Australian True Crime

As Jeffrey Lindsell’s family and friends gathered around his hospital bed in the days after his house caught on fire, attention turned to his volatile on-off relationship with Amanda Zukowski. It seemed as though Jeffrey had been living in an abusive relationship and had been a victim of coercive control and intimate partner violence. They realised that although he’d been increasingly withdrawn during the two year relationship and was particularly reluctant to talk about her, he’d shared different things with each of them at different times, and when they put it all together a very disturbing picture emerged. Homicide Victims' Support Group: https://www.hvsgnsw.org.au/CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guest: Corinne LindsellProducer/Editor: Matthew TankardExecutive Producer: Jacqueline TonksRecorded at a Hub Australia Media Studio. Find the workspace that's right for you at

Jason Roberts, 41 years old, was recently freed for the first time in twenty two years by the Supreme Court of Victoria. He was seventeen years old when two police officers, Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller were shot and murdered on Cochranes Road, Moorabbin, Victoria. Roberts was one of two who were convicted of the murders all those years ago. It's a very infamous case in Australia, and a very complicated one. We are joined today by Adam Cooper, journalist at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, who is here to help us break down the jury's acquittal of Jason Roberts.CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guest: Adam CooperProducer/Editor: Matthew TankardExecutive Producer: Jacqueline TonksRecorded at a Hub Australia Media Studio. Find the workspace that's right for you at https://www.hubaustralia.com/If you have been affected by anything discussed in thi

The Magistrates’ Court is the workhorse of the legal system, hearing both criminal and civil matters. Magistrates’ Courts around Australia hear the vast majority of sentenced court cases - more than 90 per cent in fact.Michael Challinger is a criminal barrister based in Melbourne and has been working in Victorian courts since 1975 – representing clients, mostly in the Victorian Magistrates’ Court and Children’s Court. Michael’s written a book called Mostly Guilty – which is funny….a little politically incorrect at times…and it’s about his career working in this first rung of the court system.  He dubs himself a “low-flying barrister” but as you’ll hear, the work he and his colleagues do every day is really important and, to be honest, probably undervalued.CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guest:  Michael Challinger, author of Mostly Guilty: A l

We've spoken a great deal on this show over the years about the work of our state coroners, and today we finally got to meet one. Leveaaque Peterson was appointed a coroner by the Victorian state government in February 2020, and throughout her career in the legal system has chosen to take on some big and uncomfortable challenges. We'll find out why she finds that kind of law interesting, and also, what being a coroner actually entails. CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guests:  Coroner Leveaaque PetersonProducer/Editor: Matthew TankardExecutive Producer: Jacqueline TonksRecorded at a Hub Australia Media Studio. Find the workspace that's right for you at https://www.hubaustralia.com/If you have been affected by anything discussed in this episode you can contact: Lifeline on 13 11 14 13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and To

Many offenders who remain incarcerated can use their superannuation upon release to return to their lives luxuriating in their super, whilst their survivors generally are unemployed due to the longstanding impact these horrendous crimes have had on them. Our guests today, Andrew Carpenter and Adam Washbourne, are some of the front runners calling on the government to reform the Bankruptcy Act, so that child sex offenders’ superannuation can be used to help victim-survivors rebuild their lives.Sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/strip-paedophiles-of-their-superannuation-and-give-it-to-survivors-of-child-sexual-abuseLearn more about Fighters Against Child Abuse Australia here: https://www.facaaus.org/CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guests:  Andrew Carpenter and Adam WashbourneProducer/Editor: Matthew TankardExecutive Producer: Jacqueline TonksRecorded

Dr Ahona Guha is a Melbourne-based Forensic and Clinical Psychologist. Ahona works at pointy end of mental health and treatment - with people who have clinical presentations of harmful behaviours, trauma histories, and those who have offended against others - sexual offences (including against children) violence, stalking, arson… Dr Ahona Guha, DPsych works in the field of forensic psychology to understand offending behaviours such as stalking, sex offending and intimate partner violence with the intention of assessing risk and providing psychological treatment to people who offend; thus contributing to community safety and the protection of victims. She believes it is important to understand and discuss these behaviours to ensure that people receive the treatment they need to stop offending. She also works with victims of trauma to support them with managing post-traumatic responses. She writes widely for the media on matters related to mental health, health, social justice, and equity, a

Australia in the mid twentieth century has a dark history of forced adoption. Women who did not fit the moral expectations of the time (usually those who were young and unmarried) had their children taken from them at birth, often with little to no information left behind for them to be reunited.Our guest today, Lily Arthur, is one story of many, and it is an absolutely heartbreaking one. It is also a story of determination and grit, and the long fight Lily went through to seek justice for what happened to her and many others.Links:Lilyarthur.comLily's book: Dirty Laundry: The Crimes A Country Tried To Hide: https://www.booktopia.com.au/dirty-laundry-lily-arthur/book/9781922532787.htmlQLD Judgement can be found here: https://www.queenslandjudgments.com.au/caselaw/qsc/2004/456Origins SPSA (Supporting people separated by adoption): https://www.originsnsw.com/CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her po

The bullet point version of today's episode of Australian True Crime.There’s stories that get under the skin of people, especially journalists. And this story you’re going to hear about is unbelievable. And most of us have probably never heard about it. Enter author Sandi Logan, a former journalist and diplomat who followed the case of two older American women Vera 'Toddie' Hays and Florice 'Beezie' Bessire - who were arrested in Australia in the 1970s for having almost 2 TONNES of hashish concealed in a camper van. He’s written a book called Betrayed: The incredible untold inside story of the two most unlikely drug-running grannies in Australian history that is the definitive story of this case.CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guest:  Sandi Logan, author of Betrayed: The incredible untold inside story of the two most unlikely drug-running grannies in Australian

There’s stories that get under the skin of people, especially journalists. And this story you’re going to hear about is unbelievable. And most of us have probably never heard about it. Enter author Sandi Logan, a former journalist and diplomat who followed the case of two older American women Vera 'Toddie' Hays and Florice 'Beezie' Bessire - who were arrested in Australia in the 1970s for having almost 2 TONNES of hashish concealed in a camper van. He’s written a book called Betrayed: The incredible untold inside story of the two most unlikely drug-running grannies in Australian history that is the definitive story of this case.CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guest:  Sandi Logan, author of Betrayed: The incredible untold inside story of the two most unlikely drug-running grannies in Australian history published by HachetteProducer/Editor: Matthew TankardExecutiv

Matthew Condon is an Australian author and journalist who has published multiple books on the history of corruption in the Queensland police force and state government. Our conversation today covers the events that led up to, and following, the Fitzgerald enquiry, which lead to custodial sentences for three former senior QLD ministers, and for the police commissioner, Terry Lewis. Joh Bjelke-Petersen, the longest running QLD premiere, was also sacked and tried for perjury.Matthew Condon is as fascinated today as he's ever been by Queensland's history of corruption, which really is the kind of thing you would think is over the top if it were in a movie, but it's all very, very true...Matthew's books on Queensland corruption, collectively known as the Three Crooked Kings trilogy, can be viewed below:Jacks and Jokers Three Crooked KingsAll Fall Down Matthew has a new podcast titled Dig: Sirens Are Coming, and he is also currently assisting on Hedley Thomas' new podcast The Teacher's Trial. CREDITS:Host: Meshel L

A lot of us will remember  the haunting photo of beautiful 12-year-old Tiahleigh Palmer, who was murdered in 2015. However the path to the dark truth of what happened to Tiahleigh was long and shocking and not resolved until several years later.Tiahleigh was living in foster care in Logan, Queensland with Rick and Julene Thorburn and their sons Trent and Joshua.Kate Kyriacou, the Courier-Mail newspaper’s Crime and Courts Editor, has reported extensively on Tiahleigh’s death and the tragic full story that emerged. Kate became close with Tiahleigh’s mum Cindy Palmer, who waged her own social media efforts to find her daughter in the days after she disappeared. CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guest:  Kate Kyriacou, Courier-Mail Crime & Courts Reporter and author of the book The Sting The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe's Killer.Producer/Ed

A NOTE FOR LISTENERS – This episode discusses the issue of deaths in custody of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Gamilaraay woman, Louise Lynch is the manager of Corrective Services NSW’s Aboriginal Strategy and Policy Unit. Louise first came to work in NSW prisons as a teacher more than 25 years ago and she’s dedicated her career to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in prison and, among many important initiatives, improving and embedding culturally appropriate training for staff in corrective services. Louise tells us about the complexities of the justice system for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and how, and why, it looks very different for men and women. Find out more about the work and employment opportunities in Corrective Services NSW here: https://correctiveservices.dcj.nsw.gov.au/ or at the service in your state.CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and l

Megan Norris spent several years with Cindy Gambino in the wake of the murders of her three sons by their father, her ex-husband Robert Farquharson on Father’s Day 2005. They were working together on a book called ‘On father’s Day’. They remained close and Megan joins Emily Webb to reflect on Cindy’s tragic death and the ultimate form of family violence. You can pre order Megan Norris's upcoming book 'Messiah's Bride' here. CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guest:  Megan NorrisProducer/Editor: Matthew TankardExecutive Producer: Jacqueline TonksArchival audio used in this episode is from Channel 10 News If you have been affected by anything discussed in this episode you can contact: Lifeline on 13 11 14 13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) Thanks for listening, we’ll

 It’s 17 years since Cindy Gambino’s ex-husband Robert Farquharson murdered their three sons, ten-year-old Jai, seven-year old Tyler and three-year old Bailey by deliberately driving his car into a dam on the side of the Princes highway, near Winchelsea, West of Geelong on father’s day in 2005. Cindy Gambino died last week as the result of a medical emergency at her home in country Victoria. She was just 50 years old. Journalist and author Megan Norris developed a close relationship with Cindy in the years after the boys’ deaths as they worked on a book together. The book is called On Father’s Day, and Megan was one of our first guests on Australian True Crime back in 2017. She joined us to talk about the extraordinary experience of writing that book.You can pre order Megan Norris's upcoming book 'Messiah's Bride' here. CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. 

Best-selling biographer and history author Peter FitzSimons has turned his attention to detailing the history of the Sydney Opera House - drama, scandals and even crimes. For this episode of Australian True Crime, Emily speaks to Peter about a crime linked with the Opera House and how it shocked the nation - the kidnapping and killing of Bondi schoolboy Graeme Thorne in 1960.Peter’s book The Opera House is published by Hachette Australia.CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guest:  Peter FitzSimonsProducer/Editor: Matthew TankardExecutive Producer: Jacqueline TonksArchival audio used in this episode  is from https://www.nfsa.gov.au/ If you have been affected by anything discussed in this episode you can contact: Lifeline  on 13 11 14 13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) Thanks f

Lindy Cameron,  journalist, award-winning author and publisher joins Meshel and Emily to talk about about Danny Deacon, who murdered his former partner Carlie Sinclair in Darwin. Lindy’s co-written a book with her sister Fin J Ross called Toxic: Cold-blooded Australian murders full of Aussie cases of men, including Deacon (in a chapter called “An Absolute Bastard”)  and women who kill.  Toxic: Cold-blooded Australian murders full of Aussie cases of men and women who killhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/toxic-lindy-cameron/book/9780655218968.htmlNEXT WEEK Australia’s favourite history author Peter Fitzsimons tells us about the Sydney Opera House’s sinister side and the crime that shocked the nation.CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram Co-Host: Emily Webb. You can find her on Instagram here and listen to her podcast Killer Content here. Guest: Guest name Lindy Cameron  Lindy is the publisher of Clan Destine Press  Producer/Editor: Mat

Faith Slatcher is the Governor of Goulburn Correctional Complex in New South Wales but you’ll probably be more familiar with the part of this prison known as the Goulburn Supermax which manages high risk inmates including Australia’s “Pablo Escobar” Mostafa Baluch and Bassam Hamzy, boss of the violent crime gang Brothers 4 life. There’s also the never to be released inmates there like Malcolm George Baker who murdered seven people on NSW’s central coast in a spree killing in 1992 and Lindsay Robert Rose, killer of five people over a decade from 1984 to 1994. So, does a corrections officer, particularly one so high up in the ranks as Faith, have to be as tough as the people she’s responsible for?  If listening to this episode has got you thinking about a career in corrections you can go to the Corrective Services NSW website or the corrections department in your state. You might want to go back and listen to some of our previous episodes about life in prisons.  The Killing Fields: Insi

For this episode we meet Angela Feeney, a Corrections officer in NSW who's been in the job for 27 years. Angela has worked a lot with women inmates – it’s something she tells us she swore she’d never do. Angela sheds light on life inside prison including the circumstances she’s seen on the job that break her heart and she also gives her honest opinion on how Meshel and Emily would go if they went to jail. If listening to this episode has got you thinking about a career in corrections you can go to the Corrective Services NSW website or the corrections department in your state. We spoke to Angela’s colleague Faith Slatcher, the Governor of Goulburn Correctional Complex in New South Wales which includes Goulburn Supermax - the highest security prison in Australia. LISTEN HERE You might want to go back and listen to some of our previous episodes about life in prisons.  The Killing Fields: Inside Australia’s most evil prison Prison Officer in Danger  Birds Eye Vie

RE-ISSUE: EPISODE #165.The murder of 14-month-old Jaidyn Leskie is officially unsolved. Journalist and author Michael Gleeson explains the prosecution’s theory as to how he died and the many distractions that prevented his killer seeing justice.Warning: please be advised this episode contains graphic content.Show notes for Episode 165:Your hosts are Meshel Laurie and Emily WebbWith thanks to Michael Gleeson from The Age and Sydney Morning HeraldListen to ChildersLike us on Facebook ​Follow us on Instagram or TwitterSupport us on PatreonVisit our BookshopSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/australiantruecrime. Become a subscriber to Australian True Crime Plus here: https://plus.acast.com/s/australiantruecrime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1997, fourteen month old Jaidyn Leskie was left by his young mum Bilynda Williams, with her boyfriend Greg Domaszewicz while she went for a rare night out. She never saw her child again. That same year, two families awoke to discover their teenage daughters were missing after a routine camp out with their friends. They were by then, miles away, having been abducted by two troubled young men with no boundaries, and nothing to lose. The responsibility of finding justice for the families of all three, fell ultimately to Rowland Legg and his team of detectives. You can find Australian Story's two part piece on Prue Bird here and hereYou can read Caroline Overington's piece on the Bega School Girls here If you have a true crime story, we’d love to hear it. You can send us a message on Facebook or Instagram or email us at hello@australiantruecrimepodcast.com If you are in immediate danger in Australia, call 000. There is help if you are experiencing family violence orcoercive control. You can