop ultimately became the first person convicted under the reformed legislation. Molly and Geoffrey reflect on Anne's extraordinary courage, the enduring impact of violent crime on families, and why true crime continues to fascinate us. A heartbreaking story of loss, resilience, justice, and one mother's determination to create lasting change.CREDITS: Presenters: Geoffrey and Molly WansellProducer: Peter Shevlin https://pod60.com/Artwork: George LeighMusic: Dan WansellCONTACT: Twitter: @BloodTies_PodInstagram:@bloodtiespodcastEmail: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bloodtiespodcastSupport: patreon.com/bloodtiespodcastPlease complete our survey if you have time: http://bit.ly/bloodtiespodcast-survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.