True Crime Documentaries

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BBC Select delves into the world of true crime with a range of eye-opening documentaries. Learn more about crimes that made the headlines including the Wests and Jimmy Saville, shocking misdemeanors from recent times in Britain and America, as well as unlawful acts from the past including the crimes of Jack the Ripper.

Murder In Mayfair

Murder In Mayfair

In 2008, 23-year-old Norwegian student Martine Vik Magnussen was killed after a night out in Mayfair, London. Hours after her death the only suspect in the case, Farouk Abdulhak, the son of one of Yemen’s richest and most powerful men, fled the UK. This true crime documentary seeks answers to what happened to Martine and uncovers how money, political power, and Yemeni law protected Farouk.

Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua

Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua

TB Joshua was the head of Nigeria’s Synagogue Church of All Nations, one of the world’s biggest evangelical churches. But now evidence of widespread abuse and torture has come to light. This ground-breaking documentary investigates the activities of the renowned preacher with former church members sharing stories of widespread physical violence and sexual abuse.

The Man Who Took Shannon Matthews

The Man Who Took Shannon Matthews

In 2008, nine-year-old Shannon Matthews went missing. 24 days later she was found safe and well at the house of Michael Donovan. The kidnapping, which provoked a nationwide search, had been a scam. With exclusive access to family members, neighbors and professionals who knew Donovan, this true crime documentary tells the untold story of the man behind the kidnap and why he committed the crime.

The Beverly Allitt Tapes

The Beverly Allitt Tapes

In 1993, a young and unassuming nurse was convicted of murdering four children, attempting to murder three others, and causing bodily harm to a further six. This gripping true crime documentary looks at the crimes and motivations of serial killer Beverley Allitt, dubbed ‘The Angel of Death’. Using expert evidence and tapes from Allitt’s police interviews, this hideous case is explored.

Murdered: The Baby on the Beach

Murdered: Baby on the beach

In April 1984, a five-day-old boy’s body was found on a lonely Irish beach. This led to a chain of events that saw an innocent woman attacked and would bring shame on the Irish state and the police. This engrossing true-crime documentary explores this awful event, which shone an uncomfortable spotlight on the treatment of vulnerable women in Irish society and changed Ireland forever.