Crime World

A serial fraudster was employed by a family in Kildare as a live in au pair after being outed on a hit podcast and in a series of newspaper articles as a conwoman.Samantha Cooke managed to reinvent herself as child care worker Sadie Harris and lived for six months with the family while her real identity faced the eye of a publicity storm about a series of cons across Ireland.Nicola speaks to journalist Mark Tighe of the Sunday Independent about the extraordinary story of a woman who keeps changing her name, look and background and who is currently gone dark somewhere in Ireland.He tells her about her latest scam which terrified a young mother returning to work and about her colourful background as an artist, a writer and even a psychotherapist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two republicans Colin Duffy and Henry Fitzsimons have been acquitted of terrorism charges following a long-running trial at Belfast Crown Court. Earlier their co accused Alex McCrory was also acquitted in the M15 bugging case.So how did their trial take ten years in the court and what is the fallout from their acquittals? Did the M15 succeed in infiltrating the New IRA while the old order was caught up in the case and on strict bail conditions or was the decade-long case a fiasco for Public Prosecution Service.Nicola speaks to Belfast Telegraph Crime Correspondent Allison Morris about M15 bugs and the long-running case Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ten men were brought before courts in Cork yesterday charged with conspiracy to import drugs into Ireland.Six Spanish nationals, one Serbian, two Dutch and one Irish man from Fermanagh were all granted free legal aid at Middleton, Cork and Bandon District Courts.Nicola speaks to Sunday World News Editor Eimear Rabbitte about the conspiracy charges directed for the first time in Irish courts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Veteran gangster Martin ‘The Viper’ Foley is facing having his house repossessed to pay off a massive Criminal Assets Bureau bill which has grown to over €700,000.The 73 year old was hit with a tax bill from the CAB more than 20 years ago but he only paid off a small portion and then challenged it through the courts.By 2020 it had quadrupled to what he currently owes developing an impasse between him and the Bureau.Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about a bad year for The Viper. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

IRA killer Pearse McAuley lived a life of violence as an IRA volunteer and later as a prison bully and a brutal domestic abuser.Found dead aged 59 at his home in Strabane in County Tyrone he leaves behind a legacy of fear and intimidation spanning decades of controversy.One of a four man team who shot dead Detective Garda Jerry McCabe during a botched post officer robbery in 1996 he was given the full support of Sinn Fein as a political prisoner.But when he attacked and stabbed his former wife, Sinn Fein Councillor Pauline Tully, he became ostracised from his old supporters.Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about the life and legacy of McAuley the terrorist who went from hero to villain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A suspected drugs gang with possible links to Hezbollah militants remain in custody as Gardaí continue to investigate an alleged drugs plot off the West Cork coast.Detectives had been secretly monitoring professional divers, logistics operators and two Dutch passport holders with Iranian links before they moved in to make arrests.But with no cocaine found during the operation and time running out on the arrests what will happen next in the latest international drug investigation centred on the Irish coastline?Nicola speaks to Niall Donald about cocaine and the significance of Ireland as a key landing point for drugs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

***EPISODE ORIGINALLY RELEASED IN JANUARY 2022***Detective Anthony Amore hunts stolen art and follows clues all over the world hunting priceless masterpieces which have been snatched by thieves. In this week's episode of Crime World, detective Anthony Amore talks about one time heiress, Rose Dugdale, who gave up a charmed life to become an IRA activist and a thief who picked out the jewels of Russborough House in Wicklow and later inspired the legendary criminal Martin The General Cahill. He also reveals what he thinks about another famous criminal Martin ‘The Viper’ Foley and his tall tales. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was an act of kindness during lockdown that ended up nearly costing an honest garda of his career.In May 2020, an officer took a bike from his station's lost and found and loaned it to a pensioner who had been given doctor's advice to get more exercise. But this act of compassion would lead to a three year nightmare and see specialist officers raid the garda's home.Niall Donald speaks to Sunday Independent Crime Correspondent Ali Bracken about how an officer's life was thrown into chaos over a 50 euro bike. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Serial child abuser Bill Kenneally sparked outrage when he joked and laughed through testimony at a public inquiry this week.Kenneally appeared to relish the attention as he described how Gardaí had known about his crime since 1987.But behind the headlines caused by Kenneally's testimony, the inquiry is seeking to discover how the state failed his victims.Niall Donald speaks to Saoirse McGarrigle about the work of the Commission of Inquiry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amanda Brown's stepfather David Tweed began sexually abusing her at an early age. For years, she knew the real monster behind the man who presented himself to the public as a star rugby player and pillar of the community. In 2012 tweed was jailed for 8 years on charges of child sex abuse, but he got out of prison 4 years early when his conviction was overturned.  It wasn't until after his death that his victims were truly able to breathe a sigh of relief. Niall Donald speaks to Amanda about her new book 'No Peace Until He's Dead', and her years of harrowing abuse at the hands of a paedophile. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.