The Last Hanging in Cardiff Prison

The Last Hanging in Cardiff Prison

In September 1952 Mahmood Hussein Mattan became the last to be hanged at Cardiff Prison, but Mahmood had in fact been framed by the police and 45 years later his conviction was quashed. Mahmood had been a merchant seaman who had ended up settling in Cardiff and marrying a Welsh woman called Laura Williams. They lived in the Tiger Bay district of Cardiff and had three children but in 1950 had separated. Mahmood had had a number of encounters with the police and had committed some minor offences such as small thefts. His vocal distrust of the police had made him unpopular with the local force though and when Lily Volpert, a Cardiff shopkeeper, was found murdered and her shop robbed they quickly turned to Mahmood. Despite a lack of any firm evidence linking him to the crime, he became the prime suspect. Poorly represented in court and facing a hostile jury he was convicted in July 1952 and sentenced to be hanged. The sentence was carried out three months later, but the case never truly went away. His family kept the fight alive for 45 years until 1998 when his case was the first to be reviewed by the newly created Criminal Cases Review Commission. His conviction was quickly quashed and his families fight for justice was finally over.


To discuss Mahmood's case author Nadifa Mohamed joins Dan for this episode of the podcast. Her novel The Fortune Men, which has been longlisted for the Booker Prize, is based on the case and she immersed herself in the case, Mahmoud's life and the history of Cardiff's multicultural Tiger Bay area to bring this story of injustice to life.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Avsnitt(1487)

The Assassination of JFK

The Assassination of JFK

Anyone alive at the time remembers the day President John F. Kennedy was shot dead in Dallas, Texas, on November 22 1963. In this episode, Dan provides a moment-by-moment account of the day that shock...

27 Nov 202527min

John F. Kennedy: Myths vs Reality

John F. Kennedy: Myths vs Reality

John F. Kennedy was a man of charm, power, and contradictions. Behind the public image of the heroic president lay a figure plagued by pain, haunted by his past, and driven by desire.Dan is joined by ...

24 Nov 202543min

The Spanish Armada

The Spanish Armada

In 1588, Spain’s mighty armada sailed to invade England and change the balance of power in Europe. Dan explains why Philip II launched the Armada, details the high-stakes clash in the Channel, and out...

20 Nov 20251h 9min

Nuremberg: The Trial of Göring

Nuremberg: The Trial of Göring

Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide.When the Nuremberg Trials began in November 1945, Hermann Göring was the highest-ranking Nazi to face justice for the crimes of the Third Reich. Ch...

17 Nov 202540min

The Black Death

The Black Death

Could the plucked backside of a chicken really cure the plague? If that question has ever crossed your mind, then this episode is for you. Today, we’re diving into the Black Death - where it originate...

13 Nov 202535min

The Battle of Passchendaele

The Battle of Passchendaele

In partnership with Findmypast, Dan narrates the extraordinary story of the Western Front at its most unforgiving. Passchendaele became a byword for the futility, endurance and industrialised slaughte...

10 Nov 202546min

Rome's African Emperor: Septimius Severus

Rome's African Emperor: Septimius Severus

We dive into the life and legacy of the North African-born ruler who rose through the ranks to seize the imperial throne. We discover how Severus transformed the Roman military, led daring campaigns a...

6 Nov 202541min

The First Day of the Somme

The First Day of the Somme

In partnership with Findmypast, Dan narrates the extraordinary story of the bloodiest day of the First World War. The first day of the Somme saw units wiped out as men charged from their trenches dire...

3 Nov 20251h 5min

Populärt inom Historia

motiv
massmordarpodden
historiska-brott
p3-historia
historiepodden-se
historianu-med-urban-lindstedt
rss-massmordarpodden
rss-brottsligt
olosta-mord
rss-seriemordarpodden
konspirationsteorier
krigshistoriepodden
podme-bio-4
nu-blir-det-historia
rss-historien-om
militarhistoriepodden
vetenskapsradion-historia
rss-folkets-historia
rss-borgvattnets-hemligheter
harrisons-dramatiska-historia