A recent visit to CrimeCon UK

We sent Festival Manager and our resident true crime nerd, James Wilson to check out the incredible CrimeCon UK earlier this month, all in anticipation of our LIFI23 event: What’s our obsession with true crime? on Friday 29 September.

It’s immediately apparent that CrimeCon UK is a who’s who of true crime. These days, it’s hard to avoid major TV programmes or newspaper articles on the subject because it’s so enormous. With a plethora of well-known individuals, including Raphael Rowe and Colin Sutton (who convicted serial killer Levi Bellfield) as well as our own Louise Shorter, who will appear on our panel in September.

First up was Dr Richard Shepherd, a CBS Reality sponsored event, who gave us a peak from behind the curtain, or forensic tent, on two of the most complex cases of his career, focussing on the surroundings of a crime scene when entering and not the body. This was a fascinating insight.  

During the coffee break it was great to chat to content creators, and learn about their work at the festival including British Murders, The Big Light and Robert Murphy and chat about the passion for telling big stories.  

Robert was then joined by Julie Mackay who talked through their new release, To Hunt a Killer, and Julie’s dogged determination to find Melanie Road’s killer more than 30 years after the crime took place in Bath. The police paper archive was something to behold and will stay with me for a long time. 

Prior to lunch, psychologist Kerry Daynes gave an incredible insight into Charles Salvador (Bronson), from the traits his dad instilled in him, through to bare knuckle fighting and a journey through countless prisons, to now an artist. It is worth noting that Kerry’s talk wasn’t about glorifying Charlie or being sympathetic but to show a side that the media rarely shows. 

Sky Crime’s Fred West: The Glasgow Girls was featured after lunch, with director Gussy Sakula-Barry and series contributors Sandra Brown and Dr Jane Carter Woodrow talking us through the creative process of the documentary and how Coatbridge, outside of Glasgow became a hub for notable criminals including Fred, Ian Brady and Peter Sutcliffe – and Fred’s first wife Rena Costello and their move from Glasgow to Gloucestershire.

To end the day, investigative journalist Donal Macintyre was joined by forensic scientist Jo Millington on killer evidence, and Steven Keogh’s three reasons as to why every murder is committed, without giving everything away, it was a really moving day, left me with a mountain of books to read and some big ideas. I would like to thank CrimeCon UK for their hospitality.