Crime World

Journalist Jane MacSorely sipped a glass of Champagne and stared at the man on the oxygen tank who had invited her to dinner.It was probably the strangest interview she'd ever done in her entire career, but it was also the beginning of a journey that would culminate in the launch of her incredible podcast 'I Am Not Nicholas'.The man in the three piece suit and sporting a bow tie was claiming to be an academic called Arthur Knight, who told Jane he had been wrongly accused of being an American fugitive that faked his own death in order to evade the law.But what was the truth? And where would her investigations take her?Nicola is joined by Jane to talk about this fascinating story, of the serial fraudster who courted the media, and who wound up in a COVID ward in a Glasgow hospital.She tells of the charming chameleon of many faces, who still believes he can fool the world with a spiders web of lies, deceit and fear.

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Rock 'n' Roll legend Tina Turner never realised the impact her powerful ballad 'Simply The Best' was going to have on one of Northern Ireland’s most feared terrorists but when he embraced the song as his own she had to send her lawyers out in force for Mad Dog Johnny Adair.Nicola is joined by journalist Hugh Jordan to talk about the incredible story of the world famous singer and her greatest fan whose fanatical group the Ulster Freedom Fighters adopted the song in a sick tribute to their hitmen.

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The Encrochat phone hack which has been the catalyst for the sensational arrest of Kinahan Cartel lieutenant Liam Byrne on Majorca this week has netted hundreds of criminals their cash, guns and drugs for police forces across Europe.But Ireland’s stance on the multi agency offensive described as the greatest blow to organised crime in decades has been more than curious.Despite a raft of convictions already made and hundreds more before the courts, Ireland has yet to charge one person using Encrochat intelligence it received from Dutch and French police instead deciding to remain an outlier.Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the strange decisions made by An Garda Siochana during a crucial opportunity against criminals, about the lack of accountability around orders to withhold information from specialist units and about the future of a force whose police plan appears to be stuck in the past.

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Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch has failed in his court bid to recoup his massive legal costs from the Regency murder trial.The Special Criminal Court has refused his application saying there was no unfairness by the State in bringing Hutch to trial over 52 days. And that although he was acquitted the court found he was involved in serious criminal conduct underlying the charges against him and that he was the patriarchal figure in the Hutch Organised Crime Group.Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about what options The Monk has left his bid to get back his trial bill of more than €500k and we ponder should he appeal or simply quit while he’s ahead.

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Kinahan Cartel target Liam Byrne has networked with a host of celebrities from the world of sport in recent years managing to moonlight between days out at Ascot races and what officers say is a seedy underbelly of organised crime.With his son Lee currently dating football star Steven Gerrard’s daughter following a string of influencer girlfriends it seems the worlds of crime and celebrity merge with ease in the modern world.Nicola is joined by Niall Donald to talk about the first court appearance of Byrne since his dramatic arrest on the island of Majorca this week on Gun charges and about the millionaire friends he has kept close over years at the very top of the organised crime ladder.

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A self described ‘British fascist’ has admitted that he shared terrorist documents on a Telegram channel and now faces a lengthy jail term.Gym fanatic Kristopher Kearney was arrested and extradited from Alicante in Spain where he was running the social media channel under the nickname Charlie Big Potatoes.Kearney had shared the manifestos of mass killers including Norwegian Anders Breivik and also shared posts encouraging violence against black people, Jews and Muslims.Nicola is joined by journalist Chris Summers who was in the Old Bailey where Kearney pleaded guilty and later took to the stand to defend his beliefs.

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Kinahan Cartel kingpin Liam Byrne has been arrested on the holiday island of Majorca after slipping home from Dubai to meet his family.The 42 year old is wanted in the UK on serious firearms and organised crime offences and will face extradition to the courts there.The arrest comes after his lengthy career at the very top of the criminal ladder and marks the final blow to the once powerful Dublin branch of the Kinahan Cartel.Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the breaking news story about Liam Byrne's arrest and about his long history in violent crime.

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He is a convicted terrorist and a self professed killer involved in up to 27 murders but 'Border Fox' Dessie O’Hare is also a devoted husband who practices yoga, prays to Our Lady and meditates every day.So who is this complex character who runs one of the landings in the notorious Portlaoise Jail where he is serving a sentence for attempted kidnap and extortion and how can he manage to show to extreme faces to the world?Nicola is joined by journalist Eamon Dillon to talk about the life, crimes and the oddities of Ireland’s most ruthless terrorist.

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It’s the sex scandal that has rocked ITV and pitted two powerful presenters against a former colleague as allegations of Phillip Schofield’s relationship with a young male he first met aged 15 have been confirmed.This week as the This Morning affair deepened Schofield insisted he committed no crime and didn’t groom the teen, only beginning a relationship with him when he was 19 years old.Former colleagues Eamon Holmes and Dan Wootton however say that Schofield is ‘deluded’ or ‘lying’ and insisted a full investigation must get underway.Nicola and Niall are joined by Sunday World Features Editor Daragh Keany about the sensational fallout from behind the scenes at Britain's most popular chat show, about the narcissistic antics of some of the small screens biggest stars and about the crimes that are often exposed by cancel culture pile-ons.

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A tiny Iranian island known as the Pearl of the Persian Gulf has been identified as a hub for Kinahan dirty money and is where America’s Drug Enforcement Agency believe that their drug funds made their way into the hands of Hezbollah.Kish Island is part of Iran but it is also a free trade zone with lax banking practices making it attractive to the top end of organised crime.Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about Kish and it’s links to the Kinahan organisation and we discuss the changing face of Daniel Kinahan from Oliver Bond schoolboy to international drug don with a hankering for home.

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