Crime Insiders

On August 3, 2011, Paul Douglas Peters, a 50-year-old Australian businessman, entered the Mosman home of 18-year-old Madeleine Pulver on Sydney’s affluent North Shore and strapped what appeared to be a bomb around her neck.

The device, later revealed to be a hoax, was accompanied by an extortion note demanding money from her wealthy family.

What followed was a 10-hour ordeal for Madeleine, an international manhunt, and a legal process that captivated the public and media alike.

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In 2004, outside a pub, Australian Cricket legend David Hookes died. A manslaughter charge was laid, and a trial ensued. But no one was convicted, why? What were the processes that lead to the verdict, and how were the police involved? 

As well, what Underbelly doesn't show you. An unprecedented look at the killing of Alphonse Gangitano and the chaos which proceeded it - and, the Frankston Serial Killer Paul Denyer, and how he was caught. 

Charlie Bezzina is an unrelenting legend of Victorian Police - the man who helped catch Frankston Serial Killer Paul Denyer, and a key member of the team which fought against organised crime during the Melbourne Gangland wars of the 2000s. In his 35 plus year career, Bezzina has gone up against larger than life figures of the Australian crime world - but, in this chat with host Brent Sanders, understand the man behind the stories, and get an inside look into Bezzina and the world around him. 

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Erin Patterson has been charged with the murders of three relatives and the attempted murder of another; after allegedly serving up a beef Wellington dish laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms at a lunch at her home in 2023.  

She’s pled not guilty to all charges.  

In this special series of The Briefing, Holly Mitchell unpacks day 10 of the trial in under two minutes. 

For daily updates on the Erin Patterson triple murder trial, follow The Briefing, new episodes drop every evening for the duration of the trial.

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Saturday, October 12th, 2002. A warm night in Bali’s bustling Kuta Beach. Bars packed with tourists, music pumping. Then - devastation. Two massive explosions rip through popular Paddy’s Bar and the Sari Club across the road. 

202 lives were lost, 88 of them Australians. 

In the wreckage, tiny clues told a story. Copper wires, fragments of tartan fabric, the surprising absence of a crater.

Australian Federal Police Forensic chemist David Royds arrived at the scene just 48 hours later. Sifting through the devastation, he began working out what had happened and how it had happened —thereby uncovering essential information that would eventually lead to the arrest of the bombers.

In this episode, he takes host Liz Porter inside the science of that investigation and reveals the lessons learned from it. 

This episode contains descriptions of a mass casualty event. If you or anyone you know needs assistance, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. 

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The Fine Cotton Scandal of 1984 is a notorious event in Australian horse racing history, where a syndicate attempted to rig a race by substituting a slow horse with a faster one.

The plan, led by John Patrick Gillespie, involved a series of desperate measures that ultimately failed, leading to a national scandal that exposed corruption in the racing industry. 

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Victoria Police have a new Chief Commissioner - Mike Bush. 

Mike is the former New Zealand Commissioner of Police and has had a decorated career. However, his time as a Detective and a lead investigator saw him take on some gruesome and confronting cases - a far stretch from the press conferences and media appearances as commissioner. 

Last year, Mike joined Crime Insiders Detectives host, and fellow former NZ cop, Brent Sanders, to talk about some of the most memorable cases from his 40+ year career. 

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In 2016, a mum of three and a wannabe serial killer became two of Australia's most calculated female murderers.

Dr Kari Pitts is a forensic chemist and trace evidence expert, who has worked on over 300 criminal cases, including homicides, violent assaults, arson, and fatal hit-and-runs.

In this episode, Kari explains how a dyed blue hair and some carpet helped convict Perth's female thrill kill pair. Kari also tells former Crime Insiders Forensics host Kathryn Fox about an initiative she pioneered with the WA Police, that has so far assisted in over 150 sexual assault investigations.

If you're in Australia, information and support for anyone affected by domestic, family, and sexual violence is available at 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. 

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Nick Kaldas is an Australian law enforcement legend with a career spanning over 40 years. From undercover ops and hostage negotiations, to rebuilding Iraq’s police force post Saddam Hussein, Nick has seen it all. 

In this episode of Crime Insiders Detectives, Nick shares jaw-dropping stories from the front lines with host Brent Sanders. He'll reveal the emotional toll of policing, the brutal reality of insurgency, and the silent crisis of veteran mental health. 

This episode has descriptions of violent crime and suicide. If you or anyone you know needs assistance, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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When Diane Brimble boarded a cruise in 2002, no one imagined what would come next. This episode of Crime Insiders Judgements unpacks the disturbing case that shook Australia. What really happened that night at sea? And how did a mother’s death spark nationwide outrage and a call for change?

Hear about the events leading up to Diane's death, the subsequent investigation, and the legal proceedings that followed. 

This episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault, violent crime and men's violence against women. If you or anyone you know needs support, contact 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. 

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A 40 hour long raid. Shot 14 times in a mere 5 seconds, and bleeding out on the ground for 3 hours. This was Derrick McManus' day at work in May 1994. 

Derrick is a 40-year veteran of the South Australia Police. After joining the force in 1976, he moved up the ranks and was eventually selected for the exclusive STAR Group, an elite tactical special operations unit that took on some of the state's most intense cases. 

In this episode, Derrick tells host, Brent Sanders, how an arrest warrant turned into what would become South Australia's largest siege, with the offender firing over 2500 rounds in 40 hours, and how he managed to survive against all odds.

If this content affects you, the number for Lifeline is 13 11 14. 

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