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Podcasts · True Crime · Society & Culture

The Crime Agents

Global

131 episodes · Explicit

If you want to understand what’s really happening on Britain’s streets, you need to hear this.

More about the show

The Crime Agents goes beyond the headlines to uncover the truth behind crime that affects all of us. Why is violence rising? Why is public trust in the police collapsing? And what’s really driving young people to kill each other?

Hosted by two insiders who have spent their lives chasing the answers, this is your front-row seat to the realities of crime today. Neil Basu, the former Head of UK Counter-Terrorism Policing, brings unparalleled experience from the front lines of law enforcement. Andy Hughes, LBC’s Crime Correspondent, has spent two decades exposing the criminal underworld as an award-winning investigative journalist.

Each week, The Crime Agents dives deep into the stories you think you know - from foiled terror plots and unsolved murders, to gang culture, far-right extremism, and the tactics police use to crack the toughest cases. With over 50 years of combined experience, Neil and Andy don’t just report on crime - they’ve lived it.

The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For advertising opportunities on this podcast, email: GlobalStudiosSales@global.com

Episodes page 2 of 3

  1. Mohamed Al Fayed: power, abuse & cover-up

    · 56 min · Episode 49 · Explicit

    Just like Jimmy Savile, for years Mohamed Al Fayed used his power and wealth to commit hundreds of sexual crimes and get away with it. In this episode, Andy & Neil hear from Cheska Hill-Wood, a former Harrods employee…

  2. Q&A: Andrew, Mandelson & is Palestine Action support about to collapse?

    · 31 min · Episode 48 · Explicit

    Four Palestine Action activists have just been convicted of serious criminal offences, including criminal damage and GBH. Will this start to change public perceptions of the proscribed group? Will ordinary people look…

  3. ‘How Dare You!’ Zack Polanski vs The Police

    · 50 min · Episode 47 · Explicit

    A series of arson attacks on synagogues and Jewish ambulances in the space of just a few weeks. Two terrorist attacks barely seven months apart: one in Manchester and then, last week, another in Golders Green, North…

  4. Q&A: The rise of antisemitism, Russell Brand & knife crime

    · 24 min · Bonus · Explicit

    As the number of antisemitic attacks on British Jews continues to rise, in this Q&A episode Neil explains some of the reasons why this type of hatred has become so commonplace on our streets, and how it has changed…

  5. Cold case: how the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence was solved

    · 43 min · Episode 46 · Explicit

    Britain was changed forever by the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence in South East London in April 1993. What followed was a story of police incompetence, institutional racism and, eventually, a cold case that was…

  6. Q&A: Who declares terror attacks, what Louis Theroux missed & arson attacks on synagogues

    · 24 min · Bonus · Explicit

    In this week's Q&A episode, Andy & Neil discuss some of the recent attacks on synagogues and other Jewish sites in London. They explain who and what determines whether or not these incidents are declared as terror…

  7. Exclusive: Royal Protection Officer opens up on Andrew & Epstein

    · 50 min · Episode 45 · Explicit

    In an exclusive interview with Andy & Neil, Scott Hamer - a former Senior Royal Protection Officer - reveals what it's like to protect the highest profile people in the country. Scott worked with the former Prince…

  8. Q&A: ‘Paedophile Hunters’, citizens’ arrests & prison killers

    · 24 min · Bonus · Explicit

    'Paedophile Hunters': vigilantes who attempt to lure and confront suspected sex offenders, before calling the police in an attempt to entrap them and have them arrested. But are these self-appointed groups a help or…

  9. Southport attack: who was to blame?

    · 45 min · Episode 44 · Explicit

    This week, Andy & Neil react to the scathing report into the Southport murders, the brutal knife attack by a 17 year old at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the summer of 2024 which killed three young girls and…

  10. Q&A: Drugs in prisons & who should pay for policing football?

    · 29 min · Bonus · Explicit

    In this week’s Q&A episode, Andy & Neil tackle the issue of drugs in prisons. How do so many drugs get in, are corrupt guards to blame, and would using sniffer dogs inside jails make a difference? They also debate…

  11. Terror attacks & warzones: life as a bomb disposal expert

    · 36 min · Episode 43 · Explicit

    What's it really like to be a bomb disposal expert? In this episode, Andy & Neil explain how the police use these experts to defuse bombs and to save lives - and reveal why their services are called on more often than…

  12. Special Investigation: Inside Britain’s illegal care home crisis

    · 28 min · Episode 42 · Explicit

    In this special investigation, Andy exposes the scandal of the hundreds of illegal children's care homes which are operating all over the UK. In a joint investigation with Tom Wall and The Bureau of Investigative…

  13. Q&A: Should all police officers carry Tasers & should kids be banned from social media?

    · 27 min · Bonus · Explicit

    Figures show that over 100 police officers are assaulted every day in the UK - so is it time for them all to carry a Taser in self-defence? Can all officers be trusted to carry these 'less lethal' weapons? Neil draws…

  14. Levi Bellfield: catching a serial killer

    · 42 min · Episode 41 · Explicit

    Levi Bellfield was the first British prisoner to be sentenced to not one, but two whole life orders. He murdered three women, including the schoolgirl Milly Dowler, and was also convicted of multiple rapes and another…

  15. Q&A: Death threats, Soham Murders & why does Andrew still have protection officers?

    · 29 min · Bonus · Explicit

    In this week's Q&A episode, Neil reveals why he was once the subject of a death threat - and how one of his colleagues used some old-school tactics to deal with it. Meanwhile, Andy explains why the bomb squad were once…

  16. The manosphere: how dangerous are these toxic influencers?

    · 46 min · Episode 40 · Explicit

    This week, Andy & Neil take a deep-dive into the manosphere: a world of toxic misogyny and con artists. But where exactly is the line between influence and incitement? When does ideology cross a line into criminality?…

  17. Q&A: Filming police officers, Iran’s terror threat & how can youth workers stop gang crime?

    · 22 min · Bonus · Explicit

    After his rant last week about 'police auditors', in this week's Q&A Andy is challenged over his view and asked whether the George Floyd case in fact proves that officers should be filmed by the public while they're…

  18. Ian Huntley killed in prison attack: how and why?

    · 37 min · Episode 39 · Explicit

    Ian Huntley, the notorious double child murderer, died last weekend after being attacked in prison. It wasn't the first time he had been attacked while he served his life sentence - and in this episode, Andy & Neil…

  19. Q&A: Is it time to increase the age of criminal responsibility?

    · 25 min · Bonus · Explicit

    In this week's Q&A episode, Andy & Neil debate whether or not it's time to increase the age of criminal responsibility. It's currently 10 in England, Wales & Northern Ireland, but it's 12 in Scotland, and the UN…

  20. Does Trump’s Iran war make the UK less safe?

    · 42 min · Episode 38 · Explicit

    In this week's episode, Andy & Neil look at what impact the expanding war in the Middle East is having here in the UK. The Iranian regime has a long history of plotting terrorist acts and using proxies to hit targets…

  21. Q&A: Andrew’s arrest, the evidence against Lucy Letby & should Hitler salutes be illegal?

    · 24 min · Bonus · Explicit

    This week, Andy & Neil take your questions on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest, with Andy revealing the intriguing details he's been told by his sources about why the police search of Royal Lodge went on for almost…

  22. Who’s winning the war on gang violence?

    · 44 min · Episode 37 · Explicit

    More than one child is murdered every week in the UK - but what if the solution to gang violence isn't tougher prison sentences or more stop & search? This week, Andy & Neil explain why the kids caught up in this…

  23. Q&A: Tracking down Epstein's emails & was Jim Ratcliffe's immigration rant illegal?

    · 27 min · Bonus · Explicit

    In this week's Q&A episode, Andy & Neil explain how the police will be attempting to get their hands on the original versions of the emails in the Epstein Files as they continue their investigations into the likes of…

  24. Special episode: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested

    · 28 min · Episode 36 · Explicit

    Join Andy & Neil for this special episode as they react to the news that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of Misconduct in Public Office after the release of the Epstein Files. They discuss why…

  25. The gangs targeting Premier League stars

    · 41 min · Episode 35 · Explicit

    In towns and cities across the UK, the wealthy are being watched. Organised criminal gangs are targeting millionaires, high-profile sports stars and some of Britain’s most exclusive jewellery stores. Not randomly. Not…

  26. Cheating death: ‘I was ambushed by Russian hitmen’

    · 35 min · Bonus · Explicit

    In this special bonus episode, Andy is joined by Sky News cameraman Richie Mockler, who tells the extraordinary story of how he and his team cheated death after being ambushed by Russians at the start of the Ukraine…

  27. Mandelson, Epstein & Andrew: when power and policing collide

    · 36 min · Episode 34 · Explicit

    In this episode, Andy is joined by Lewis Goodall from The News Agents to look at the ongoing police investigation into Peter Mandelson, the former Labour peer brought down by his extensive association with Jeffrey…

  28. Q&A: Andrew's bodyguard & was police chief right to go over Maccabi Tel Aviv debacle?

    · 27 min · Bonus · Explicit

    In this week's Q&A episode, Andy & Neil address the row which has recently engulfed West Midlands Police. Was the force right to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending their Europa League match against Aston Villa?…

  29. Lucy Letby: time for a retrial?

    · 45 min · Episode 33 · Explicit

    Did Lucy Letby really murder seven babies, and attempt to murder seven more? This case has received global attention and has caused more public debate than any other in recent memory. In this episode, Andy & Neil…

  30. Q&A: undercover officers at risk from AI, cake fines & does the 'perfect crime' exist?

    · 22 min · Bonus · Explicit

    In this week's Q&A episode, Andy and Neil discuss whether AI is making life more dangerous for undercover police officers. Does AI put them at greater risk of their cover being blown? What extra precautions do they now…

  31. ‘Britain’s FBI’: how will it work?

    · 31 min · Bonus · Explicit

    As part of the biggest reform to policing in the UK for 200 years, the government has announced a 'British FBI': a new body which will focus on counter-terrorism and tackling organised crime. But what will it actually…

  32. Exclusive: inside Britain’s counter terrorism HQ

    · 40 min · Episode 32 · Explicit

    In 2017, a series of terror attacks hit Britain, claiming dozens of lives - including children's - and sending a wave of fear across the country. The state's response? To build a brand new counter-terrorism operations…

  33. Are the police still institutionally homophobic?

    · 47 min · Episode 31 · Explicit

    When Stephen Port - a serial killer who murdered four gay men - was finally brought to justice, the Metropolitan Police admitted that basic mistakes in their investigations had potentially cost some of the victims…

  34. Q&A: Should Musk be prosecuted over Grok & racism on The Traitors?

    · 23 min · Bonus · Explicit

    On this week's wide-ranging Q&A, Andy and Neil address the controversy over Grok, Elon Musk's AI tool which is widely used on X, and discuss whether the billionaire can be prosecuted over the way the tool has allowed…

  35. The secrets of undercover policing

    · 46 min · Episode 30 · Explicit

    You've seen it in the movies, but what does undercover policing really involve? What makes an effective covert officer, and just how brutal is it for the men and women who are brave enough to go incognito? And do you…

  36. Q&A: spotting a grooming gang, radical Islam & time to scrap juries for rape trials?

    · 19 min · Bonus · Explicit

    In light of Andy's recent investigation - which alleged that a former Met police officer was part of a VIP grooming gang - in this Q&A episode, he and Neil explain the signs to look out for if you suspect children are…

  37. Was Nicolás Maduro flooding Britain’s streets with cocaine?

    · 34 min · Episode 29 · Explicit

    The UK is the drugs capital of Europe, and more cocaine arrives here from Venezuela than from any other country. This week, in light of Donald Trump's operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Andy &…

  38. "I was attacked with a sofa" - tales from the front line

    · 28 min · Episode 28 · Explicit

    In this Christmas special, Andy and Neil ask each other the questions they've always wanted to know the answers to. Andy explains how the unlikely combination of cricket and being sacked by his Dad let to him becoming…

  39. Bondi terror attack: the heroism and the horror

    · 40 min · Episode 27 · Explicit

    This week, Andy and Neil unpick last weekend's events at Bondi Beach in Sydney, where 15 people were murdered in an ISIS-inspired, anti-Semitic terror attack. Andy recounts the details of exactly what happened - while…

  40. The police officer who “groomed girls as young as eight” | Special Investigation - Part 2

    · 32 min · Episode 26 · Explicit

    In this follow-up to Andy's exclusive report (listen to Part 1 here), which revealed that a former Met Police officer has been accused of being part of a grooming gang by multiple survivors of sexual abuse, Andy and…

  41. The police officer who “groomed girls as young as eight” | Special Investigation - Part 1

    · 40 min · Episode 25 · Explicit

    In this special episode, Andy exclusively reveals bombshell allegations of child abuse against a former Met Police officer, who has been accused of being part of a grooming gang by two different survivors. He tells a…

  42. Q&A: Caroline Flack, best cop dramas & can the NCA stop the boats?

    · 21 min · Bonus · Explicit

    In The Crime Agents' latest Q&A episode, Andy and Neil discuss the way police and the CPS treated Caroline Flack, the TV presenter who took her own life in 2020. Did officers seek to make an example of her because she…

  43. Jury trials to be scrapped: the verdict

    · 37 min · Episode 24 · Explicit

    The Justice Secretary has announced one of the biggest changes in hundreds of years to the way the British justice system works. Jury trials for crimes carrying sentences of three years or less will be scrapped - but…

  44. The criminals making millions from Christmas

    · 37 min · Episode 23 · Explicit

    Christmas: for most of us, it's a time of joy and celebration. But for a new group of organised criminals, Christmas means opportunity. Retail crime and shoplifting have hit record levels in the last few years - and…

  45. What really happens when someone calls 999?

    · 41 min · Episode 22 · Explicit

    What proportion of 999 calls in the UK are genuine emergencies? The answer will shock you. In this episode, Andy and Neil play you some of the most bizarre and ridiculous 999 calls which have been made in the last…

  46. When justice fails: why are rapists getting away with it?

    · 43 min · Episode 21 · Explicit

    Why do less than 3% of all reported rapes in the UK lead to a conviction? Andy and Neil describe that statistic as "shameful" and "a scandal" - and attempt to explain why a combination of rape myths and problems in our…

  47. Why do men commit so much more crime than women?

    · 19 min · Bonus · Explicit

    Men are responsible for nearly 80% of all crime carried out in the UK and make up over 90% of Britain's prison population. In this Q&A episode, Andy and Neil are asked: why is this the case? Is testosterone to blame?…

  48. "The police shot my mother" - one man's fight for justice

    · 37 min · Episode 20 · Explicit

    One day in September 1985, a dawn raid in South London went badly wrong. Police were looking for a man called Michael Groce - but they raided the wrong address, and ended up shooting his mother, Cherry Groce, who was…

  49. Special episode: could the mass train stabbing have been prevented?

    · 38 min · Bonus · Explicit

    As a train guard fights for his life and several other passengers recover in hospital, Andy and Neil bring you the latest on the story which continues to dominate the news: the mass stabbing on a train in…

  50. Armed response: inside firearms policing

    · 49 min · Episode 19 · Explicit

    Have you ever wondered how it feels to carry a firearm on the streets of London? Or what it's like to be among the first responders after a terror attack? And why do a small number of police officers in the UK choose…

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