On a cold spring day in May 1982, two friends, Ann Lee and Margaret Johnson, set off for what would be their final dogwalk together around a familiar area of common land to them in the town of Aldershot, in Hampshire.

Their final walk, because during it, Ann and Margaret met a crazed killer.

Yet, within hours of the murder, had their killer called police and given his name and address? And when this wasn't acted upon, had he then called again just over a year later, to confess to the killings?

I'll tell you, in the first of a two part story.

The episode contains details and descriptions of crimes and events, including descriptions of injury detail, that some listeners may find disturbing or distressing, so discretion is advised whilst listening in.

Music used in this episode: "The Descent" by Kevin Macleod. All music used is sourced from https://filmmusic.io/ and used under an Attribution Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

• The Stone Roses - Driving South
• Bob Seger - Bo Diddley

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• References - produced upon request and in full upon tale's end.

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The episode is dedicated to Ann and Margaret and their families. In Memory.

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Cruelty is never far away from some homes - some people suffer largely in silence, and when that cruelty begins to show, they will come out with allsorts of reasoning. 'I fell. I bumped into this or that'.

It's a very real thing is domestic violence, and the tale I bring this time around shows it isn't always the archetypal abuser that is commonly perceived. Sometimes, sadly, it ends in utter horror and tragedy.

The episode contains details and descriptions of crimes and events, including descriptions of injury detail, that some listeners may find disturbing or distressing, so discretion is advised whilst listening in.

Music used in this episode: "The Descent" by Kevin Macleod. All music used is sourced from https://filmmusic.io/ and used under an Attribution Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

• Maximo Park - Books From Boxes
• Matt Berninger - Bonnet Of Pins

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• References - produced upon request and in full upon arc's end.

R. v. Rickards SR

Maureen Rickards Youtube

Assorted articles taken from BBC News; The Times; The Telegraph, Daily Mail; Daily Mirror; Kent Online

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Remembering Jeremy. The episode is dedicated to him. Helplines

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The Lost Girls multi-parter comes full circle this time around on The True Crime Enthusiast, as for the final part I housekeep the tale of Susan, Caroline, Sarah, Theresa and Jennifer. We look at the years following Black’s crimes for their families, at all developments in the tale overall, and ask the question:

How many more Lost Girls are there out there?

The episode contains details and descriptions of crimes and events, including disturbing descriptions of a sexual nature and involving children, that some listeners may find extremely disturbing or distressing, so discretion is advised whilst listening in.

Music used in this episode: "The Descent" by Kevin Macleod. All music used is sourced from https://filmmusic.io/ and used under an Attribution Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

• Madrugada - Hands Up - I Love You
• Delerium and Nadina - Monarch

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• References - assorted articles from BBC and available via Newspapers.com and British Newspaper Archive

Bibliography/Further Reading

’Well Done Boys’: The Life And Crimes Of Robert Black – Robert Church (1996)

Robert Black: Evil Child Killer. Real-Life Crimes Vol. 108. (1993).

The Murder of Childhood: Inside the Mind of One of Britain's Most Notorious Child Murderers – Ray Wyre and Tim Tate (1995) (Updated 25th Anniversary Edition)

Fear the Stranger: the Story of Britain's Biggest Child-Murder Hunt – Hector Clark (1994).

The Face of Evil: The True Story of the Serial Killer Robert Black – Robert Giles and Chris Clark (2017).

End Of Innocence – Zoe Apostolides (2022).

There Came A Day – Patricia L Cardy (2021).

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The Lost Girls arc is dedicated to Susan, Caroline, Sarah, Jennifer, Theresa, Laura, and all the other Lost Girls and their families. In Memory.

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The new red bicycle had fast become her pride and joy, all of her friends had seen it, and one sunny afternoon in August 1981, nine year old Jennifer Cardy set off from her home in Ballinderry to cycle the short distance to show the first friend she had it again, so excited was she.

As a small Datsun van passed her as she did, Jennifer had no idea that a predator, a monster, was waiting for her. It would take thirty years, but the wheels of justice did eventually turn for Jennifer, and the individual who made her the Lost Girl we haven't yet mentioned through the arc finally stood in the dock. He needs no introduction, or is deserving of her name being spoken.

This is Jennifer's story.

The episode contains details and descriptions of crimes and events, including disturbing descriptions of a sexual nature and involving children, that some listeners may find extremely disturbing or distressing, so discretion is advised whilst listening in.

Music used in this episode: "The Descent" by Kevin Macleod. All music used is sourced from https://filmmusic.io/ and used under an Attribution Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

• The Duke Spirit - Cuts Across The Land
• Trembling Blue Stars - Before We Know It

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• References - produced upon request and in full upon arc's end.

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Remembering Jennifer. This episode is dedicated to her.

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In April 1994, Robert Black, laid bare in all of his foulness, was to face trial charged with the abductions of Susan Maxwell, Caroline Hogg, Sarah Harper and Teresa Thornhill, and the murders of the former three.

Was justice in sight for the Lost Girls whose haunting stories we have heard throughout this tale?

Well, this time around on The True Crime Enthusiast Podcast, I shall tell you.

The episode contains details and descriptions of crimes and events, including disturbing descriptions of a sexual nature and involving children, that some listeners may find extremely disturbing or distressing, so discretion is advised whilst listening in.

Music used in this episode: "The Descent" by Kevin Macleod. All music used is sourced from https://filmmusic.io/ and used under an Attribution Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

• Isan - Betty's Lament
• Glazyhaze - Nirvana

The True Crime Enthusiast's Fundraiser For Macmillan Cancer Support

• References - produced upon request and in full upon arc's end.

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Remembering all of the Lost Girls. The episode is dedicated to them.

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On 1st April 1992, ten court summonses for crimes including multiple murder, abduction, prevention of a proper and lawful burial and kidnap were served on a 43 year old prisoner serving life at HMP Peterhead in Aberdeenshire - a prisoner serving life for the abduction and sexual assault of a six year old girl in July 1990.

His name? Robert Black.

Continuing with The Lost Girls multi episode tale then this time around on The True Crime Enthusiast Podcast, was the individual heading to trial for these, Robert Black, indeed the man responsible for the deaths of Susan Maxwell, Caroline Hogg and Sarah Harper - and almost Theresa Thornhill?

But - what was Black's story? Well, I'll tell you within.

The episode contains details and descriptions of crimes and events, including disturbing descriptions of a sexual nature and involving children, that some listeners may find extremely disturbing or distressing, so discretion is advised whilst listening in.

Music used in this episode: "The Descent" by Kevin Macleod. All music used is sourced from https://filmmusic.io/ and used under an Attribution Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

• Grandma's House - Haunt Me
• Fastball - Out Of My Head

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• References - produced upon request and in full upon arc's end.

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Remembering all of the Lost Girls. The episode is dedicated to them.

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'That's our man. I'd bet my life on it'

These are the words of Assistant Chief Constable Hector Clark back in July 1990, moments after the initial, briefest of meetings with the man he was describing here, who just over a month later, was serving a sentence of life imprisonment for an almost carbon copy crime to the series he and his team had been investigating for eight years by then.

Continuing with The Lost Girls multi episode tale then this time around on The True Crime Enthusiast Podcast, was this indeed the same man? And could evidence be found to prove these suspicions?

The episode contains details and descriptions of crimes and events, including disturbing descriptions of a sexual nature and involving children, that some listeners may find extremely disturbing or distressing, so discretion is advised whilst listening in.

Music used in this episode: "The Descent" by Kevin Macleod. All music used is sourced from https://filmmusic.io/ and used under an Attribution Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

• Getdown Services - Dog Dribble
• The Wombats - Can't Say No

The True Crime Enthusiast's Fundraiser For Macmillan Cancer Support

• References - produced upon request and in full upon arc's end.

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Remembering all of the Lost Girls. The episode is dedicated to them.

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