On February 7th 2009, Australia experienced its worst natural disaster. The weeks-long intense heat and gale force winds culminated in 400 separate wildfires which ended up taking 173 lives.

In the town of Churchill, detectives began an investigation which led them to believe that one man, driving a sky-blue sedan, may be responsible for 10 of those deaths.

After the arrest, detectives quickly realised that the man in their custody was not who they thought they'd be dealing with.

On this episode of Bad People, presenters Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen discuss wildfire arson, the dubious origin of the link between sex and fire and how we can tell when someone is malingering.

Archive credits: This episode includes audio from ABC, Inside The Mind of An Arsonist.

Presenters: Dr. Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen

Commissioning Producer: Hannah Rose

Bad People is a BBC Audio Science Production for BBC Sounds

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If a killer refuses to reveal where they’ve hidden a body – should they have to stay in prison?

Helen McCourt’s family campaigned for the UK to adopt an Australian-style “no body, no parole” law – but would it be adopted in time to stop the release of her killer?

In 1989 pub landlord Ian Simms was one of the first people in the UK to be convicted on DNA evidence without the victim's body having been found. Sentenced to at least 16 years in jail for Helen's murder, Simms still claims he's innocent.

The jury were convinced by forensic evidence such as traces of Helen's blood which were found in Simms' flat and car. An opal and pearl earring identical to one Helen was wearing when she went missing was also found in the boot of his car.

Although "no body, no parole" might act as a deterrent to some offenders who choose not to reveal where their victim's body is, we also hear hear about concerns that it might interfere with the goals of rehabilitating offenders and reducing re-offending. The 750,000 signatories to a petition supporting Helen's Law believe that the needs of families whose pain continues as long as they have no body to bury should be prioritised.

Helen's mum Marie McCourt hopes that one day she will be able to take flowers to Helen's grave.

Presenters: Dr. Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen

Commissioning Producer: Hannah Rose

Bad People is a BBC Audio Science Production for BBC Sounds

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There were signs that the former polo player Alexander Lewis Ranwell was unravelling in early 2019. He’d lost his job and his girlfriend, was living in a caravan and was no longer taking medication to treat his delusions or hallucinations. He’d been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and had a history of substance abuse.

He was arrested after letting loose animals and attacking a farmer and later released by the police, despite his bizarre behaviour. A short walk from the train he took to Exeter he came across a house where the elderly resident had a note on his door: he was looking for accommodation for himself and his cat.

Suffering from delusions, Lewis Ranwell believed himself to be a policeman, hunting down paedophiles, and that a missing girl was being held prisoner in homes he randomly selected. In the two houses he visited three elderly men were found dead.

No one at Exeter Crown Court could remember the defence of insanity being used in a case before – so how difficult is it to prove?

In this episode of Bad People, presenters Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen explore the reality of paranoid schizophrenia, exposing some of the myths which exist in popular culture and stigmatise mental illness.

Warning: This episode contains strong language and references to murder and violence.

Presenters: Dr. Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen

Commissioning Producer: Hannah Rose

Bad People is a BBC Audio Science Production for BBC Sounds

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An excavation reveals horrific truths about Robert Pickton.

The bodies of dozens of women are unearthed on a pig farm, many of whom are sex workers and indigenous. Pickton’s defence team argues that he has a low IQ and was used as a pawn.

On this episode of Bad People, presenters Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen discuss how Canadian police failed indigenous women and talk to Professor Stephen Hart who worked with the prosecution in the Pickton case to discover what we can really know about one of Canada’s most notorious serial killers.

Warning: This episode contains strong language and references to sexual violence and murder.

Archive credits: This episode includes audio from East Van Production’s documentary, The Pig Farm.

Reference:

Presenters: Dr. Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen

Commissioning Producer: Hannah Rose

Bad People is a BBC Audio Science Production for BBC Sounds

#BadPeople_BBC

Over 60 sex workers go missing in Vancouver.

On this episode of Bad People, presenters Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen discuss research on why people don’t always tell the truth and often retract police statements.

This case is broken into two episodes. This is part one.

Warning: This episode contains strong language and references to sexual violence and murder.

Presenters: Dr. Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen

Commissioning Producer: Hannah Rose

Bad People is a BBC Audio Science Production for BBC Sounds

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Hospitals are places of safety, where staff help people to get better. So the parents of four children left in the care of Beverley Allitt never imagined that she’d harm them. The 22 year old nurse was convicted of their murders and harming 9 others on Ward Four at the Grantham and Kesteven hospital in Lincolnshire in 1991.

Police worked out that Allitt was the only person present for all of the unexplained collapses and that she had reported the key to the insulin fridge missing.

Childhood friends and nurses she trained with later told of her self-harm and bizarre behaviour including finding faeces in the fridge.

Warning: This episode contains strong language and references to violence against children.

Archive credits: This episode contains audio from Real Stories, Sky, ITV.

Presenters: Dr. Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen

Commissioning Producer: Hannah Rose

Bad People is a BBC Audio Science Production for BBC Sounds

#BadPeople_BBC

People have been going missing from Toronto’s Gay Village since the 70s.

The gay community claims that the police are not taking the disappearances seriously enough.

The pieces start to fall into place when one man goes missing and leaves a diary entry for that day saying “Bruce”. Police survey a Bruce McArther, a gardener and mall Santa. When they see him enter his flat with another man, they break the door down only to find a man handcuffed to his bed.

Warning: This episode contains strong language and references to sexual violence, and murder.

Archive credits: This episode includes audio from CBC, Global News and W5.

Presenters: Dr. Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen

Commissioning Producer: Hannah Rose

Bad People is a BBC Audio Science Production for BBC Sounds

#BadPeople_BBC

Murderers. Psychopaths. Sex offenders. Why do people do bad things? Bad People is back.

Warning: Contains strong language and references to sexual violence and murder.

Archive credits: This episode contains audio from CTV Television network and Global News.

Presenters: Dr. Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen

Commissioning Producer: Hannah Rose

Bad People is a BBC Audio Science Production for BBC Sounds

#BadPeople_BBC

Elizabeth Holmes is the world’s youngest self made female billionaire. But her nine billion dollar startup disintegrated when the truth came out.

On this episode of Bad People, presenters Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen discuss how to tell if someone is trustworthy or not. Also, why we are so easily fooled by a pretty face and false promises.

Warning: This episode contains strong language and references to sexual violence and child abuse.

Presenters: Dr. Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen

Commissioning Producer: Hannah Rose

Bad People is a BBC Audio Science Production for BBC Sounds

#BadPeople_BBC

In the small Danish town Tønder, a man is talking to a friend when the conversation takes a dark turn. His friend asks him whether he wants to have sex with an 11-year-old girl. He immediately alerts the police.

On this episode of Bad People, presenters Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen discuss how violence is - and isn’t - passed down through generations. Also on the show, the psychology of child sexual abuse and exploitation, and why it’s so important to have difficult conversations about paedophilia.

Warning: This episode contains strong language and references to sexual violence and child abuse.

Presenters: Dr. Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen

Commissioning Producer: Hannah Rose

Bad People is a BBC Audio Science Production for BBC Sounds

#BadPeople_BBC