The Innocence Podcast

The third in our series on Children in Prison.  In this episode we hear from Dr Nicola Campbell. Her research has focused on the impact on families - particularly mothers - when a child is found guilty of a crime and taken away.

She is joined by Lisa - a mother whose son is still incarcerated and who speaks candidly about the impact it has had on them.

This podcast is brought to you with the support of Fieldfisher - an international law firm, with a strong Global Investigations team. Their team boasts experienced specialist criminal investigations lawyers, who handle serious and complex economic crime cases. They have represented both companies and individuals facing some of the most significant criminal enforcement actions of the past decade, with a proven track record of successfully and fearlessly defending their clients’ interests, and achieving justice.

The Innocence Podcast is brought to you by The Manchester Innocence Project - https://bit.ly/34YbLTi

Presenter/Writer: Kylie Pentelow

Executive Producer: Claire McGourlay

Donate to the Manchester Innocence Project - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/manchester-innocence-project-justice-hub

The second in our special series on Children in Prison. Today we hear from Jan Cunliffe who has campaigned tirelessly since her son Jordan was given a mandatory life sentence for murder when he was 16.

Along with Gloria Morrison, Jan set up Jengba - Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association - a campaign group in the UK that supports people wrongfully convicted under joint enterprise.

This podcast is brought to you with the support of Fieldfisher - an international law firm, with a strong Global Investigations team. Their team boasts experienced specialist criminal investigations lawyers, who handle serious and complex economic crime cases. They have represented both companies and individuals facing some of the most significant criminal enforcement actions of the past decade, with a proven track record of successfully and fearlessly defending their clients’ interests, and achieving justice.

The Innocence Podcast is brought to you by The Manchester Innocence Project - https://bit.ly/34YbLTi

Presenter/Writer: Kylie Pentelow

Executive Producer: Claire McGourlay

Donate to the Manchester Innocence Project - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/manchester-innocence-project-justice-hub

The first in a series about children in prison - does it work and is it right to put them behind bars?

In this episode, author and KC Chris Daw speaks about how he thinks the system needs to change… and how it’s currently failing children.

His book Justice on Trial is available now.

This podcast is brought to you with the support of Fieldfisher - an international law firm, with a strong Global Investigations team. Their team boasts experienced specialist criminal investigations lawyers, who handle serious and complex economic crime cases. They have represented both companies and individuals facing some of the most significant criminal enforcement actions of the past decade, with a proven track record of successfully and fearlessly defending their clients’ interests, and achieving justice.

Presenter/Writer: Kylie Pentelow

Executive Producer: Claire McGourlay

Donate to the Manchester Innocence Project - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/manchester-innocence-project-justice-hub

It's seen by many as a cornerstone of British justice, but there are plans to restrict jury trials in England and Wales to only the most serious of crimes such as rape or murder.

It's because of a huge backlog in the courts, with many defendants waiting years for their cases to be heard.

In this episode top barristers Chris Daw KC and Keir Monteith KC discuss what impact this could have on justice.

Justice Secretary David Lammy says the reforms are "bold" but "necessary", with the Conservatives describing the plans as the "beginning of the end of jury trials".

The Innocence Podcast is brought to you by The Manchester Innocence Project - https://bit.ly/34YbLTi

Presenter/Researcher: Kylie Pentelow

Executive Producer: Claire McGourlay

Donate to the Manchester Innocence Project - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/manchester-innocence-project-justice-hub

In this podcast you'll hear an emotional interview with Tom Hayes - a city trader who was fighting to clear his name for a decade.

He was jailed in 2015 for manipulating so-called Libor interest rates, used for loans between banks. He spent five-and-a-half years behind bars.

In July 2025 the Supreme Court quashed his conviction and now he is free to restart his life.

This episode was sponsored by Fieldfisher - an international law firm, with a strong Global Investigations team. Their team boasts experienced specialist criminal investigations lawyers, who handle serious and complex economic crime cases. They have represented both companies and individuals facing some of the most significant criminal enforcement actions of the past decade, with a proven track record of successfully and fearlessly defending their client’s interests, and achieving justice.

https://www.fieldfisher.com/en

The Innocence Podcast is brought to you by The Manchester Innocence Project - https://bit.ly/34YbLTi

Presenter/Researcher: Kylie Pentelow

Executive Producer: Claire McGourlay

Donate to the Manchester Innocence Project - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/manchester-innocence-project-justice-hub

Oliver Campbell spent 30 years trying to clear his name after being wrongly convicted of murder.

He spent more than a decade in seven different prisons for a crime he didn't commit.

In this podcast you'll hear how Oliver suffered a brain injury when he was a baby - which affected his memory and meant he was vulnerable to manipulation.

His legal team said a confession at the time was made amid the immense stress of 14 interviews by police… and the evidence against him didn't add up.

Hear from Oliver himself and the people who helped clear his name.

The Innocence Podcast is brought to you by The Manchester Innocence Project - https://bit.ly/34YbLTi

Presenter/Researcher: Kylie Pentelow

Executive Producer: Claire McGourlay

Donate to the Manchester Innocence Project - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/manchester-innocence-project-justice-hub

Toby Jones is a well known British actor. One of his more recent roles was playing Alan Bates - the lead campaigner for victims of the Post Office Scandal - where thousands of sub-postmasters were wrongly blamed for financial losses on the computer system.

In this episode you'll hear from Toby about why he took the role - and why he thinks the programme, Alan Bates Vs The Post Office, had such an impact.  

Toby was born in London to a family of actors. He grew up in Oxford but went on to study drama at The Victoria University of Manchester, graduating in 1989.

He received a University Outstanding Alumni Award from Manchester in 2012 and became an Honorary Professor of Drama at Manchester in 2017.

The Innocence Podcast is brought to you by The Manchester Innocence Project - https://bit.ly/34YbLTi

Presenter/Researcher: Kylie Pentelow

Executive Producer: Claire McGourlay

Donate to the Manchester Innocence Project - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/manchester-innocence-project-justice-hub

Brian Banks was a high school football star on track to make the NFL - until he was falsely accused of rape.

He spent over five years in prison and served five years on parole - until his accuser was secretly recorded admitting the truth.

Brian’s comeback story - including finally playing in the NFL - was turned into a Hollywood movie.

He is interviewed by Brady Haran in this episode.

Brian Banks website - https://brianbanksfree.com/

Brian Banks (movie) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Banks_(film)

The Innocence Podcast is brought to you by The Manchester Innocence Project - https://bit.ly/34YbLTi

Presenter/Researcher: Kylie Pentelow

Executive Producer: Claire McGourlay

Donate to the Manchester Innocence Project - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/manchester-innocence-project-justice-hub

Barry Scheck might be best known for being part of OJ Simpson's winning defence team.

But his work as the godfather of The Innocence Project has had worldwide impact for thousands of people who have been wrongly convicted.

He changed the way that DNA was used to prosecute and prove innocence.

Now he’s devoting much of this time to looking at the ways AI can be a force for good, and bad, in the courtroom.

The Innocence Podcast is brought to you by The Manchester Innocence Project - https://bit.ly/34YbLTi

Presenter/Researcher: Kylie Pentelow

Executive Producer: Claire McGourlay

Donate to the Manchester Innocence Project - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/manchester-innocence-project-justice-hub

Would you ever have thought that the music you listen to could be used to convict you of a crime?

The organisation Art Not Evidence wants to stop the use of creative and artistic expression as evidence in criminal trials.

In this podcast we hear from two people involved in that campaign - Kier Monteith KC and Elli Brazill.

Both Keir and Elli believe there has been an alarming increase in rap music being used to convict people. They say police and prosecutors even use listening to rap music, posting videos, or writing lyrics to suggest a motive for carrying out crime.

Art Not Evidence: https://artnotevidence.org

This episode of The Innocence Podcast was supported by Fieldfisher - a European law firm with market-leading practices in technology, financial services, energy & natural resources, and life sciences - https://www.fieldfisher.com/

The Innocence Podcast is brought to you by The Manchester Innocence Project - https://bit.ly/34YbLTi

Presenter/Researcher: Kylie Pentelow

Executive Producer: Claire McGourlay

Donate to the Manchester Innocence Project - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/manchester-innocence-project-justice-hub