Who the Hell is Hamish?

Who killed Rosslyn McQueen? Today’s launch day for something very special here at The Australian: a new Hedley Thomas cold case investigation. The Poisoned Wife is a podcast examination of how a 30-year-old pregnant mother died of strychnine poisoning in her own home - and nobody has been brought to justice.

Who killed Rosslyn McQueen?

How key witness in Rosslyn McQueen murder broke her 40-year silence on case

Subscribers to The Australian hear new episodes first on Apple Podcasts, on The Australian’s app and thepoisonedwife.com, where you’ll find photos, videos, timelines, stories and more.

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This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Joshua Burton. Our team includes Lia Tsamoglou, Tiffany Dimmack, and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. 

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For years Hamish McLaren had evaded the law. But not any more. The brutal truth, like a runaway out-of-control limited edition Mercedes McLaren, is bearing down on him. There's no escape.

Judgement Day for Hamish McLaren has finally arrived.  

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It may appear that Hamish got away with his schemes for decades. But he didn't. He kept getting caught out, time and again.

It's self evident that many systems failed to apprehend this serial offender. How could this be so?  

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He killed off his parents, by air and by sea. He ran over his twin brother Phil, and killed him, too.

What are we to make of these fanciful stories Hamish made up about his life? We've called in experts. And we've gathered bevy of ex-girlfriends to give us their take on their time with Hamish.  

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Skiing was Hamish Watson's great love. Before he was a puffed-up futures trader in Sydney, he was a pumped-up muscle-bound ski instructor, in Australia and Canada.

The ski fields of Canada were his home away from home, a place where he could show off the millions he'd stolen. He flew in on private jets, he bought properties, he handed out Rolex watches and he regaled the locals with tales of life as a billionaire who was mates with Tom and Nicole.

But it wasn't all play and no work for Hamish in Canada. He stole millions, roping in a high end car dealership, and drawing the attention of a spy and a former Australian Prime Minister.  

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Hamish arrived on the floor of the Sydney Futures Exchange in the late 90s - he talked big, but they all knew he traded small. They called him a One Lot Wonder. And they all wondered where he got his cash. There were cars and boats and trips in private jets and a girlfriend called The Pleasure Machine.

But it was all other people's money. One of his victims reported $20m dollars worth of fraud to police, but Hamish slithered away to strike again.  

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Jane was destined for big things. She was the great hope of her local school. She was in love with Jack, her teenage sweetheart. Life was sweet.

Then, along came Hamish, promising an internship and a placement at Princeton. Two families would be devastated by the results.

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Hamish arrived in sleepy Blueys Beach with a beautiful woman on his arm, and on the run from his past. Rumours of dark deeds wafted through in his wake. Then he met Bec Rosen. He'd shower her with love. They'd be married on the balcony of a beach shack. He'd become a father figure to her boys.

And then he'd cruelly betray them all.

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Hamish McLaren was always attracted to the high-life. It was inevitable he'd gravitate to fashion. And so, nestled among the retirees and energy healers, Hamish stole from was another name: Lisa Ho. But had Hamish met his match in this high profile Sydney designer? 

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