On Boxing Day 1988, a 57-year-old woman returned home to her Bermondsey flat after spending Christmas with family. Inside, someone was waiting. Over the next 18 months, four elderly women across Southwark and Rotherhithe would be brutally attacked in their own homes by the same man — Michael John Roberts. The press called him the Praying Rapist and the Beast of Bermondsey, a violent predator who stalked South London’s most vulnerable residents for nearly two years before vanishing without trace. Decades later, a cold-case review and a breakthrough in low-copy-number DNA finally unmasked him.

And because we know you come here for both the horror and the human, Rach and Han chat about bowling disasters, tall-girl energy, new specs, and the difference between “pronto” and “quickly.” (Spoiler: it’s not what you think.)

Sources for the episode include:

https://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/beast-of-bermondsey

https://squaremilenews.blogspot.com/2012/01/twenty-two-year-hunt-for-southwark.html

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/serial-rapist-michael-john-roberts-caged-cold-280829

https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/crime/serial-rapist-michael-roberts-given-four-life-sentences-6288646.html

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/rapist-should-not-have-been-sentenced-to-wholelife-term-8206033.html

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/JCO/Documents/Judgments/r-v-david-oakes-and-others.pdf

https://www.thelawpages.com/court-cases/index.php?res=1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-16531390

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/nov/21/murderer-whole-life-sentence-judges

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-raped-elderly-disabled-women-living-alone-court-told-1935833

https://www.newssniffer.co.uk/articles/478970/versions/834446

https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/uk-england-1989599

Support the show

Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South."

Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...

Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines
Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

In this week's episode, we cover the devastating case of three-year-old Daniel Evbuomwan, who was murdered in a house in Downham by his own uncle, Ben Igbinedion. It's a case that shocked the local community, not only because of Daniel's young age but because of the disturbing circumstances behind his death.

We talk through who Daniel was, what happened in the lead up to that terrible day, and how the investigation unfolded. Trigger warning right off the bat... this ones desperately upsetting!

Sources include:

https://news.sky.com/story/boy-3-murdered-after-he-wet-the-bed-10429008

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-Investigation-Team-Steven-Keogh/dp/1789466423

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-25058488

https://metro.co.uk/2013/11/22/killed-for-wetting-the-bed-uncle-jailed-for-beating-nephew-3-so-badly-it-was-like-hed-been-trampled-by-horses-4198322

Support the show

Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South."

Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...

Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines
Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

In October 2009, two men were brutally murdered inside a flat in West Norwood, South London. Donald MacPherson, a Scottish chef and grandfather, and Luciano Schiano, a familiar face on Streatham High Street where he sold The Big Issue, were attacked with a level of violence detectives later said “beggared description.”

Before we get into the grim detail though, there’s the usual warm-up: Han having to tense herself up all over again after our trip to what can only be described as a home for the bewildered – complete with ratatouille and couscous. Then we dive into the case itself, side quests and all.

Sources for this episode include:

https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/4705627.daughters-of-west-norwood-double-murder-victim-make-appeal-to-find-killer

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-10644912

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10379097

https://stevekeogh.com/books

https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/south-london-double-murder-flat-looked-like-an-abattoir-6723775.html

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/murdered-chef-in-wrong-place-at-wrong-time-55ht0v3ss3q

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/family-tell-of-heartbreak-at-murder-of-chef-1064391

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/two-guilty-of-savage-murder-of-chef-and-flatmate-2026332.html

Support the show

Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South."

Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...

Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines
Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

In the summer of 1998, 30-year-old mother and DJ Avril “Miss Irie” Johnson was brutally murdered in her own home in Tulse Hill. Armed men forced their way in, tied up her family, and executed Avril in front of her husband and two young daughters. Her death became part of a wider spree of violence that shook London and helped shape the launch of Operation Trident.

In this episode, we walk through Avril’s life, her love of music, the terrifying events of that night, and the trial that followed, while also unpicking the wider panic about so-called “yardie gangs” in the late 90s.

And yes, alongside the horror, you’ll still hear our slightly delirious pre-holiday ramblings about Justin Timberlake, Potter’s Bar, and accidental cinema merch purchases.

Sources include:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/572113.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/526538.stm
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/aug/28/ukcrime.ukguns
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12224108.two-get-life-for-execution-of-woman-dj/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tippa_Irie
https://www.tippairie.com/
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/dec/22
https://www.mojuk.org.uk/2011/HyroneHart.html
https://www.mojuk.org.uk/2011/HyroneHart-2.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/yardie-gang-members-get-life-for-murder-and-rape-spree-1134068.html
https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/6501258.police-believe-deaths-linked

Support the show

Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South."

Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...

Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines
Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

We're back in Victorian South London with a case so grim it became known as the Barnes mystery. In March 1879, widow Julia Martha Thomas hired a new servant, Kate Webster - a decision that would prove fatal. Within weeks Julia was dead, dismembered in her own kitchen copper, and Kate was strutting around Richmond in her employer's clothes, even trying to sell off the furniture.

In this episode we unravel the murder, the cover-up, and the sensational Old Bailey trial that made Kate infamous as the "Richmond Murderess". Along the way, we talk about whether we thrive under our own jurisdiction (spoiler: no), how not to make coffee when you're already in a mood, and the ongoing curse of smashed plates and dead mice.

Sources include:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14034969

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9dORAA9Ll4

https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/file/5536ba5a-c8d3-4492-ae2d-2836a0f6cad3/1/Chapter%206%20Kilday%20%28True%20Crime%20Histories%29.pdf

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104299579/julia_martha-thomas

https://historianandrew.medium.com/why-kate-websters-murder-of-julia-martha-thomas-captivated-london-in-1879-adbc17dd0b63

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0lfwfjc

https://truecrimearchives.blog/kate-webster-axe-murderess-of-richmond/

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43653402

https://www.irishpost.com/features/ten-facts-kate-webster-irish-maid-hanged-dismembering-employer-victorian-london-131185

Support the show

Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South."

Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...

Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines
Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

We're back! Season 3 is a go... what does season 3 do differently from season 2 you ask? Well... nothing really! HOWEVER... We're back with a big ol’ case – the brutal murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich in 2013.

In this episode we cover the events of that shocking day, the life of Lee Rigby, and the aftermath that rippled far beyond South London. From the horrific attack in broad daylight, to the courage of bystanders, the trial of his killers, and the way far-right groups tried to hijack his memory – this is a tough one, but one we felt we had to do justice to.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Sinister South without a bit of life admin first. Expect chat about hen dos and weddings, near-death experiences with kids wielding water guns, Hannah’s bright pink dress, Rachel’s new obsession with painting by numbers, and why running a virtual farm might just be more stressful than real life.

Sources include:

Support the show

Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South."

Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...

Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines
Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

We start this week chatting about Hannah’s all-consuming new farming obsession (no, not in real life – in a mobile game) and Rachel’s daughter delivering the line of the year to a would-be eight-year-old suitor.

But soon we turn to the devastating story of Lakanal House. In July 2009, a fire tore through the Camberwell tower block, claiming the lives of Catherine Hickman, Dayana Francisquini, her children Thais and Felipe, and Helen Udoka with her newborn daughter Michelle. It exposed fatal flaws in fire safety, building regulations, and the infamous “stay put” policy. This was a tragedy that should have been a wake-up call, yet eight years later, Grenfell showed how little had changed. We explore the events, the victims, the investigation, and the warnings that went unheeded.

Sources include

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/mar/28/lakanal-house-fire-inquest-verdict

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39211598

https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/lakanal-house-fire-the-human-cost-39170

https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/lakanal-house-fire-what-architects-must-learn/8650805.article

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/11461/2170793.pdf

https://assets.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/LFB00032148_Exhibit%20RJD_9%20-%20Report%20‘Coroner’s%20Inquests%20following%20the%20fire%20at%20Lakanal%20House%20on%203%20July%202009.pdf

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/14887/fire-safety-purpose-built-flats.pdf

Support the show

Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South."

Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...

Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines
Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)

Camberwell, South London. A quiet flat just off the main road. Nothing about it stood out—least of all the man inside. But for over a decade, Frederick Diji was running a romance scam so insidious, one victim sent him money for 14 years.

Using fake names, false promises, and a soft voice on the other end of the phone, Diji—and his accomplice Raquel Johnson—manipulated over 80 victims into handing over more than £400,000. Their targets? Mostly older gay men. People less likely to report it. Less likely to be believed.

This is a story of shame, silence and stolen futures. Of what happens when loneliness gets weaponised—and love becomes a trap.

Plus: Hannah’s got an 80s hen do, Rachel’s got a vendetta against fabric softener, and we both end up talking about the exes we probably should’ve blocked years ago.

Support the show

Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South."

Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...

Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines
Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)