Inside Scottish Policing: Murder Investigations, Human Trafficking & the Detectives Behind the Cases

In this episode of Crime Time Inc., Simon and Tom take listeners inside the world of Scottish policing, crime writing, and real-life murder investigations. What begins as a discussion about their upcoming books quickly evolves into a fascinating exploration of cold cases, people trafficking, major investigations, and the detectives who shaped modern policing.

• Simon discusses his new novel Kintyre: The Past Doesn’t Forget, explaining how a real unexplained death he encountered as a young officer in Campbeltown inspired the fictional story. He reveals how the book weaves together four timelines involving organised crime, corruption, trafficking, and a retired detective forced to revisit the past.
• The episode includes an emotional reading from the novel, following trafficking victim Song Lee as she struggles to survive after escaping exploitation and violence. Simon explains the challenges of writing from the perspective of a trafficked young woman and the importance of portraying victims realistically and respectfully.
• Tom then introduces his upcoming collection Sex, Spies and Bloody Murder, a series of true stories drawn from his policing career and historical crime research. He shares memories of working major investigations across multiple UK police forces and reflects on the detectives who pioneered modern murder inquiry techniques.
• A major focus of the discussion is legendary detective Hector Clarke and the early computerisation of murder investigations following the failures identified during the Yorkshire Ripper inquiry. Tom explains how innovation, intelligence analysis, and strategic thinking transformed policing during the hunt for serial killer Robert Black.
• The hosts also reflect on the responsibility of writing about real victims and crimes, the emotional impact investigations leave on families, and why remembering forgotten victims and detectives still matters today.
• As always, the episode ends with humour and nostalgia, including a discussion about classic Scottish slang words for someone who smells particularly bad — from “minging” to “howling.”

About Crime Time Inc.

Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic.

This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history.

Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work.

Two crime worlds. One podcast.

New episodes released regularly throughout the season.

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

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