Narelle Fraser Interviews: Recent Episodes
Black Salmon
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Narelle Fraser was in the Victorian Police Force for 27 years, 15 of which were spent as a detective dealing with everything from a stolen bicycle to a stolen life. However, Narelle’s career was cut short when she succumbed to PTSD, retiring in 2012 and reinventing herself as a public speaker and occasional guest on the Australian True Crime Podcast. In NFI, Narelle examines the human side of the impact of crime in a compelling and emotive series of podcasts.
Pat Storer was a country policeman for the majority of his 45yr career with Victoria Police but it’s the last 15 which were his most rewarding at Violet Town Police Station. Pat didn’t have the luxury of being able to rely on specialist units/squads or services to help – most times it was up to Pat and Pat alone. Violet Town taught Pat the true meaning of inclusiveness and acceptance....
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This week’s podcast is dedicated to Di McDonald, who is launching Stalking Awareness Day Australia (SADA) on 24th May 2024.
Di has been a guest of NFI a few times, and is a strong advocate for law reform regarding stalking legislation and Police response to reports of stalking. She’s lobbied MP’s, organisations & the media in her mission to raise awareness of the offence of Stalking.
Di’s story is very powerful and has been featured on programs including Australian Story and Insight and 7 of her recommendations she submitted to the Victorian Law Reform Commission’s Stalking enquiry, were accepted. Di’s passion has arisen from somehow surviving a stalker who’s offending was relentless and included humiliation, denigration, fear and terror, not only upon her, but her friends & family. What an incredible woman Di McDonald is.
Congratulations on your pursuit for a safer community for us all.
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Sel is a trauma informed lawyer and understands the stresses clients experience when navigating the Family Court system as unfortunately, she has experienced this on a personal level, so she really DOES understand the impacts. Sel is committed to trying to resolve family law matters in a timely way without court proceedings where possible.
There’s so much I’d love to chat to Sel about today, because, in my podcast and policing world, I’ve heard too many stories of those treated poorly by the court system, particularly in family court matters where the common themes seem to include humiliation, intimidation and feeling demeaned by defence lawyers.
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Sel is a trauma informed lawyer and understands the stresses clients experience when navigating the Family Court system as unfortunately, she has experienced this on a personal level, so she really DOES understand the impacts. Sel is committed to trying to resolve family law matters in a timely way without court proceedings where possible.
There’s so much I’d love to chat to Sel about today, because, in my podcast and policing world, I’ve heard too many stories of those treated poorly by the court system, particularly in family court matters where the common themes seem to include humiliation, intimidation and feeling demeaned by defence lawyers.
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I’d never met or spoken with Robin (Rob) Bailey until a few weeks ago. Rob had been a member of Victoria Police for almost 30 years but our paths never crossed. He retired at the rank of Chief Inspector after working in some of the toughest squads, including the Armed Robbers.
You wouldn’t normally associate toughness with Fraud, but today you will learn what it takes to be a top investigator and it doesn’t necessarily involve murders ∧ rapes. Rob was a specialist Forensic Fraud Investigator and did an aggregate of 11 years with the VicPol Fraud Squad at 3 ranks. Today he takes us into a complicated, what he describes as a “basically uninvestigable” messy file he was handed and asked to have a look at, which contained a plethora of fraudulent insurance claims, false personal injury claims, kickbacks & many more twists & turns.
Apart from this ‘basically uninvestigable’ file, for which 17 people were ultimately charged, Rob was involved in many high profile investigations including being a vital (and seriously injured) witness to the Russell Street bombing outside the Police station in March 1986, he was part of an Australian peacekeeping mission for the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, he’s authored a book “So you Want to be a Policeman Eh" & so much more I frankly don’t have the time to share with you.
Not surprisingly, Rob, like so many other Police, still bears the mental scars of his time as a Policeman and has become a fierce advocate for those who don’t have a voice or can’t find one. He’s not out of the woods, like many of us, but has learned to manage his mental health. Rob believes many deaths of Police veterans may not be as innocuous as initially determined which is why he is so passionate in reaching out to members who’ve retired, often broken, never having admitted it to their families & loved ones, let alone themselves, that ‘the job’ has damaged them.
There’s so many investigations I’d love to chat to Rob about and I’m sure we’ll have Rob back, but today we’re going to talk about that fascinating, intriguing fraud investigation I touched on before.
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You wouldn’t believe that we’re recording this the day after the Victims of Crime Commissioner here in Victoria released her report titled ‘Silenced and Sidelined” which was a disturbing report/insight into how victims of crime are treated by the justice system – from their initial report to Police through to their experience in the court system and how we can improve that experience. It was disturbing reading. My guest today Tammy Casselson’s story just highlights and confirms what the Victim of Crime Commission found in her report. What REALLY frustrates me is the fact that since 2016 there have been 7 reports into how victims are treated in the justice system and what can be done to improve their experience. With all due respect to Fiona McCormack, the Victims of Crime Commissioner, nothing seems to have changed. We just seem to be going round & round in circles. And Tammy’s story is proof of that……………
Tammy Casseslon had it all – or so it appeared. A carefree, happy childhood, happy upbringing, meets Mr Handsome, Mr Popular, Mr Nice Guy, Mr Life of the Party who also had a carefree happy childhood & happy upbringing. A happy life, right??!! Tammy & her husband had 2 adorable children and everything just seemed perfect.
But behind closed doors Tammy didn’t “have it all”. She was frightened. Her husband’s behaviour was becoming more unpredictable – his bursts of anger, his yelling, his insults & his threats, not only towards her, but their children.
Mr Handsome had become Mr Narcissist, Mr Abusive, Mr Vindictive, Mr Controlling, Mr Demeaning. Like so many other survivors of D&FV, Tammy made excuses for his behaviour, not recognising or understanding the seriousness of his increasingly violent behaviour. It wasn’t until an ill-fated attempt at taking his own life and ending up in hospital, Tammy found the courage to leave. That’s when she realised his abuse had included financial abuse & discovered their finances were in shatters, non-existent. He’d kept it secret from her that they had nothing – and Tammy and her children were homeless. But homelessness was a safer option than staying.
How does a successful, educated professional woman with a background in counselling, psychology, & teaching become homeless?
Tammy was dragged through the court system where all the games her husband could have played, he did – along with his legal representatives whom she felt belittled and intimidated by.
Tammy’s husband eventually did end his life but left a lot of heartache & “what ifs”. ‘What if’ they could have tried some type of amicable reconciliation, ‘what if’ their children & their father could have mended some of the damaged relationship, ‘what if’ he’d sought some help – his death became a senseless void unable to be filled. All because he refused to seek help.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
You wouldn’t believe that we’re recording this the day after the Victims of Crime Commissioner here in Victoria released her report titled ‘Silenced & Sidelined” which was a disturbing report/insight into how victims of crime are treated by the justice system – from their initial report to Police through to their experience in the court system & how we can improve that experience. It was disturbing reading. My guest today Tammy Casselson’s story just highlights & confirms what the Victim of Crime Commission found in her report. What REALLY frustrates me is the fact that since 2016 there have been 7 reports into how victims are treated in the justice system & what can be done to improve their experience. With all due respect to Fiona McCormack, the Victims of Crime Commissioner, nothing seems to have changed. We just seem to be going round & round in circles. And Tammy’s story is proof of that……………
Tammy Casseslon had it all – or so it appeared. A carefree, happy childhood, happy upbringing, meets Mr Handsome, Mr Popular, Mr Nice Guy, Mr Life of the Party who also had a carefree happy childhood & happy upbringing. A happy life, right??!! Tammy & her husband had 2 adorable children & everything just seemed perfect.
But behind closed doors Tammy didn’t “have it all”. She was frightened. Her husband’s behaviour was becoming more unpredictable – his bursts of anger, his yelling, his insults & his threats, not only towards her, but their children.
Mr Handsome had become Mr Narcissist, Mr Abusive, Mr Vindictive, Mr Controlling, Mr Demeaning. Like so many other survivors of D&FV, Tammy made excuses for his behaviour, not recognising or understanding the seriousness of his increasingly violent behaviour. It wasn’t until an ill-fated attempt at taking his own life & ending up in hospital, Tammy found the courage to leave. That’s when she realised his abuse had included financial abuse & discovered their finances were in shatters, non-existent. He’d kept it secret from her that they had nothing – & Tammy & her children were homeless. But homelessness was a safer option than staying.
How does a successful, educated professional woman with a background in counselling, psychology, & teaching become homeless?
Tammy was dragged through the court system where all the games her husband could have played, he did – along with his legal representatives whom she felt belittled & intimidated by.
Tammy’s husband eventually did end his life but left a lot of heartache & “what ifs”. ‘What if’ they could have tried some type of amicable reconciliation, ‘what if’ their children & their father could have mended some of the damaged relationship, ‘what if’ he’d sought some help – his death became a senseless void unable to be filled. All because he refused to seek help.
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Last year I interviewed Peter ‘Lucky’ Lukaitis a Policeman from Castlemaine, who was involved in a siege at Kangaroo Flat, here in Victoria, where 4 Police were shot (thankfully all survived). There were many heroic efforts on this day which have resulted in a number of bravery awards, not only for Police, but also members of the public who put their own lives at risk to assist Police who had been shot and lay injured, unable to move. After a 19hr stand off, the SOG were deployed and located the gunman, John Wason, deceased in his home after turning his gun on himself.
One of the Policeman shot (not once but twice) was Senior Constable Peter Eames, my guest today. Peter was one of the first to arrive at the scene & was attempting to converse with the gunman when he was shot, first in the chest & then in his leg. Miraculously Peter survived, as did the other 4 Police who were subsequently shot. This siege remains the single largest number of Police shot in the one incident in Victoria’s history.
But on talking to Peter, the siege pales into insignificance (would you believe) compared with the trauma and grief he endured in Egypt on 12th January 2006.
Peter was part of a 90 strong contingent of Australians, made up of police and emergency workers and their friends and relatives, who were on a professional and cultural exchange with Egyptian police, organised through the Egyptian Federation of Victoria and organised twice a year since 1990.
Peter was on a bus which overturned on a desert road around 45k from Cairo where 6 people died, 2 of those being Peter’s B-I-L Mark and nephew Drew. Many more were injured. Peter miraculously survived (again!!) and was taken to Cairo hospital for treatment for broken bones/ribs, cuts and bruises.
Welcome Peter and thanks so much for your time
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Last year I interviewed Peter ‘Lucky’ Lukaitis a Policeman from Castlemaine, who was involved in a siege at Kangaroo Flat, here in Victoria, where 4 Police were shot (thankfully all survived). There were many heroic efforts on this day which have resulted in a number of bravery awards, not only for Police, but also members of the public who put their own lives at risk to assist Police who had been shot and lay injured, unable to move. After a 19hr stand off, the SOG were deployed and located the gunman, John Wason, deceased in his home after turning his gun on himself.
One of the Policeman shot (not once but twice) was Senior Constable Peter Eames, my guest today. Peter was one of the first to arrive at the scene & was attempting to converse with the gunman when he was shot, first in the chest & then in his leg. Miraculously Peter survived, as did the other 4 Police who were subsequently shot. This siege remains the single largest number of Police shot in the one incident in Victoria’s history.
But on talking to Peter, the siege pales into insignificance (would you believe) compared with the trauma and grief he endured in Egypt on 12th January 2006.
Peter was part of a 90 strong contingent of Australians, made up of police and emergency workers and their friends and relatives, who were on a professional and cultural exchange with Egyptian police, organised through the Egyptian Federation of Victoria and organised twice a year since 1990.
Peter was on a bus which overturned on a desert road around 45k from Cairo where 6 people died, 2 of those being Peter’s B-I-L Mark and nephew Drew. Many more were injured. Peter miraculously survived (again!!) and was taken to Cairo hospital for treatment for broken bones/ribs, cuts and bruises.
Welcome Peter and thanks so much for your time
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Kathleen Folbigg was convicted for the deaths of her 4 young children (all babies) in NSW over a 10 year period and in 2003 was convicted of the murder of 3 of them and manslaughter of one child.
Always maintaining her innocence, she was initially sentenced to 40yrs in prison (reduced to 30yrs on appeal) however after 2 decades in jail, she was pardoned and in Dec 2023 had her convictions quashed following a judicial inquiry that found there was reasonable doubt with regard to her guilt. That finding was informed by new scientific evidence that had been unavailable at the time of her trial and other crucial evidence relating to Folbigg’s diaries which were presented by the prosecution as akin to confessions.
We’ll chat a little about this case but what I’m more interested in is how Dr Williams feels about the way media cover criminal processes such as Kathleen Folbigg’s trials, how they portray criminals and the influence (and danger) they can have in swaying public opinion.
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Kathleen Folbigg was convicted for the deaths of her 4 young children (all babies) in NSW over a 10 year period and in 2003 was convicted of the murder of 3 of them and manslaughter of one child.
Always maintaining her innocence, she was initially sentenced to 40yrs in prison (reduced to 30yrs on appeal) however after 2 decades in jail, she was pardoned and in Dec 2023 had her convictions quashed following a judicial inquiry that found there was reasonable doubt with regard to her guilt. That finding was informed by new scientific evidence that had been unavailable at the time of her trial and other crucial evidence relating to Folbigg’s diaries which were presented by the prosecution as akin to confessions.
We’ll chat a little about this case but what I’m more interested in is how Dr Williams feels about the way media cover criminal processes such as Kathleen Folbigg’s trials, how they portray criminals and the influence (and danger) they can have in swaying public opinion.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kathleen Folbigg was convicted for the deaths of her 4 young children (all babies) in NSW over a 10 year period and in 2003 was convicted of the murder of 3 of them and manslaughter of one child.
Always maintaining her innocence, she was initially sentenced to 40yrs in prison (reduced to 30yrs on appeal) however after 2 decades in jail, she was pardoned and in Dec 2023 had her convictions quashed following a judicial inquiry that found there was reasonable doubt with regard to her guilt. That finding was informed by new scientific evidence that had been unavailable at the time of her trial and other crucial evidence relating to Folbigg’s diaries which were presented by the prosecution as akin to confessions.
We’ll chat a little about this case but what I’m more interested in is how Dr Williams feels about the way media cover criminal processes such as Kathleen Folbigg’s trials, how they portray criminals and the influence (and danger) they can have in swaying public opinion.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kane Nuttall’s story isn’t, unfortunately, all that unusual. As a teenager he struggled to fit in on many levels. He was overweight and hence got bullied. He suffered severe acne which resulted in embarrassment and humiliation. Being a teenager is difficult enough, but with these added pressures, he couldn’t escape his feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. With his self confidence and self worth shattered, he began to slide into a deep depression and as his stress and anxiety increased, so did his depression.
With everything falling down around him, he fell in with the wrong crowd, trying to fit in anywhere he could and was introduced to drugs. Soon he started to rely on those drugs to feel better & before he knew it, he was dependent on them, being unable to function without them. He lost his will to be anything but a drug addict. And for 12 years he abused his body & his mind, in an almost full-time haze, not caring about anyone or anything, other than where his next hit was coming from. He also tried to end his life, such was that hopelessless and helplessness. The only reason he didn’t end up in jail was but for a stroke of luck – and he’s never forgotten how ‘lucky’ he was the day the house he was living in (which he describes as ‘the drug house’) was raided by Police. Had he been home, he probably would have ended up like the others – being charged and facing court and jail time.
But what IS unusual about Kane is that he beat his addiction to meth, ice and any other drug he could get his hands on, but it wasn’t easy. With his family’s support he somehow found a reason to live and he realised he’d been given a second chance and decided to help and support others who’d been in his position and founded an amazing organization – The Power in You.
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One of the best things about doing my podcast is discovering people who’ve never thought of sharing their story because 1) they didn’t think anyone would be interested 2) they thought there were others who were doing it tougher than them 3) they had never had the opportunity to tell their story or didn’t think they had the courage.
Today’s guest Michael (not his real name) is that person. Michael sent me a brief message after having read an article about me somewhere. Part of his message read “I want to express my thanks for your work. I can only guess about how hard it was. I write this as an older survivor of childhood abuse confidentially”. Funny how that last word has just been thrown out the window and cast aside by me!! Confidential!!!!– trust me Michael!!! Your secret is safe with me!!
I responded and said if he ever felt like talking about it, I’ve found many of my guests who’ve never told their story before, find it cathartic and their stories often helps others in the comfort of knowing they are not alone. I can be pretty persuasive and he finally relented!!!
Michael has such a great attitude considering his father was jailed for offences committed upon him and his siblings, one of which ended their life as a teenager with Michael never knowing (and never wanting to know) if they too had been abused by their father. It is no surprise that this abuse had a devastating effect on Michael and his family, with relationships fractured and ruined forever. Michael said to me in one phone conversation he was thankful he put his father in jail because “it gave him another 10 yrs of life” which he wouldn’t have had, had he not been incarcerated. If you don’t mind me saying, that’s very forgiving and I don’t think there’d be too many others out there as forgiving.
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Giles was Prison Officer with Corrections Victoria for 12 years.
for 6 of these years he worked in the Operations Team for Corrections Victoria Intelligence Unit. His role was to investigate prison offences, drug trafficking into prisons, disrupt prison gang activity, investigate staff misconduct and to provide intelligence information to law enforcement agencies. Giles discovered a love of investigating and has recently landed a great role as an investigator for another government organisation.
But it is his role within Corrections Victoria we are going to talk about today. His inside knowledge of many prisoners we have all heard about through the media is fascinating, with his role as case manager requiring him to talk and interact with them and support them in a way. He gives us an insight into their personalities and what it was like dealing with some of Australia’s most dangerous criminals.
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Giles was Prison Officer with Corrections Victoria for 12 years.
for 6 of these years he worked in the Operations Team for Corrections Victoria Intelligence Unit. His role was to investigate prison offences, drug trafficking into prisons, disrupt prison gang activity, investigate staff misconduct and to provide intelligence information to law enforcement agencies. Giles discovered a love of investigating and has recently landed a great role as an investigator for another government organisation.
But it is his role within Corrections Victoria we are going to talk about today. His inside knowledge of many prisoners we have all heard about through the media is fascinating, with his role as case manager requiring him to talk and interact with them and support them in a way. He gives us an insight into their personalities and what it was like dealing with some of Australia’s most dangerous criminals.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Cameron Duncan was part of a hand-picked team of Victorian Detectives assigned to assist the Special Operations Group in arresting criminals, Archie Butterly & Peter Gibb, who, with the aid of Gibb’s secret lover, prison guard Heather Parker, escaped from the Melbourne Remand Centre in March 1993.
Butterly despised Cameron & only days before their escape, had made a credible death threat to Cameron & his family, so upon his escape Cameron’s family were immediately evacuated to a safe house.
Cameron’s decorated career came at a cost in many respects.
Cameron’s story is compelling.
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Tania Maxwell was sexually abused as a child, which led to difficulties as a teenager, battling a gamut of emotions including depression, suicidal ideations and anxiety.
But as you’ll hear today, her philosophy has been since then, to learn something from every experience, both the good and bad.
Tania found a purpose in her life – to become a victim advocate, but to also understand offending more, with a view to reducing it or even better, to ultimately prevent it.
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Tania Maxwell was sexually abused as a child, which led to difficulties as a teenager, battling a gamut of emotions including depression, suicidal ideations and anxiety.
But as you’ll hear today, her philosophy has been since then, to learn something from every experience, both the good and bad.
Tania found a purpose in her life – to become a victim advocate, but to also understand offending more, with a view to reducing it or even better, to ultimately prevent it.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Anastasia – endured physical, psychological and verbal abuse from her husband.
A mother of two children, both of whom have learning difficulties. Anastasia herself had learning difficulties. She managed a highly successful business. A trailblazer! Helping young and vulnerable children.
Throughout this she held a secret, she endured physical, psychological and verbal abuse from her husband, of which her children and some of her friends are witness to at times.
After enduring years of lockdowns and having to temporarily close her business, her husband suddenly leaves and on the very day he chooses to leave is the day she chose re-open her business. And further, on that day she is served with an intervention order, citing extraordinary instances which she categorically denied and stated are untrue. But due to the protracted court appearances, stress on Anastasia and her children, anxiety and legal meetings/conferences and fees, she decided it is easier to agree to the Order without agreeing to the allegations, and
so the order is granted for 3 yrs.
This is Anastasia’s extraordinary story.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Anastasia – endured physical, psychological and verbal abuse from her husband.
A mother of two children, both of whom have learning difficulties. Anastasia herself had learning difficulties. She managed a highly successful business. A trailblazer! Helping young and vulnerable children.
Throughout this she held a secret, she endured physical, psychological and verbal abuse from her husband, of which her children and some of her friends are witness to at times.
After enduring years of lockdowns and having to temporarily close her business, her husband suddenly leaves and on the very day he chooses to leave is the day she chose re-open her business. And further, on that day she is served with an intervention order, citing extraordinary instances which she categorically denied and stated are untrue. But due to the protracted court appearances, stress on Anastasia and her children, anxiety and legal meetings/conferences and fees, she decided it is easier to agree to the Order without agreeing to the allegations, and
so the order is granted for 3 yrs.
This is Anastasia’s extraordinary story.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Anastasia – endured physical, psychological and verbal abuse from her husband.
A mother of two children, both of whom have learning difficulties. Anastasia herself had learning difficulties. She managed a highly successful business. A trailblazer! Helping young and vulnerable children.
Throughout this she held a secret, she endured physical, psychological and verbal abuse from her husband, of which her children and some of her friends are witness to at times.
After enduring years of lockdowns and having to temporarily close her business, her husband suddenly leaves and on the very day he chooses to leave is the day she chose re-open her business. And further, on that day she is served with an intervention order, citing extraordinary instances which she categorically denied and stated are untrue. But due to the protracted court appearances, stress on Anastasia and her children, anxiety and legal meetings/conferences and fees, she decided it is easier to agree to the Order without agreeing to the allegations, and
so the order is granted for 3 yrs.
This is Anastasia’s extraordinary story.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
To recap, on October 14th 2022, my husband Lloyd and I experienced surviving a flood of mammoth, unheard of levels and the impact it had not only our life but so many others was huge. It’s like anything – unless you’ve experienced a similar situation to what others are going through you just can’t truly understand the impact something so major has on your life.
Last year I told you how lost I felt, feeling like we’d lost everything when in fact we’d lost a lot but certainly not EVERYTHING. As at today’s date, 23rd November 2023 we are still not back in our house.
There’s been progress, but its been painstakingly slow however I know there are people in Rochester where work hasn’t EVEN STARTED. How can that be possible?
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Rob was a specialist Forensic Fraud Investigator and did an aggregate of 11 years with the VicPol Fraud Squad at 3 ranks.
Today he takes us into a complicated, what he describes as a “basically uninvestigable” messy file he was handed and asked to have a look at, which contained a plethora of fraudulent insurance claims, false personal injury claims, kickbacks and many more twists and turns.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rob was a specialist Forensic Fraud Investigator and did an aggregate of 11 years with the VicPol Fraud Squad at 3 ranks.
Today he takes us into a complicated, what he describes as a “basically uninvestigable” messy file he was handed and asked to have a look at, which contained a plethora of fraudulent insurance claims, false personal injury claims, kickbacks and many more twists and turns.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sarah was a single mum doing everything to make ends meet when she re-connected with a childhood friend who she’d never really liked, but years later, as an adult, sparks flew.
But it wasn’t long before she realised those traits she hadn’t liked in their childhood hadn’t disappeared
She couldn’t escape his psychological, physical and sexual abuse of her. She lived in fear every single day.
This is Sarah's story.
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Sarah was a single mum doing everything to make ends meet when she re-connected with a childhood friend who she’d never really liked, but years later, as an adult, sparks flew.
But it wasn’t long before she realised those traits she hadn’t liked in their childhood hadn’t disappeared
She couldn’t escape his psychological, physical and sexual abuse of her. She lived in fear every single day.
This is Sarah's story.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In his own words, Stu Holmes had a ‘blessed childhood’. He wanted to party and party he did. Hard.
His life centered around drinking, partying and drug taking. It was never going to end well. Stu eventually found himself in a very dark and lonely place where he believed ending his life was the only answer.
He’d lost his wife, his children, his friends, his reputation, his career a everything else he had. In his mind his life was worthless. His behaviour became so erratic he held up a post office with a knife, which led to a term of imprisonment for armed robbery. And that’s where everything changed.
Prison gave Stu an opportunity to dry out, to think about what a mess he’d made of his life and this was his chance at redemption.
After his release, he founded a recruitment agency called ‘The Green Collar Brigade’ which, in conjunction with WISE Employment Group, helps those coming out of prison, find meaningful employment & believes everyone deserves a second chance.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In his own words, Stu Holmes had a ‘blessed childhood’. He wanted to party and party he did. Hard.
His life centered around drinking, partying and drug taking. It was never going to end well. Stu eventually found himself in a very dark and lonely place where he believed ending his life was the only answer. He’d lost his wife, his children, his friends, his reputation, his career a everything else he had. In his mind his life was worthless. His behaviour became so erratic he held up a post office with a knife, which led to a term of imprisonment for armed robbery. And that’s where everything changed.
Prison gave Stu an opportunity to dry out, to think about what a mess he’d made of his life and this was his chance at redemption.
After his release, he founded a recruitment agency called ‘The Green Collar Brigade’ which, in conjunction with WISE Employment Group, helps those coming out of prison, find meaningful employment & believes everyone deserves a second chance.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Gloria Anderson has to be the most forgiving person on this earth. Her faith in god is incredibly strong and I believe is the reason she possesses such forgiveness.
Not only is she forgiving, but courageous and brave as well. Amazingly so.
Gloria has got EVERY REASON IN THE WORLD to think the world was/is a very dark, cruel, place to belong, but it just isn’t in her nature to think like that.
Gloria saw the goodness in many, including Darin, a regular client who’d lost his job, his home and his self-worth
But things began to change when Darin wanted to be more than a border to Gloria – he wanted a relationship which Gloria didn’t, and she made that plainly clear.
Darin didn’t take the news well and feeling rejected and angry, he bound and raped her, tortured her, then abducted her, putting her bound and gagged into the boot of her own car and drove it to a NSW motel where he again raped and tortured he and locked her in a cupboard. Gloria managed to escape and alert the owners of the motel, and it is there that Gloria’s nightmare REALLY began.
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Gloria Anderson has to be the most forgiving person on this earth. Her faith in god is incredibly strong and I believe is the reason she possesses such forgiveness.
Not only is she forgiving, but courageous and brave as well. Amazingly so.
Gloria has got EVERY REASON IN THE WORLD to think the world was/is a very dark, cruel, place to belong, but it just isn’t in her nature to think like that.
Gloria saw the goodness in many, including Darin, a regular client who’d lost his job, his home and his self-worth
But things began to change when Darin wanted to be more than a border to Gloria – he wanted a relationship which Gloria didn’t, and she made that plainly clear.
Darin didn’t take the news well and feeling rejected and angry, he bound and raped her, tortured her, then abducted her, putting her bound and gagged into the boot of her own car and drove it to a NSW motel where he again raped and tortured he and locked her in a cupboard. Gloria managed to escape and alert the owners of the motel, and it is there that Gloria’s nightmare REALLY began
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Today we are talking about road trauma and examination of those scenes – it may not be suitable for some affected by road trauma.
There’s been a spate of BUS and TRUCK crashes of recent times here in Victoria and NSW which made me think it was time we had a chat to an amazing man who was and still is most likely, one of Australia’s most knowledgeable experts in the field of major collision investigations, Peter Bellion.
Peter hasn’t stopped loving what he did for 30 years and is still closely involved in many aspects of road trauma and has continued to be a fierce advocate in trying to keep us & our roads safer.
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Some of the areas of reform Liv worked on included family violence, stalking, sexual offending including childhood sexual abuse, liquor control, policing and voluntary assisted dying, just for starters.
Since leaving politics before the 2022 election, she has returned to university and is now studying law.
She also volunteers with the Power in You Project in Geelong, she’s a Board Member of Barwon Community Legal Service in Geelong, she is a Dying With Dignity Young Ambassador and co-ordinates a schools debating competition in Geelong for the Debaters’ Association of Victoria.
In short – Liv is a remarkable young woman!
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Olivia Nicholls is a former Parliamentary Adviser for Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party in the Victorian Parliament.
Some of the areas of reform Liv worked on included family violence, stalking, sexual offending including childhood sexual abuse, liquor control, policing and voluntary assisted dying, just for starters.
Since leaving politics before the 2022 election, she has returned to university and is now studying law.
She also volunteers with the Power in You Project in Geelong, she’s a Board Member of Barwon Community Legal Service in Geelong, she is a Dying With Dignity Young Ambassador and co-ordinates a schools debating competition in Geelong for the Debaters’ Association of Victoria.
In short – Liv is a remarkable young woman!
This exclusive Patreon episode, Narelle talks about a former Victoria Police member who shared images of people at their most vulnerable - namely Dani Laidley and deceased people at crime scenes. These saved and shared images created unimaginable grief and distress. But Narelle tells us some further information which may, in some small way, explain to some degree, his appalling behaviour.
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Going underground as a cop sounds like an exciting proposition for a young recruit still learning the ropes, and for Keith Banks that’s exactly what it was. He would soon be immersed in the seedy side of criminal life, where he would assume the identity of a drug dealer with the aim of bringing down the cartels flooding the streets with narcotics. But the job would come at the cost of Keith’s mental wellbeing.
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Peter Bellion held an unenviable position at Victoria Police – he was an Accident Reconstruction Expert. Long after the ambulances had left the scene, it was Peter’s job to painstakingly piece together the events that led to the accident. Over a 30 year long career, Peter would attend over 2000 fatal traffic accidents and eventually the horrific sights he faced on a near daily basis took a toll until he was eventually diagnosed with PTSD. Peter still battles with these demons to this day.
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Mark Thomas is a down to earth, honest and unusually frank Policeman of over 2 decades.
In this episode Mark talks openly about his battle with PTSI but the difference with Mark is he is a still a serving/current Vicpol member.
Mark was able to recover enough from his PTSI to be able to RTW but much of that was because of the unwavering support of his supervisors. His immediate supervisor understood more than many about how to deal with a member trying to manage psychological injuries, and the difference that has made in Mark’s recovery is to be honest, incredible.
This is Marks story
Dave Gleeson was a man’s man in 1987/88 when I first met him, both of us working at the Carlton Police Station.
It was the days of Alfonz Gangitano and the Carlton Crew and they kept us very busy. The Pettingals lived around the corner as did many other old time crooks and career criminals.
Dave went on to become a decorated and dedicated high-ranking Detective within Victoria Police and then joined the Australian Federal Police to work overseas. This all formed part of 37 years in a variety of policing jurisdictions & capacity development missions in Timor Leste, Afghanistan & Papua New Guinea.
PNG exposed Dave to several traumatic incidents, as did his time in Timor Leste & Afghanistan. That extremely competent, confident, funny, Policeman became a shell of the man I worked with at Carlton.
This is Dave’s Story
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Dave Gleeson was a man’s man in 1987/88 when I first met him, both of us working at the Carlton Police Station.
It was the days of Alfonz Gangitano and the Carlton Crew and they kept us very busy. The Pettingals lived around the corner as did many other old time crooks and career criminals.
Dave went on to become a decorated and dedicated high-ranking Detective within Victoria Police and then joined the Australian Federal Police to work overseas. This all formed part of 37 years in a variety of policing jurisdictions & capacity development missions in Timor Leste, Afghanistan & Papua New Guinea.
PNG exposed Dave to several traumatic incidents, as did his time in Timor Leste & Afghanistan. That extremely competent, confident, funny, Policeman became a shell of the man I worked with at Carlton.
This is Dave’s Story
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He has never told his story and is very nervous in doing so, but wants to encourage others to do what he is doing and free themselves, to a degree, of a darkness which has been within him since childhood.
Today Ben is showing bravery and courage beyond words.
My interview with Ben is very raw and you can hear the pain and anger in his voice. The effects of childhood abuse cause so many difficulties and issues which is why I am so passionate about doing what I can. My wish is to have as many pedophiles as possible placed somewhere where they can’t abuse and damage any other children like Ben, ever again.
Having attended a range of emergency incidents, examining major crime scenes, bombings, profile serial killings and a myriad of suspicious deaths, organised crime gangs etc, Gordon Drage was forced to leave QPS purely b/c he’d turned 60. That’s the rules.
Gordon loved his work & excelled in his field of forensic examinations. He was at the top of his game, with so much knowledge & insight into forensic examinations.
What a waste….
Having attended a range of emergency incidents, examining major crime scenes, bombings, profile serial killings and a myriad of suspicious deaths, organised crime gangs etc, Gordon Drage was forced to leave QPS purely b/c he’d turned 60. That’s the rules.
Gordon loved his work & excelled in his field of forensic examinations. He was at the top of his game, with so much knowledge & insight into forensic examinations.
What a waste….
Jeffrey Morgan is aproud Indigenous man, husband and father living on Gadigal land, Eora country, Sydney, Australia. He is an influential, motivating, inspiring mindset and lifestyle coach running coaching programs workshops and events, he’s a public speaker and an advocate to name just a few of the many strings he has to his bow, all with a common theme - helping others to live their best lives - maybe even yours.
But life hasn’t always been rosy for Jeffrey. He was living on the streets of Redfern, Sydney at 12 which led to him spending 18 years in and out of the Australia’s maximum-security prisons from 1992 until 2010.
This is Jeffery's story.
‘Peter’ was a prison officer for 12 years and in that 12 years he saw a lot.
Part 1 of a fascinating interview with a Prison Officer who has worked at every major prison here in Victoria. He wants to improve many aspects including prison officer training and training programs for prisoners.
An amazing insight
‘Peter’ was a prison officer for 12 years and in that 12 years he saw a lot.
Part 1 of a fascinating interview with a Prison Officer who has worked at every major prison here in Victoria. He wants to improve many aspects including prison officer training and training programs for prisoners.
An amazing insight
Dave Evans was a member of Victoria Police for 23 years until you guessed it, he was ill-health retired due to what Dave would prefer to call ‘a psychological injury’
Dave left Policing because he realised VicPol’s values and morals didn’t align with his own.
The impact of requiring a victim to explain the most intimate, often humiliating and embarrassing details of lets say a sexual offence in a statement took its toll on Dave as he was the one who had to pick up the victim’s broken pieces.
This is Dave's story.
Dave Evans was a member of Victoria Police for 23 years until you guessed it, he was ill-health retired due to what Dave would prefer to call ‘a psychological injury’
Dave left Policing because he realised VicPol’s values and morals didn’t align with his own.
The impact of requiring a victim to explain the most intimate, often humiliating & embarrassing details of lets say a sexual offence in a statement took its toll on Dave as he was the one who had to pick up the victim’s broken pieces.
This is Dave's story.
Today’s guest Shannon Molloy discusses his new book You made me this way which is part memoir, part investigation into the taboo and the difficult topic of male child sexual abuse and Shannon’s own experience of being sexually abused as a young child.
This may be uncomfortable listening, but it’s a conversation we all need to have to break the silence about surviving childhood sexual abuse and dealing with it, rather than burying it.
This is Shannon’s story.
Today’s guest Shannon Molloy discusses his new book You made me this way which is part memoir, part investigation into the taboo and the difficult topic of male child sexual abuse and Shannon’s own experience of being sexually abused as a young child.
This may be uncomfortable listening, but it’s a conversation we all need to have to break the silence about surviving childhood sexual abuse and dealing with it, rather than burying it.
This is Shannon’s story.
Mark Thomas is a down to earth, honest and unusually frank Policeman of over 2 decades.
In this episode Mark talks openly about his battle with PTSI but the difference with Mark is he is a still a serving/current Vicpol member.
Mark was able to recover enough from his PTSI to be able to RTW but much of that was because of the unwavering support of his supervisors. His immediate supervisor understood more than many about how to deal with a member trying to manage psychological injuries, and the difference that has made in Mark’s recovery is to be honest, incredible.
This is Marks story
Today’s guest, Neil Smith is one of the volunteers that attend NLP, a Victoria Police Veteran who shares with us the amazing results of his sessions with Kosta. Just a warning that Neil talks about some of the many distressing incidents which eventually caught up with him, and one of them being the sudden death of a small baby.
But the results of his NLP sessions are amazing – it’s certainly worth a try if nothing else is working for you or someone close to you.
Kosta recently completed a trial in which veteran volunteers from Police, Prisons & the Military went through a program which produced some amazing results, completely flooring Kosta. Today he shares some insights into that trial & his passion for improving mental health.
To visit Kosta's website visit thewaypch.org for mobile devices and HTTPS://thewaypch.org for laptops.
Kosta has recently completed an NLP trial with the support of the PVV (Police Veterans Victoria) where 10 members agreed to take part and Kosta shares with us some learnings from the trial and what they can now offer as another option.
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Rob is a former VICTORIAN Policeman having served 33 years (23 of which he spent as a Detective),before walking out the door, a dedicated but damaged detective who knew after being involved in the Bourke Street investigation, he was finished and too damaged to return to a job he’d loved.
This is Rob's story
Rob is a former VICTORIAN Policeman having served 33 years (23 of which he spent as a Detective),before walking out the door, a dedicated but damaged detective who knew after being involved in the Bourke Street investigation, he was finished and too damaged to return to a job he’d loved.
This is Rob's story
Di McDonald and her former husband parted ways and divorced in 2013.
After a while Di thought about dipping her toes into the dating scene, but she didn’t need to, as a customer at her workplace had seen her and was very taken with her.
He persisted and eventually they went out for coffee and she found she really liked him. He was charming, attentive, a gentleman and ‘quite sweet’ is how she described him.
But he couldn’t mask his true personality.
Di had unfortunately met a narcissist.
Di McDonald and her former husband parted ways and divorced in 2013.
After a while Di thought about dipping her toes into the dating scene, but she didn’t need to, as a customer at her workplace had seen her and was very taken with her.
He persisted and eventually they went out for coffee and she found she really liked him. He was charming, attentive, a gentleman and ‘quite sweet’ is how she described him.
But he couldn’t mask his true personality.
Di had unfortunately met a narcissist.
It is no surprise to me that Cathy was stalked because her former partner had all the hallmarks of a stalker - he was possessive, angry, violent, intimidating, humiliating, controlling, threatening and abusive on so many levels.
Cathy stayed with this man out of a genuine fear he would carry out the threats he would continually make, not only to Cathy but her family and friends also.
She began to slide into a world of hopelessness and helplessness, and when she finally found the courage to go to the authorities, no reports were taken, no referrals given, just advice to go the Magistrates Court and speak to the Registrar.
Instead of curling up into a ball & becoming disenchanted and detached from the world she was living in, Cathy began on a path of redemption, using her experiences as a victim of numerous serious crimes, to help others not experience what she has.
This is Cathy’s story.
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It is no surprise to me that Cathy was stalked because her former partner had all the hallmarks of a stalker - he was possessive, angry, violent, intimidating, humiliating, controlling, threatening and abusive on so many levels.
Cathy stayed with this man out of a genuine fear he would carry out the threats he would continually make, not only to Cathy but her family and friends also.
She began to slide into a world of hopelessness and helplessness, and when she finally found the courage to go to the authorities, no reports were taken, no referrals given, just advice to go the Magistrates Court and speak to the Registrar.
Instead of curling up into a ball & becoming disenchanted and detached from the world she was living in, Cathy began on a path of redemption, using her experiences as a victim of numerous serious crimes, to help others not experience what she has.
This is Cathy’s story.
Robyn tells us about the day a prank played by some neighbours in a caravan park she was staying in made her realise if she didn’t do something, she’d probably die in the caravan with nobody and nothing and a self loathing and depression she just couldn’t live with anymore.
This is episode is about Robyn’s recovery, her discovery of another world without violence, without drugs and without her many addictions.
Robyn tells us about the day a prank played by some neighbours in a caravan park she was staying in made her realise if she didn’t do something, she’d probably die in the caravan with nobody and nothing and a self loathing and depression she just couldn’t live with anymore.
This is episode is about Robyn’s recovery, her discovery of another world without violence, without drugs and without her many addictions.
In 2015 Nikki finished her last shift in the Queensland Police force after 21 years of service to the community. The last 16 years she spent in forensics where attending so many major crime scenes wore her out both physically and mentally.
Nikki’s policing career sent her very close to the edge but she’s found a new purpose in life & is so much stronger mentally & relishes in the fact she’s still ‘making a difference’ in her role as a ‘clinical perfusionist’.
So you’d think Nikki might take it a bit easy & do something a little less stressful wouldn’t you……but no
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In 2015 Nikki finished her last shift in the Queensland Police force after 21 years of service to the community. The last 16 years she spent in forensics where attending so many major crime scenes wore her out both physically and mentally.
Nikki’s policing career sent her very close to the edge but she’s found a new purpose in life & is so much stronger mentally & relishes in the fact she’s still ‘making a difference’ in her role as a ‘clinical perfusionist’.
So you’d think Nikki might take it a bit easy & do something a little less stressful wouldn’t you……but no
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This interview was recorded just days before the devastating floods - hence the delay.
Anne O'Brien is synonymous with compassion, comfort, empathy, kindness, warmth, fun and humour. Anne was known to nearly every homicide, sex crime and major collision investigation unit member. And those who didn't soon learnt of her importance.
Anne's expertise wasn't at a crime scene or investigating a crime, it was with the actual victim or a witness to that crime.
This is Annes' story.
Jeff Garland is a retired Sen Sgt from the NSW Police Force, having served nearly 16 years before being medically discharged with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) in 2011.
Jeff’s deteriorating mental health came to a head one day when he was nearly killed trying to stop an offender driving a stolen utility.
This is Jeff's story.
Jeff Garland is a retired Sen Sgt from the NSW Police Force, having served nearly 16 years before being medically discharged with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) in 2011.
Jeff’s deteriorating mental health came to a head one day when he was nearly killed trying to stop an offender driving a stolen utility.
This is Jeff's story.
Leonie’s childhood was marred with the death of her parents – one from drugs and the other from cancer. At 16 she decided she didn’t want to live with her extended family anymore and discovered that working in the sex industry paid the bills, particularly her time working as an escort.
In her role as an escort, she met and fell in love with a man 15yrs her senior who introduced her to drugs, she quickly became addicted. And there began a relationship with a man who over time, she realised was a narcissist, who she found was constantly cheating on her, he abused her physically and sexually, stalked her, harassed her, threatened to humiliate her, gaslight her …..and she couldn’t escape. She was stuck and fearful of her life if she did find the courage to leave.
This is Leonie's survival story in her own words.
Leonie’s childhood was marred with the death of her parents – one from drugs and the other from cancer. At 16 she decided she didn’t want to live with her extended family anymore and discovered that working in the sex industry paid the bills, particularly her time working as an escort.
In her role as an escort, she met and fell in love with a man 15yrs her senior who introduced her to drugs, she quickly became addicted. And there began a relationship with a man who over time, she realised was a narcissist, who she found was constantly cheating on her, he abused her physically and sexually, stalked her, harassed her, threatened to humiliate her, gaslight her …..and she couldn’t escape. She was stuck and fearful of her life if she did find the courage to leave.
This is Leonie's survival story in her own words.
Aside from working at Victoria Police, Narelle and Kira share something else in common: they both worked on the horrific case of the Mornington Monster, aka John Sharpe. Sharpe killed his wife and child and Narelle and Kira’s paths would cross during the investigation to convict the killer. Here they talk through the emotional journey they both made on the path to finding justice.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For most of us, our knowledge of hostage negotiation is taken directly from the movies or TV. However, for John O’Neil, it was his job in the police force.
When called upon he would attend a hostage situation and do his very best to de-escalate the crisis and find a peaceful resolution. Unfortunately not all negotiations ended well, and his longest job was 41 hours.
John talks to Narelle about his on-the-job experiences in what was a very colourful career.
For most of us, our knowledge of hostage negotiation is taken directly from the movies or TV. However, for John O’Neil, it was his job in the police force.
When called upon he would attend a hostage situation and do his very best to de-escalate the crisis and find a peaceful resolution. Unfortunately not all negotiations ended well, and his longest job was 41 hours.
John talks to Narelle about his on-the-job experiences in what was a very colourful career.
Narelle reflects back on the past few months and of course wishes everyone a Very Merry Christmas!
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The wrongful conviction of a young 19 year old Somali man named Mr Jama Abdulkadir. Jama, with no prior convictions, who was convicted of Rape in the County Court here in Melbourne on 21 July 2008.
It was a case which stayed with me because of the injustice and the fact a young man had been incarcerated for 15 months before it was found that he had not committed the rape and had never been in the area the rape had allegedly occurred, evidence which was seemingly ignored or dismissed quickly.
This is Jama’s story
Stacey was a Detective for 16 years and was drawn to sexual assault investigations and un-natural/unexpected deaths. The Intuitive Detective has received FIVE awards including 2nd place in ‘Autobiography – True Crime category and most recently it won a silver award in the 2022 Global Book Awards.
Not everybody is a talker or feels comfortable talking about their trauma – that’s where Stacey’s areas of expertise comes in. And being a Detective for 16 years, I think she’d have a pretty good idea of dealing with trauma and grief.
Narelle discusses her own personal experience with surviving a flood of mammoth and unheard of proportions and the devastating impact it has had on her and her husbands life.
A raw and emotional listen.
"Please forgive me as I'm deviating from my normal podcast with something completely different. I've had so many messages about how I am and if I've been impacted by the floods, so thought I'd take you through the last 3 weeks of whats been a whirlwind. Thanks. I read every message but just can't respond to them all"💜💜
Narelle discusses her own personal experience with surviving a flood of mammoth and unheard of proportions and the devastating impact it has had on her and her husbands life.
A raw and emotional listen.
"Please forgive me as I'm deviating from my normal podcast with something completely different. I've had so many messages about how I am and if I've been impacted by the floods, so thought I'd take you through the last 3 weeks of whats been a whirlwind. Thanks. I read every message but just can't respond to them all"💜💜
Between 1979 and 2000 Dave Mcgowan protected us in his role a member of Victoria Police. In 1985 Dave become a detective, and then in 1988 he joined what is commonly known on the job as the Robbers – The Armed Robbery Squad.
These were tough men who played hard but against the hardest of hardened criminals they had to!
This is David’s story of his time in the job and what followed after.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Between 1979 and 2000 Dave Mcgowan protected us in his role a member of Victoria Police. In 1985 Dave become a detective, and then in 1988 he joined what is commonly known on the job as the Robbers – The Armed Robbery Squad.
These were tough men who played hard but against the hardest of hardened criminals they had to!
This is David’s story of his time in the job and what followed after.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For over 20 years, Patrick has worked in the field of sexual offenders. The renowned criminologist has trained police in understanding offenders of sexual crime and how to develop effective interview processes. Please be aware that Narelle and Patrick talk about sex offending in detail and as such, the content may be not be suitable for everyone.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Anne O'Brien is synonymous with compassion, comfort, empathy, kindness, warmth, fun and humour. Anne was known to nearly every homicide, sex crime and major collision investigation unit member. And those who didn't soon learnt of her importance.
Anne's expertise wasn't at a crime scene or investigating a crime, it was with the actual victim or a witness to that crime.
This is Annes' story.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
At 17 years of age, Glenn Broome was jailed for armed robbery and found the strangest of confidents to help him get off the crime bus that he had found himself on and onto the straight and narrow - Chopper Read.
At 17 years of age, Glenn Broome was jailed for armed robbery and found the strangest of confidents to help him get off the crime bus that he had found himself on and onto the straight and narrow - Chopper Read.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
"This week Narelle shares some thoughts on the role podcasts are beginning to play in investigations & how the legal fraternity need to adapt".
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Today’s guest Leah Sallese mistakenly thought for near on a quarter of a century, she’d had an AFFAIR with her teacher when she was 16. It wasn’t until 2017 she learned it was in fact child sexual abuse, and the psychological damage began to manifest itself in all different ways, particularly emotionally
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today’s guest Leah Sallese mistakenly thought for near on a quarter of a century, she’d had an AFFAIR with her teacher when she was 16. It wasn’t until 2017 she learned it was in fact child sexual abuse, and the psychological damage began to manifest itself in all different ways, particularly emotionally.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Those 4 years were full of mental & physical challenges….and that’s before he left the office. After the SOG, Chris went to SOCIT as a Sergeant & whilst there, he faced other unexpected challenges which tested him in similar ways to the SOG.
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Those 4 years were full of mental & physical challenges….and that’s before he left the office. After the SOG, Chris went to SOCIT as a Sergeant & whilst there, he faced other unexpected challenges which tested him in similar ways to the SOG
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jim Pilmer worked with practically every squad across Victoria Police, but never made an arrest of interviewed a single offender.
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jim Pilmer worked with practically every squad across Victoria Police, but never made an arrest of interviewed a single offender.
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Narelle Fraser InterviewsExamining the human side of the impact of crime.https://www.patreon.com/narellefraserinterviews
For exclusive content and early access to episodes, as well early tickets to Narelle Fraser Live Events visit our Patreon page. https://www.patreon.com/narellefraserinterviews Narelle Fraser was in the Victorian Police Force for 27 years, 15 of which were spent as a detective dealing with everything from a stolen bicycle to a stolen life. However, Narelle’s career was cut short when she succumbed to PTSD, retiring in 2012 and reinventing herself as a public speaker and occasional guest on the Australian True Crime Podcast. In NFI, Narelle examines the human side of the impact of crime in a compelling and emotive series of podcasts.
Narelle Fraser InterviewsExamining the human side of the impact of crime.https://www.patreon.com/narellefraserinterviews
For exclusive content and early access to episodes, as well early tickets to Narelle Fraser Live Events visit our Patreon page. https://www.patreon.com/narellefraserinterviews Narelle Fraser was in the Victorian Police Force for 27 years, 15 of which were spent as a detective dealing with everything from a stolen bicycle to a stolen life. However, Narelle’s career was cut short when she succumbed to PTSD, retiring in 2012 and reinventing herself as a public speaker and occasional guest on the Australian True Crime Podcast. In NFI, Narelle examines the human side of the impact of crime in a compelling and emotive series of podcasts.
Helen, a former NSW police officer, suffered a traumatic event that triggered PTSD. Through Emerge & See, an independently supported charity, she began the path to recovery.
Helen, a former NSW police officer, suffered a traumatic event that triggered PTSD. Through Emerge & See, an independently supported charity, she began the path to recovery.
Natalie is the CEO of partnerSPEAK, an admirable organisation that provides support in unthinkable circumstances.
Kira Olney and The Mornington MonsterAside from working at Victoria Police, Narelle and Kira share something else in common: they both worked on the horrific case of the Mornington Monster, aka John Sharpe. Sharpe killed his wife and child and Narelle and Kira’s paths would cross during the investigation to convict the killer. Here they talk through the emotional journey they both made on the path to finding justice.
What we know about undercover cops usually comes from Hollywood, but Keith Banks lived the life of an undercover cop in Queensland for most of his career. His stories are unbelievableGoing underground as a cop sounds like an exciting proposition for a young recruit still learning the ropes, and for Keith Banks that’s exactly what it was. He would soon be immersed in the seedy side of criminal life, where he would assume the identity of a drug dealer with the aim of bringing down the cartels flooding the streets with narcotics. But the job would come at the cost of Keith’s mental wellbeing.
Pip and Narelle’s paths crossed many years ago in a court case they won against Pip’s stepfather.Please note: this podcast covers content that may be triggering, including child abuse, pregnancy termination, and suicide.
Pip and Narelle’s paths crossed many years ago in a court case they won against Pip’s stepfather.Please note: this podcast covers content that may be triggering, including child abuse, pregnancy termination, and suicide.
In 1999, Peter was involved in a 19-hour-long siege in Victoria. He would earn Victoria Police’s highest bravery award for his actions on that day.
In 1999, Peter was involved in a 19-hour-long siege in Victoria. He would earn Victoria Police’s highest bravery award for his actions on that day.
Keith Banks joined the force at the tender age of 16 and spent time as an undercover and tactical cop, working under conditions impossible to comprehend. But these experiences had a consequence.
When Georgia returned home to find the house ransacked and her husband missing, she had no idea what she was about to discover.
When Georgia returned home to find the house ransacked and her husband missing, she had no idea what she was about to discover.
When Georgia returned home to find the house ransacked and her husband missing, she had no idea what she was about to discover.
The director of JRI (Justice Reform Initiative), Dr Sotori is part of a drive for criminal justice reform across Australia.
Betty has dedicated her professional life to supporting victims of domestic and family violence.
Experiencing a tragic and heartbreaking death in the family led Marg to form a support network and help others in a similar position.
Experiencing a tragic and heartbreaking death in the family led Marg to form a support network and help others in a similar position.
Experiencing a tragic and heartbreaking death in the family led Marg to form a support network and help others in a similar position.
Narelle’s guest today has been a teacher, a detective with VicPol and is now a member of Parliament.Please note: This podcast was recorded at Parliament House in Melbourne during a rare gap in Stuart’s day. There are some unavoidable bells at the very beginning of the podcast that may detract from the audio.
Jane joins Narelle once again to talk about her son Zac’s return from prison, the challenges that life now presents, and Zac's mission of redemption.
Jane has worn many hats in her career, including time as a forensic photographer and a paramedic.Content warning: Suicide and photography of the deceased are discussed in this podcast, so it will not be suitable for everyone.
Jane has worn many hats in her career, including time as a forensic photographer and a paramedic. Content warning: Suicide and photography of the deceased are discussed in this podcast, so it will not be suitable for everyone.
A harrowing incident proved to be the catalyst for Daniel to reassess the priorities in his life.Please note: this podcasts talks about suicide and as such, will not be be suitable for all listeners.
For 36 years, former Detective Senior Sergeant Chris O’ Connor headed up many squads and task forces. The Child Exploitation Squad was one of them.
For 36 years, former Detective Senior Sergeant Chris O’ Connor headed up many squads and task forces. The Child Exploitation Squad was one of them.
After serving time in jail for crashing his car while under the influence of drugs and alcohol and seriously injuring himself and four passengers, Zac Jones is on a mission of redemption. He is determined to help prevent others from making the same mistake.
After serving time in jail for crashing his car while under the influence of drugs and alcohol and seriously injuring himself and four passengers, Zac Jones is on a mission of redemption. He is determined to help prevent others from making the same mistake.
After serving time in jail for crashing his car while under the influence of drugs and alcohol and seriously injuring himself and four passengers, Zac Jones is on a mission of redemption. He is determined to help prevent others from making the same mistake.
Over a 30 year career with Victoria Police, Peter Bellion attended 2000 fatal car accidents. His job was to reconstruct these harrowing scenes and determine the cause of the crash.Peter Bellion held an unenviable position at Victoria Police – he was an Accident Reconstruction Expert. Long after the ambulances had left the scene, it was Peter’s job to painstakingly piece together the events that led to the accident. Over a 30 year long career, Peter would attend over 2000 fatal traffic accidents and eventually the horrific sights he faced on a near daily basis took a toll until he was eventually diagnosed with PTSD. Peter still battles with these demons to this day.
Kira Olney and The Mornington Monster:Aside from working at Victoria Police, Narelle and Kira share something else in common: they both worked on the horrific case of the Mornington Monster, aka John Sharpe. Sharpe killed his wife and child and Narelle and Kira’s paths would cross during the investigation to convict the killer. Here they talk through the emotional journey they both made on the path to finding justice.
During the Black Saturday bushfires, Victoria Police Airwing crew member David Key was winched into an area engulfed by flames and drove a woman and her dog and horse to safety using the chopper above him for directions. You won’t believe his stories
David Key Part 1 The Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race in 1998 faced horrendous conditions. Five yachts sank and six sailors lost their lives. Victoria Police Airwing crewman David Key was involved in the desperate rescue mission. He’ll never forget that day as long as he lives.
Narelle took statements from two women who alleged historical sexual assaults by one of the most powerful Australian political figures in 2000.
An unsupportive boss drove Kelli Martin to start her own business specialising in domestic and family violence. One of her clients would be the victim of one of the most horrific crimes in Australian history.
An unsupportive boss drove Kelli Martin to start her own business specialising in domestic and family violence. One of her clients would be the victim of one of the most horrific crimes in Australian history.
Leigh has regularly attended fatal car crashes and fires, yet he’s managed to compartmentalise these tragic events and remains largely unaffected by what he has seen.
In this episode, Narelle talks about ‘Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement’; a book she believes that every police officer and their respective families should read.
Susan has been trained all over the world in cyber security and what she has learned about the effectiveness of grooming children will shock you.
Susan has been trained all over the world in cyber security and what she has learned about the effectiveness of grooming children will shock you.
Judy served in the NSW Police Force for 26 years, and in that time, she did time in Homicide and Arson before becoming an instructor in Sexual Assault Investigating.
Steve was the first Victorian police officer to become a qualified polygraph examiner. Now he is a leading authority on lying, and his skills have been sought after by the rich and famous.
Nurses have a tough enough job, but imagine the challenges involved in being a nurse for prisoners? Anne shares her experiences with Narelle.
Keith Banks returns to talk about his new book, Gun to the Head. It covers his time on the Tactical Response Group, facing some of Australia’s most violent criminals.
Being calm under pressure is a prerequisite for being a 000 operator and it’s certainly not a job for everyone. However, Telia worked in the role for 10 years and received many harrowing and distressing calls. She talks to Narelle about that experience.
For over 20 years, Patrick has worked in the field of sexual offenders. The renowned criminologist has trained police in understanding offenders of sexual crime and how to develop effective interview processes. Please be aware that Narelle and Patrick talk about sex offending in detail and as such, the content may be not be suitable for everyone.
Happily married with two children, Jane woke up one night to get a glass of water, walked past a room, and witnessed something that would change her life forever.
Happily married with two children, Jane woke up one night to get a glass of water, walked past a room, and witnessed something that would change her life forever.
After experiencing his own mental health struggles, Cam identified that too many men were suffering in silence and decided to do something about it.
Cathy continues her story as she talks candidly to Narelle about her experience in prison, how she got there and the work she’s done as a volunteer with WAM (Women and Mentoring) since her release.
Cathy talks candidly to Narelle about her experience in prison, how she got there and the work she’s done as a volunteer with WAM (Women and Mentoring) since her release.
Narelle chats to John about his long and diverse career in VicPol that was, like many police officers, ended by the effects of PTSD.
Narelle chats to John about his long and diverse career in VicPol that was, like many police officers, ended by the effects of PTSD.
In this episode, Narelle talks about a missing persons case she was directly involved in; a case that still troubles her to this day and a case that was never solved
For over 25 years, Shelley Robertson has plied her trade as a forensic pathologist, sensitively dissecting bodies to establish the time and cause of death.
Attending a crime as a police officer comes with many challenges. Attending a crime where you know the victim is a whole other level. That’s exactly what happened to Helen early in her career with Queensland Police. The effect on her was life-changing.
Attending a crime as a police officer comes with many challenges. Attending a crime where you know the victim is a whole other level. That’s exactly what happened to Helen early in her career with Queensland Police. The effect on her was life-changing.
Rebecca had it all: she was happy in a relationship and had just landed her dream job at a big law firm in Melbourne. However, all that would be upturned when she was attacked walking through the city on her way to the station to catch a train home.
The missing persons unit has the unenviable task of sifting through every lead in the hope of locating someone. Helen was an analyst with MPU and she talks to Narelle about the processes involved and some of the case she was involved in.
30 years in the army and a good stretch as an ambo and a firefighter, Justine eventually succumbed to PTSD. In a candid and honest conversation with Narelle, Justine discusses her career experiences and the ongoing battle with her mental health disorder.
Domestic violence played a pivotal role in Eleesa’s parent’s relationship, perpetrated by her mother who also led a life of crime. She would often abandon Eleesa to be raised by aunts and foster carers.
Despite the inconceivable upbringing Tracie had to endure, she managed to find the strength and resilience to get through it and help people in similar circumstances.
Tracie’s story is heart-wrenching. Disowned by her mother at just two weeks old and passed around as an unwanted child, Tracie faced unthinkable adversity throughout her early life, but she found the will and the determination to make it through.
We've already heard about David's incredible involvement with the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and the Black Saturday bushfires, but now he's back with more stories around his time spent descending from a helicopter during his time with Police Rescue.
In the late 80s, Lorraine was quite the oddity in a vocation predominately dominated by men - she was in a senior management position at VicPol. She would never be intimidated by her fellow colleagues and always fiercely protected her team.
Narelle talks about two particularly humorous stories that happened during her time working at VicPol. This episode is the last in season one of Narelle Fraser Interviews - thank you for your ongoing support and we’ll see you in a few weeks.
Narelle was reluctant to invite Zac’s mum on her podcast because, despite Jane insisting that her son has changed for the better, Narelle doesn’t know Zac and doesn’t know if he’s changed. However, after reading Jane and Zac’s book, she changed her mind but still puzzled on why a boy from such a loving family could go so far off the rails.
Acclaimed true crime writer, Vikki Petraitis, is back to discuss the mysterious disappearance of 23-year-old Sarah MacDiarmid who vanished from Kananook Station in Melbourne in 1990. The case remains unsolved and it forms the subject of a brand new podcast series that Vikki has just completed.
Vikki Petraitis has written over 17 true crime books and has recently researched and recorded a true crime podcast for Casefile. In this episode, Vikki speaks about ex-detective Paul Dale, her best-selling book on The Frankston Serial Killer, Paul Denyer, and discusses her career as an acclaimed true crime writer.
As a toddler, Scott was put in charge of his younger siblings while his mother worked as a prostitute and took drugs that would see her missing for days on end.
Former Barwon Prison boss, David Prideaux, was an experienced hunter who disappeared in the Victorian bush. Despite an extensive search, no trace of him has ever been found. Narelle’s guest today is David’s brother Steve who talks about his quest to uncover what happened on that day.
There are many triggers Narelle recognises that would lead her towards an eventual PTSD diagnosis. Some will completely surprise you and others still cause her anxiety to this very day.
The first outing in a brand new off-road buggy ended in a tragic incident that would see a father charged and imprisoned over the death of his daughter. Narelle talks to the father’s partner, Tereasa Humphreys.
Heading Towards Breaking Point: On this week’s Narelle Fraser Interviews, Narelle discusses two of the cases that contributed to her PTSD diagnosis. Two cases that are in themselves hard to comprehend, and two cases that continue to haunt her to this day.
Like many young men aged 18, Jordan Hayes-McGuinness was beginning to find his independence. He had his driver’s license and was starting to push the boundaries. However, his decision to drink and take drugs one night would kick start a chain reaction that would end up affecting many, many lives.
You don’t practise family law for three decades without being subjected to the worst that society can throw at you and Rebecca Badenboch has seen it all. Dealing with children who are the victims of crime would be testing for most individuals but in her role as an independent children’s lawyer, this is something Rebecca has to face on a day to day basis.
During the Black Saturday bushfires, Victoria Police Airwing crew member David Key was winched into an area engulfed by flames and drove a woman and her dog and horse to safety using the chopper above him for directions. You won’t believe his stories.
The Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race in 1998 faced horrendous conditions. Five yachts sank and six sailors lost their lives. Victoria Police Airwing crewman David Key was involved in the desperate rescue mission. He’ll never forget that day as long as he lives.
Joining Australia’s infamous cult when he was just a baby, Ben Shenton was subjected to appalling physical and mental abuse at the hands of cult leader, Anne Hamilton-Byrne. Ben would eventually be released at aged 15 and then, understandably, struggled to adjust to a society he knew nothing about.
The Family, headed by nefarious cult leader, Anne Hamilton-Byrne resided in Lake Eildon, Victoria, where children were cruelly taken from their mothers, subjected to terrible physical and mental abuse and regularly dosed on the psychedelic drug, LSD. Lex was part of a team tasked with investigating the crimes that Anne Hamilton-Byrne was responsible for and would even end up chasing her overseas in a pursuit of justice.
There are many facets to being a reporter that covers crime. Irrespective of the details of the crime you’re covering, you have to remain impartial and keep all of your emotions in check. It’s not an easy gig but it’s one that Channel 9 reporter Sarah Lawrence does on a daily basis and she speaks with Narelle about the challenges that come with the job in regional Victoria.
People react differently when they become victims of crime. Some can remember specific details of the crime while others are so frightened that they can’t remember anything at all. It is the job of the detective to use their experience to extract as much information as possible in order to solve the crime.
It’s Christmas so rather than take a rest over the holidays, we put together a candid interview with Narelle Fraser that lifts the lid on our favourite detective and uncovers what Narelle gets up to when she’s not recording her podcasts. Did you know she loves V8s, playing the spoons and listening to Pink Floyd?
As far as tough policing goes, Craig Walsh has done it all. He worked in Homicide, the Armed Robbery Squad and the Special Operations Group, better known as a SWAT team. In doing so he’s been pitched up against some of Victoria’s most violent criminals in a full array of cases from shootings to sieges. But like many of his fellow officers, the job would eventually take a toll on Craig’s mental health.
Peter Bellion held an unenviable position at Victoria Police – he was an Accident Reconstruction Expert. Long after the ambulances had left the scene, it was Peter’s job to painstakingly piece together the events that led to the accident. Over a 30 year long career, Peter would attend over 2000 fatal traffic accidents and eventually the horrific sights he faced on a near daily basis took a toll until he was eventually diagnosed with PTSD. Peter still battles with these demons to this day.
The year is 1982 and from the outside, hardworking Leonard John Moss, his wife Lorraine, and their three children were nothing more than a normal family living in Bendigo, Australia. But Lorraine was holding a heinous secret and one that wouldn’t be revealed for another 15 years. Today Narelle talks with Kira Olney, the ex-detective who unravelled the shocking truth behind this tragic story.
Going underground as a cop sounds like an exciting proposition for a young recruit still learning the ropes, and for Keith Banks that’s exactly what it was. He would soon be immersed in the seedy side of criminal life, where he would assume the identity of a drug dealer with the aim of bringing down the cartels flooding the streets with narcotics. But the job would come at the cost of Keith’s mental wellbeing.
Imagine talking to your best friend on the phone the moment she was murdered. That’s exactly what happened to Melissa Sell, who was chatting with Alicia Little as her partner, Charles Evans, killed her. What followed was a difficult investigation for Melissa, who was still trying hard to deal with her grief while being questioned by the police.
Tim Peck is a very fortunate man. With an esteemed career as a detective in Victoria Police, from the outside it appeared Tim was the very embodiment of a competent and successful cop who threw everything he had at his career. But in 2014 he had reached a point that no one around him was aware of – he decided he was going to commit suicide. Narelle talks to Tim about his path to recovery and how he is now helping others in similar situations.
Aside from working at Victoria Police, Narelle and Kira share something else in common: they both worked on the horrific case of the Mornington Monster, aka John Sharpe. Sharpe killed his wife and child and Narelle and Kira’s paths would cross during the investigation to convict the killer. Here they talk through the emotional journey they both made on the path to finding justice.
For most of us, our knowledge of hostage negotiation is taken directly from the movies or TV. However, for John O’Neil, it was his job in the police force. When called upon he would attend a hostage situation and do his very best to de-escalate the crisis and find a peaceful resolution. Unfortunately not all negotiations ended well, and his longest job was 41 hours. John talks to Narelle about his on-the-job experiences in what was a very colourful career.
For most of us, our knowledge of hostage negotiation is taken directly from the movies or TV. However, for John O’Neil, it was his job in the police force. When called upon he would attend a hostage situation and do his very best to de-escalate the crisis and find a peaceful resolution. Unfortunately not all negotiations ended well, and his longest job was 41 hours. John talks to Narelle about his on-the-job experiences in what was a very colourful career.