The Trial

The Trial

The Trial goes behind the headlines of some of the biggest trials in the world. We take you into the courtroom, bringing you the detail as the evidence unfolds, examining key moments and carrying out exclusive interviews with detectives, victims, and experts. For ad-free listening to The Trial, exclusive bonus episodes every week, and complete access to previous series of the show, subscribe to The Crime Desk now. Visit www.thecrimedesk.com to become a member. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

December 8, 2025 33 mins

In this third special episode about Government plans to scrap thousands of jury trials Caroline and Liz chat to a survivor of child sexual abuse. Vicki Crawford spent years believing she was culpable for the abuse she suffered at the hands of her sister's older boyfriend when she was just 14, and when she finally did seek justice decades later her experience was one of inefficiency, push back and delay. But despite this, she told u...

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After David Lammy yesterday unveiled his proposals to scrap thousands of jury trials Caroline and Liz have the verdict from one of the country’s top barristers. Chris Henley KC said the Justice Secretary’s plans showed “contempt for ordinary people.” He said the issues in the court system which cause unacceptable delays are “embarrassing” but the jury system was not one of the problems. He also said trust in the justice system woul...

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December 1, 2025 42 mins

Should juries be scrapped? In this special bonus episode Caroline and Liz investigate leaked plans from the justice secretary to abolish jury trials for the majority of cases. It would be a fundamental change to our justice system. And it’s not gone down well.

The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.


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November 26, 2025 35 mins

In this episode Caroline and Liz have the reason football fans were knocked down “like skittles” by a former marine.  It was road rage. Paul Doyle was driving through the city as dozens of people celebrated Liverpool FCs League title, but he grew agitated that families wouldn’t get out of his way and he ploughed into them in his Ford Galaxy. Today as he dramatically changed his pleas to guilty we have all the details from the ...

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November 7, 2025 42 mins

Guilty of harassment but Not Guilty of stalking. That’s the jury’s verdict today on Julia Wandelt’s “relentless” pursuit of the parents of Madeleine McCann. It means she could soon be released from prison and likely deported back to Poland. In this episode Caroline and Claire have all the reactions from the court, including how the McCanns said they hoped she can now get the care and support she needs. Plus we have an interview wit...

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Today Caroline and Claire have the moment the police investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann was accused of being in a state of “almost inertia”. The barrister for Karen Spragg said Julia Wandelt was treated like a “nutter” by the police when she said she might be Madeleine McCann, and they should have taken her DNA sooner. The jury were also told that people who were concerned about Madeleine’s abduction were not ...

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In this episode Julia Wandelt accuses Gerry McCann of being involved in the abduction of his daughter Madeleine. She also says he has silenced his wife Kate and she claims officers from The Met may also have threatened her. She said she feels vulnerable since telling her story because people “don’t want the truth to come out.” But, in the final day of her giving evidence, she was accused of fabricating evidence and of creating a ch...

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In this episode Caroline and Claire have the words of Julia Wandelt as she gave evidence for the first time in her defence. She told the jury she wouldn’t have pursued the McCanns if they’d just done a DNA test. It’s also now emerged she was being advised on her media strategy by a publicist in the UK and a Psychic in the US.

The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the off...

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October 27, 2025 5 mins

It's been a while since Caroline & Liz had time to catch up and say hello to you all, and with the launch of our exciting new Crime Desk newsletter, thought now was as good a time as any!

sign up to the newsletter at newsletter.thecrimedesk.com for free.

Become a full member of The Crime Desk with a month’s free trial at www.thecrimedesk.com

The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken ...

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In this episode we have the words of the two women on trial. Julia Wandelt told police she was the victim and Karen Spragg accused the McCanns of organising the abduction of their daughter Madeleine. She also said she wasn’t a nasty person.

The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.


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Email us thetrial@da...

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The killer of schoolboy Harvey Willgoose has been named and jailed. Umar Khan was 15 when he stabbed Harvey during the school lunch break in February this year. Today, as he was sent to prison for 16 years, his identity was revealed for the first time. In this episode Caroline and Jack have all the details from Sheffield Crown Court.


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Today Caroline and Claire have the evidence that Julia Wandelt had to be convinced she was not two other missing children before she decided she was  Madeleine McCann. We also have the evidence from a forensic expert who said her DNA proved she was not Madeleine and we have what Chat GPT told her when she asked if she might be Gerry McCann’s daughter.

The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words ar...

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October 17, 2025 28 mins

Join Caroline and Claire today for the evidence which the jury have been told is the “conclusive proof” Julia Wandelt is not Madeleine McCann - her DNA. We also have the evidence from two friends of the McCanns who were in Portugal when Madeleine was snatched, who say they were also asked by Julia Wandelt to help her get to the McCanns. And we have some of the details on the man who is the “prime suspect” in Madeleine’s abduction.

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Join Caroline and Claire as the jury in Leicester are told for the first time that Julia Wandelt’s DNA was tested and proved she is not Madeleine McCann. In today’s episode we also have the dozens of voice messages and texts she was sending to Kate McCann.

The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.


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Join Caroline and Claire as they bring you the latest from the trial of the McCann “stalkers”. In this episode we’ve got the evidence of Kate and Gerry McCann who said the actions of the two women on trial were relentless and distressing. Gerry also said the family still have a glimmer of hope that Madelaine is still alive and Julia Wandelt could have put the investigation at risk. We also have the moment that Julia Wandelt screame...

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In this episode Caroline and Claire have the moment the court in Leicester were told two women accused of stalking Madeleine McCann’s family accosted them at the family home. They also joked about riffling through their bins. The prosecution say Julia Wandelt used emotional blackmail to try to convince the family she was Madeleine.

The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from t...

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In this episode Caroline and Claire have the opening day of trial of two women accused of stalking the family of Madeleine McCann. Julie Wandelt is accused of pursuing the family by email, call and text claiming to be their missing daughter who was abducted from Portugal in 2007. Karen Sprat is also accused of adopting her claims “with gusto”. Today as the case began Julia Wandelt broke down into loud sobs as the jury were told she...

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September 26, 2025 46 mins

In this episode Liz and Caroline speak to Danny Bogado, the director of a new Channel 4 documentary called Conviction: The Lucy Letby Case. They discuss why he wanted to make a film on the case, how he recruited contributors and why he feels it is important that audiences make up their own minds about her guilt or innocence.

The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the offi...

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September 19, 2025 5 mins

Dr Mike Hall was Lucy’s Letby’s key expert witness. But he was never called to give evidence at either of her trials. Caroline and Liz now ask him why. Search: The Trial of Lucy Letby: The Inquiry

The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.


Follow us on instagram @thetrialpod

Email us thetrial@dailymail.com

Whatsapp us +447796657512&nb...

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August 12, 2025 50 mins

In this episode, Caroline and Jack bring you an exclusive interview with the woman who acted as the intermediary for the boy convicted of murdering Harvey Willgoose.


Lucy Swindlehurst reveals the influence she had on the way the trial was conducted, with her colleague Paula Backen giving insight into how intemediaries operate in the court system.


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Contact us at thetrial@dailymail.com

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