In this gripping episode of A True Crime Podcast, host Alexander Lawson uncovers the terrifying case of Mohammad Farooq, a clinical support worker at St James’s Hospital in Leeds, UK.

On January 20, 2023, Farooq arrived at the maternity ward with a powerful homemade pressure cooker bomb — twice as lethal as the Boston Marathon devices — intending to “kill as many nurses as possible.” Driven by a toxic mix of personal grudges and ISIS-inspired radicalization, he had also scouted a military base as his original target.

Only the quick thinking and compassion of a brave hospital patient, Nathan Newby, prevented a devastating massacre. Farooq was arrested, convicted of preparing acts of terrorism, and sentenced to life with a minimum of 37 years.

Alexander Lawson explores the chilling details of the plot, the online radicalization, the evidence presented in court, and the heroism that stopped a tragedy. A stark reminder of how insider threats and lone-wolf extremism can strike anywhere.

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode discusses terrorism, explosives, and violent intent. Listener discretion is advised.

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In this gripping episode of A True Crime Podcast, host Alexander Lawson examines the shocking 2025 attack on Talbot Green Police Station in South Wales. On January 31, 28-year-old Alexander Dighton arrived armed with Molotov cocktails, a knife, hatchet, and a spiked wooden pole. He set a police van ablaze, smashed vehicles, and violently assaulted officers—stabbing one in the leg and knocking another unconscious—before his arrest.

Driven by anti-government, anti-immigrant ideology, Dighton’s meticulously planned assault was deemed terrorism-related. He pleaded guilty to 10 charges, including attempted murder, and received a life sentence with a minimum of 22 years.

We explore Dighton’s background, his failed Prevent referral, the dramatic confrontation captured on CCTV, and the broader implications for lone-actor extremism and public safety.

Listener discretion advised: contains descriptions of violence. Subscribe for more deep dives into true crime cases, and share your thoughts below. New episodes every week.

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In this gripping episode of A True Crime Podcast, host Alexander Lawson uncovers the bizarre true story of Howard Phillips, a retired Essex man who dreamed of becoming a real-life James Bond. Desperate for money after burning through his savings, Phillips volunteered to spy for Russia, offering personal details of then-Defence Secretary Sir Grant Shapps—including his home address, phone number, and private plane location.

What Phillips didn’t know was that the “Russian agents” he was meeting were actually undercover MI5 officers. From coded WhatsApp messages and hotel rendezvous to a USB drop near London stations, every move was recorded in a flawless sting operation.

Convicted under the National Security Act and sentenced to seven years, Phillips’ case reveals the surprising threats of lone actors, financial desperation, and foreign interference in modern Britain.

A tale of delusion, betrayal, and espionage gone wrong—don’t miss this real-life spy thriller.

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In this episode of A True Crime Podcast, host Alexander Lawson examines the disturbing case of Jordan Richardson, a 21-year-old Muslim convert from East Yorkshire who called himself the “Anglo Jihadi.”

From online radicalization following a breakup to acquiring a crossbow, researching mustard gas, and drafting a chilling step-by-step attack plan targeting a busy shopping centre, Richardson’s rapid descent into violent extremism shocked investigators. Arrested in December 2024 with handwritten notes outlining a massacre, he was convicted of preparing terrorist acts and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 16 years in January 2026.

Alexander unpacks the evidence, the investigation, and the broader lessons on lone-actor terrorism and online radicalization.

Listener discretion is strongly advised — this episode covers terrorism and extremism.

If you have concerns about radicalization, visit ACT Early or contact local authorities.

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In this chilling episode of A True Crime Podcast, host Alexander Lawson uncovers the terrifying plot by Walid Saadaoui and Amar Hussein to carry out what could have been one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in UK history.

Radicalized ISIS supporters, the pair planned a marauding gun attack with AK-47s on Manchester’s Jewish community — targeting a major march and neighborhoods filled with families and children. Their scheme, inspired by the 2015 Paris attacks, was thwarted by an undercover police operative in a dramatic sting operation.

From Saadaoui’s hidden cash and hero-worship of terrorists to Hussein’s brazen admissions of pride in extremism, explore the evidence, the trial, and the life sentences handed down in 2026.

A stark reminder of the realities of radicalization and the thin line between safety and horror.

⚠️ Content Warning: Detailed discussion of terrorism, antisemitism, and planned mass violence. Listener discretion advised.

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In this episode of A True Crime Podcast, host Alexander Lawson examines the landmark UK case against former Syrian Air Force Intelligence Colonel Salem Michel al-Salem. Charged with murder and torture as crimes against humanity, al-Salem stands accused of leading lethal operations against peaceful protesters in Jobar, Damascus, in 2011 — ordering fire on civilians during the early days of the Syrian uprising.

From the streets where demonstrators were allegedly gunned down to the torture chambers of the intelligence branch, explore the allegations, the historic British prosecution under the International Criminal Court Act, and the challenges of delivering justice decades later as al-Salem battles a severe illness.

A story of power, repression, and accountability in the shadow of one of the 21st century’s deadliest conflicts.

Listen now for the full story. New episodes weekly.

Content warning: Descriptions of violence and state-sponsored atrocities.

In April 2025, just 16 days after arriving in the UK by small boat, Abdullah Albadri walked across London wearing a keffiyeh and sunglasses, armed with two knives and a martyrdom note. His target: the Israeli Embassy in Kensington.

In this episode of A True Crime Podcast, host Alexander Lawson breaks down the chilling sequence of events — from Albadri’s rejected asylum claim and online searches to his dramatic attempt to scale the embassy fence, his arrest, and dramatic Old Bailey trial. What drove this failed asylum seeker to shout “Why are you stopping me from making crimes?” as officers pulled him down?

A story of ideology, radicalization, and swift police intervention that prevented potential tragedy.

Listen now for the full investigation.

🕒 Approx. 25 minutes

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In May 2025, a series of targeted arson attacks struck properties and a car linked to UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in north London. At the center of the plot: Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych and Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, recruited online by a shadowy Russian-speaking handler known as “El Money.”

Host Alexander Lawson breaks down the reckless nighttime fires that endangered lives, the Telegram communications promising crypto payments, the rapid counter-terrorism investigation, and the Old Bailey trial that branded one perpetrator a “useful idiot.” Was this simple greed or something far more sinister on the international stage?

A chilling true crime story of proxy crime, vulnerability, and geopolitical shadows.

Listen now for the full timeline, evidence, and sentencing.

New episodes weekly on A True Crime Podcast.

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In this gripping episode of A True Crime Podcast, host Alexander Lawson uncovers the shocking case of Chung Biu “Bill” Yuen and Chi Leung “Peter” Wai — the first people convicted in Britain of spying for China under the National Security Act.

A UK Border Force officer at Heathrow and a former Hong Kong police superintendent turned trade official allegedly ran a “shadow policing” operation on British soil. They tracked Hong Kong pro-democracy dissidents (including those with bounties on their heads), monitored British politicians, and even attempted a brazen home intrusion in Yorkshire.

From secret database searches and surveillance to dramatic arrests at the Old Bailey, this landmark espionage case exposes transnational repression, abuse of public trust, and the UK’s fight against foreign interference.

Tune in for the full story of betrayal on home soil.

What do you think — isolated incident or the tip of the iceberg? Drop your thoughts below.

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In this gripping episode of A True Crime Podcast, host Alexander Lawson uncovers the chilling story of the 2024 Wimbledon stabbing of Iranian journalist Pouria Zeraati.

Two Romanian nationals, George Stana and Nandito Badea, carried out a meticulously planned knife attack outside Zeraati’s London home. Prosecutors say it was a state-sponsored operation by proxies of the Iranian regime to silence a vocal critic of the government. What followed was an international manhunt, dramatic extradition, and a high-profile trial ending in lengthy prison sentences.

From the bloody streets of Wimbledon to the Old Bailey courtroom, explore the surveillance, the brutal assault, the victim’s bravery, and the broader implications for journalists in exile.

A story of courage, conspiracy, and justice in the fight for free speech. Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode.

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