Episode 308: State witness Jonathan Dowdall appeals his four year jail term
State witness Jonathan Dowdall has been back in court appealing the length of a 4 year sentence he was handed down after he pled guilty to facilitating the Hutch gang by making a room at the Regency Hotel available to them.The former Sinn Fein councillor whose evidence against Gerry The Monk Hutch was not accepted by the Special Criminal Court complained to the appeals court that he was duped and put in the firing line for the Regency Hotel attack.Appealing the severity of the 4 year sentence for facilitating the Regency attack he is asking for his jail term to be cut so he can join his family who have been accepted onto the witness protection programme.So has Dowdall done ‘extraordinarily well’ as the Appeals Court President Mr Justice George Birmingham says or has he been too harshly treated?Nicola talks with Niall Donald about the Appeal and the on going denials of Jonathan Dowdall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
22 Jun 202319min
Episode 307: Why are we all so obsessed with true crime as entertainment?
The true crime genre is one of the world’s most popular in books, podcasts, tv shows and films but what is it that makes us so drawn to violence and and all things criminal?Nicola is talking to author and columnist Sarah Weinman whose latest book Evidence of Things Seen, an anthology of true crime essays and works, is published this summer.The award winning writer who has uncovered the real life Lolita and who considers true crime an all encompassing genre of how society behaves says our obsession with crime goes back to the Salem Witch trials and will continue well into the future in different formats. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
21 Jun 202350min
Episode 306: The PGA's deal with Saudi Arabia and corruption in professional sport
Golf fans and some of the sports top stars were left reeling recently when the PGA did a deal with Saudi Arabia and its bulging public investment fund.But the reshaping of professional golf is just the latest in a string of sports that have been lured to the Gulf and its endless cash reserves.So what is happening at the top of professional sport and why are countries with major human rights concerns being allowed buy up clubs and stars in their droves?Nicola speaks to Tariq Panja Global Sports correspondent at the New York Times and author of Football’s Secret Trade about corruption in sport and the lure of mega deals which is threatening to totally take over the world’s favourite games. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
19 Jun 20231h 9min
Episode 305: What's next for Ridouan Taghi at the Marengo trial?
The trial of Dutch murder suspect Ridouan Taghi gets underway in the Netherlands again this week as it moves into the final phase and as he asks the court to block all further reporting.Taghi is expected to request the remainder of the case be heard in camera after his lawyer Inez Weski was arrested but released from custody.Nicola joins Niall Donald to talk about the marathon case against the business partner of Daniel Kinahan who was a boss of the European Super Cartel and the chaos created around it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
17 Jun 202343min
Episode 304: The life and alleged crimes of Andrew Tate
Social media influencer Andrew Tate along with his brother Tristan and two other suspects are being investigated for human trafficking as Romanian authorities say they have filed charges against them while the case remains under investigation.But who are the Tate brothers? And what has Andrew got to say in a series of new podcasts he has released ridiculing the Romanian investigation, criticising and interview with the BBC and insisting that Dubai is the best place in the world to bring up kids.Nicola speaks with Sunday World Features Editor Daragh Keany and Niall Donald about Tate, about his rise to fame and about his future in a country he gambled would be his refuge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
16 Jun 202349min
Episode 303: How does law enforcement tackle the illicit underworld of money laundering?
Criminals are always looking for weakness in people, organisations and particularly in systems where they can launder their dirty cash and wash it into the legitimate economy.But how can businesses and individuals safeguard themselves from being used by drug dealers, terrorists and criminals organisations making millions from the misery of others?Nicola is joined by Matt Horne, a former Deputy Director of the National Crime Agency in the UK who has spent his career chasing down large criminal organisations and their money.He is set to be a key speaker at the cluesoftware.com webinar to be held on June 20th but talks to Nicola in advance of the conference about tackling the dark underworld of money laundering and illicit finances. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
15 Jun 202322min
Episode 302: The American fraudster who faked his death before being found alive in Scotland
Journalist Jane MacSorely sipped a glass of Champagne and stared at the man on the oxygen tank who had invited her to dinner.It was probably the strangest interview she'd ever done in her entire career, but it was also the beginning of a journey that would culminate in the launch of her incredible podcast 'I Am Not Nicholas'.The man in the three piece suit and sporting a bow tie was claiming to be an academic called Arthur Knight, who told Jane he had been wrongly accused of being an American fugitive that faked his own death in order to evade the law.But what was the truth? And where would her investigations take her?Nicola is joined by Jane to talk about this fascinating story, of the serial fraudster who courted the media, and who wound up in a COVID ward in a Glasgow hospital.She tells of the charming chameleon of many faces, who still believes he can fool the world with a spiders web of lies, deceit and fear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
14 Jun 202342min
Episode 301: The day Tina Turner's lawyers came looking for 'Mad Dog' Johnny Adair
Rock 'n' Roll legend Tina Turner never realised the impact her powerful ballad 'Simply The Best' was going to have on one of Northern Ireland’s most feared terrorists but when he embraced the song as his own she had to send her lawyers out in force for Mad Dog Johnny Adair.Nicola is joined by journalist Hugh Jordan to talk about the incredible story of the world famous singer and her greatest fan whose fanatical group the Ulster Freedom Fighters adopted the song in a sick tribute to their hitmen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
12 Jun 202320min
