S04E02 - Anthony Antoniou (The Murder of Walter McCarthy)

In this episode, I tell the story of Catherine Kelly, a 71-year-old woman killed in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, on February 11, 2017.Catherine had spent that Saturday evening attending a 21st birthday party with her 41-year-old son William Kelly and his partner Eleanor Banks. Within minutes of the three arriving back home, a fire broke out, which resulted in Catherine's death.It was soon revealed that Kelly had deliberately set the fire with the intention of killing his mum after first beating her up.A jury at Glasgow High Court found Kelly guilty of murder in November 2017. Judge Lady Stacey handed him a life sentence with a minimum term of 23 years.For all things British Murders, please visit my website:⁣britishmurders.com⁣Intro music:⁣David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'⁣linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic⁣References:⁣britishmurders.com/catherinekelly Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

23 Nov 202329min

I welcome April Taylor to the show in this interview episode to discuss her new book, 'Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots.'The book tells the story of the law's enactment and its penalties from Henry VII to Elizabeth I. It's arranged in alphabetical order of crimes and recounts tales of blackmail, infanticide, kidnapping, heresy, and sumptuary laws.Researched meticulously and told with occasional low-key humour, the book tells stories such as that of John Daniell and how he tried to blackmail the Earl of Essex; the Stafford insurrection of 1486, the first serious opposition to the new king; the activities of conman extraordinaire, Gregory Wisdom, and many more. The book also includes Tavern Talk (snippets of quirky information).April was born in the historic county of Lincolnshire and caught the history bug from a young age. She has always been fascinated by the physical manifestation of past events, particularly the Tudor period. That interest deepened when she discovered one of the most important events of Henry VIII's reign, the Lincolnshire Rebellion that led to the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536, which started eight miles from where April was born.'Crime and Punishment in Tudor England: From Alchemists to Zealots' was released on September 20, 2023, and is available to purchase here:Crime and Punishment in Tudor England | Pen and Sword History***This interview was recorded on October 24, 2023.For all things British Murders, please visit my website:https://www.britishmurders.com/Intro music:David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'https://linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

20 Nov 202338min

In this episode, I tell the story of Louise Sellars, a 15-year-old girl killed in Appley Bridge, Greater Manchester, on August 13, 1995.That Sunday evening, Louise left her home to meet her friend Kelly Morrisey and spent a few hours with her before the two parted ways. The last time Louise was seen was at around 9:30 pm.Her parents called the police after Louise failed to return home without letting them know where she was. A massive search was conducted in the hopes of finding her alive, but sadly, her body was found the following morning by a dog walker.It would take five years before Louise's killer was brought to justice, thanks to advances in DNA technology. Ultimately, it was a discarded cigarette butt that led to the arrest and subsequent conviction of Darren Ashurst, who was 21 years old when he killed Louise.A jury at Manchester Crown Court found Ashurst guilty of murder on November 1, 2000, with Mrs Justice Rafferty handing him a life sentence. He served 20 years in total and was released from prison in 2020.For all things British Murders, please visit my website:⁣britishmurders.com⁣Intro music:⁣David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'⁣linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic⁣References:⁣britishmurders.com/louisesellars Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

16 Nov 202330min

In this episode, I tell the story of Teddy Tilston, a 2-year-old boy killed in Birkenhead, Merseyside, on March 1, 2017.Teddy was being cared for by 28-year-old Craig Smith, his mum's partner, when the emergency services were called that afternoon. Smith claimed Teddy had drowned in the bath after being left for just 30 seconds, but the paramedics attending the scene noticed that he was bone dry.Teddy's twin sister, Cassidy, was already at Arrowe Park Hospital after Smith informed their mum, Ashleigh Willett, that she'd knocked herself unconscious after running into a table. When examined, it was revealed Cassidy had several other injuries, including a broken wrist she may have received up to six months earlier.A jury at Liverpool Crown Court found Smith guilty of murder in November 2017, and he was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 17 years. Willett was found guilty of failing to seek medical assistance for her twin children and received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.**The following is NOT a sponsored message**If you or someone you know has experienced child abuse or are concerned that someone you know is, please consider contacting one of the following charities:Childline: 0800 1111National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC): 0808 800 5000Help for Adult Victims of Child Abuse (HAVOCA): Fill in a contact form at havoca.orgNational Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC): 0808 801 0331For all things British Murders, please visit my website:⁣britishmurders.com⁣Intro music:⁣David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'⁣linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic⁣References:⁣britishmurders.com/teddytilston Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 Nov 202329min

In this episode, I tell the story of Kenneth Syme, a 48-year-old man killed in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, on January 1, 1995.Kenneth attended a Hogmanay party at a tenement in Faifley, close to his home, and was later thrown out of a third-floor window by Kenneth McGuire over an alleged debt he was owed.Somehow, Kenneth Syme survived that fall and was brought back up to the flat, where he was promptly thrown out of the same window once more by McGuire, killing him.Three men were initially charged with murder, but one of the accused turned on the others and became a key witness for the prosecution.McGuire received a life sentence in April 1995 with a minimum term of 15 years for Kenneth's murder, with Michael Fay receiving a nine-year sentence for attempted murder.For all things British Murders, please visit my website:⁣britishmurders.com⁣Intro music:⁣David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'⁣linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic⁣References:⁣britishmurders.com/kennethsyme Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2 Nov 202326min

In this episode, I tell the story of Fred Barras, a 16-year-old boy killed in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk, on August 20, 1999.Fred and his friend, 29-year-old Brendon Fearon, were burgling the isolated farmhouse Bleak House when its owner, 54-year-old farmer Tony Martin, caught them in the act and unloaded his shotgun at them. Both men were hit, but only Fred died due to his injuries.Tony was handed a life sentence in April 2000 after being found guilty of murder. His conviction was later reduced to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility in October 2001 after a successful appeal.Receiving a retrospective five-year prison sentence, Tony served just over three and was released in August 2003.Almost a quarter of a century after the shooting at Bleak House, this case remains one of the most divisive in British history.**The following is NOT a sponsored message**If you are experiencing domestic abuse or are concerned that someone you know is, please consider contacting one of the following charities:Refuge (the largest specialist domestic abuse organisation in the UK): 0808 2000 247Respect (Men's Advice Line): 0808 801 0327Galop (the UK’s LGBT+ anti-abuse charity): 0800 999 5428Women's Aid (a national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children): helpline@womensaid.org.ukREMEMBER - If you are in immediate danger, please call 999!For all things British Murders, please visit my website:⁣britishmurders.com⁣Intro music:⁣David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'⁣linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic⁣References:⁣britishmurders.com/fredbarras Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 Okt 202334min

I welcome Paul MacNamara to the show in this interview episode to discuss his debut book, 'The Criminal Class: Memoir of a Prison Teacher.'Paul was born in Sydney and has worked as an educator in several correctional centres in Australia. He has also worked as a teacher in the juvenile justice system.He never held a political position on the prison system and knew very little of the workings of a jail. Through 'The Criminal Class', Paul has created a thought-provoking tale based on his surreal and eye-opening experience that is - all at once - tragic, amusing and entertaining.The film and television rights to Paul's book have been acquired by Bondi Beach Productions, a multi-award-winning Film and TV production company with offices in Sydney, Los Angeles and New York.'The Criminal Class: Memoir of a Prison Teacher' was released on July 4, 2022, and is available to purchase here:AUS: The Criminal Class | Big Sky PublishingUK: The Criminal Class | Amazon.co.uk***This interview was recorded on September 26, 2023.For all things British Murders, please visit my website:https://www.britishmurders.com/Intro music:David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'https://linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

22 Okt 202346min

In this episode, I tell the story of Joanne Nelson, a 22-year-old woman murdered in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, in February 2005.Joanne and her fiancée, Paul Dyson, lived together in Hotham Road North, Hull, but Dyson had a dark secret that Joanne was oblivious to.Not only did Dyson have previous criminal convictions, including the assault of his ex-wife on their wedding night, but he also idolised his dad, Peter Dyson, who had a murder conviction against his name.On or around Valentine's Day in 2005, Dyson strangled Joanne to death with his bare hands after arguing about household chores. He then drove 45 miles north to the village of Brandsby, where he dumped her body.Reporting Joanne as missing and even taking part in a TV appeal, which included a display of "crocodile tears", Dyson was eventually caught and pleaded guilty to her murder on the first day of his trial in November 2005.Judge Tom Cracknell handed him a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years, and in early 2022, Dyson was released from prison as a free man.**The following is NOT a sponsored message**If you are experiencing domestic abuse or are concerned that someone you know is, please consider contacting one of the following charities:Refuge (the largest specialist domestic abuse organisation in the UK): 0808 2000 247Respect (Men's Advice Line): 0808 801 0327Galop (the UK’s LGBT+ anti-abuse charity): 0800 999 5428Women's Aid (a national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children): helpline@womensaid.org.ukREMEMBER - If you are in immediate danger, please call 999!For all things British Murders, please visit my website:⁣britishmurders.com⁣Intro music:⁣David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'⁣linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic⁣References:⁣britishmurders.com/joannenelson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

18 Okt 202326min