The Trial: Australia

In April 2024, 28-year-old childcare worker and mother Molly Ticehurst was brutally murdered by her former partner, Daniel Billings, in her home in Forbes, New South Wales.

Just weeks earlier, Billings had been granted bail despite facing multiple allegations of violence, stalking and sexual assault against Molly, and despite repeated warnings about the danger he posed.

In this episode, Wayne is joined by Daily Mail reporter Candace Sutton to unpack the horrifying timeline leading up to Molly’s death, the warning signs that were allegedly missed, and the disturbing new developments that could see Billings argue mental impairment despite already pleading guilty to murder.

Wayne also examines the broader domestic violence crisis gripping Australia, with National Homeless Collective founder Donna Stolzenberg explaining why so many women escaping abuse still fall through the cracks, even after seeking help.

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Presenter: Wayne Flower
Producer: Sam Morris
Editor: Alex Graham
Creative Director: Caroline Cheetham
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Wayne examines the opening of the coronial inquest into the Porepunkah shootings and death of Dezi Freeman, who was shot by police after Australia’s largest manhunt.

Joining Wayne is former homicide detective Charlie Bezzina, to break down the new revelations, discuss police tactics, and the major questions now facing the coroner.

Follow us on Tiktok @DailyMailCrime

Follow us on instagram @TheTrialPod

Subscribe to our YouTube channel @TheCrimeDesk

Click here to sign up to The Crime Desk's weekly newsletter. It's free and packed with exclusive interviews, expert insight, and gripping deep dive investigations from across the world.

Email us [email protected]

Whatsapp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)

Presenter: Wayne Flower
Producer: Sam Morris
Creative Director: Caroline Cheetham
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Wayne examines the case of Isla Bell, the 19-year-old Melbourne woman whose disappearance and death shocked the country.

Last Saturday, hundreds of supporters gathered outside the State Library Victoria to honour Isla, and protest the prosecutors who dropped charges against the man accused of killing her, citing insufficient evidence.

In this episode, journalist Paul Shapiro revisits the timeline of the investigation, the allegations presented in court, and the forensic complications that became central to the case. Later, veteran criminal lawyer George Balot explains the legal and evidentiary challenges prosecutors face in homicide cases where the cause of death cannot be conclusively determined, and why a prosecution may be discontinued before reaching trial.

The Trial Australia is part of The Crime Desk. Subscribe today for ad-free listening, early access to new shows, exclusive bonus episodes and complete access to our true-crime podcast collection. Visit thecrimedesk.com for more information.

Follow us on Tiktok @DailyMailCrime

Follow us on instagram @TheTrialPod

Subscribe to our YouTube channel @TheCrimeDesk

Click here to sign up to The Crime Desk's weekly newsletter. It's free and packed with exclusive interviews, expert insight, and gripping deep dive investigations from across the world.

Email us [email protected]

Whatsapp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)

Presenter: Wayne Flower
Producer: Sam Morris
Creative Director: Caroline Cheetham
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ivan Milat is one of the most notorious serial killers in all of Australia. He was convicted in 1996 of the brutal murders of seven backpackers whose bodies were discovered in the Belanglo State Forest.

His violent and disturbing crimes shocked the world, but that only be the tip of the iceberg.

Now, with a new inquiry underway, investigators are revisiting more than 50 unsolved disappearances and murders that may be linked to Milat, potentially making him far more prolific than originally thought.

In this episode, Wayne is joined by acclaimed journalist and author Mark Whittaker, co-author of Sins of the Brother, who explores Milat’s violent upbringing, the horrifying details of the backpacker murders, and why many believe the full truth may never be known. Later, Daily Mail crime reporter Candice Sutton shares her firsthand insights after meeting Milat in prison and reveals the latest developments in the inquiry that could finally bring answers to families who have waited decades for justice.

The Trial Australia is part of The Crime Desk. Subscribe today for ad-free listening, early access to new shows, exclusive bonus episodes and complete access to our true-crime podcast collection. Visit thecrimedesk.com for more information.

Follow us on Tiktok @DailyMailCrime

Follow us on instagram @TheTrialPod

Subscribe to our YouTube channel @TheCrimeDesk

Click here to sign up to The Crime Desk's weekly newsletter. It's free and packed with exclusive interviews, expert insight, and gripping deep dive investigations from across the world.

Email us [email protected]

Whatsapp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)

Presenter: Wayne Flower
Producer: Sam Morris
Creative Director: Caroline Cheetham
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we examine the heartbreaking case of Kumanjayi Little Baby, the five-year-old girl whose disappearance and death shocked communities across the country.

Wayne is joined by journalist Karleigh Smith to unpack the investigation, and the allegations against Jefferson Lewis, who has since been charged with murder. They also break down the extraordinary scenes of grief and anger which have broken out across Australia, with some locals trying to take matters into their own hands, attempting to carry out “mob justice”.

The Trial Australia is part of The Crime Desk. Subscribe today for ad-free listening, early access to new shows, exclusive bonus episodes and complete access to our true-crime podcast collection. Visit thecrimedesk.com for more information.

Follow us on Tiktok @DailyMailCrime

Follow us on instagram @TheTrialPod

Subscribe to our YouTube channel @TheCrimeDesk

Click here to sign up to The Crime Desk's weekly newsletter. It's free and packed with exclusive interviews, expert insight, and gripping deep dive investigations from across the world.

Email us [email protected]

Whatsapp us +447796657512 (start your message with ‘Trial’)

Presenter: Wayne Flower
Producer: Sam Morris
Creative Director: Caroline Cheetham
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.