The Beast of Birkenhead: 1. The Murder
4/20/202630 min
In 1986, Diane Sindall leaves work to drive home but never arrives. What happened that night marks the start of a decades long unsolved case.
Through testimony from those who knew her and those who encountered the crime scene, we look at Diane’s final movements, the violent nature of her attack and the growing fear gripping Birkenhead, a town on the Wirral in Merseyside.
As we find out more, troubling questions emerge about how such brutality could occur in a public place unseen and unheard, setting the stage for what would become one of Britain’s most haunting criminal cases.
Presenter: Olivia Graham. Producers: Kate Bissell, Gemma Maull and Olivia Graham. Sound Design and Music Composition: Phil Channell. Mixing: Ivan Eastley. Story Consultants: Neil McCarthy, Jack Kibble-White and Kirsty Williams. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Development was by BBC Audio Scotland and BBC Merseyside. Executive Editors: Gillian Wheelan and Ben Anderson. Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin.
There’s graphic descriptions of violence in this series. For details of help and support in the UK, visit bbc.co.uk/actionline.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJohn Thompson· Soundbite0:00
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Speaker 10:03
[instrumental music] Chicago 2011, a cop is murdered. Police and prosecutors swear they have the trigger man. He swears he didn't do it. How far will each side go to prove they're right?
Speaker 20:18
Like, it's just one bombshell after another. You know, where you're like, "I... What? What?"
Speaker 10:23
The story of a PlayStation, a brain-eating amoeba, and the relentless pursuit of justice. Off Duty, out now. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Olivia Graham· Host0:34
[instrumental music] This series contains graphic details of a murder and sexual assault, with some disturbing scenes. [instrumental music] It was a summer night, the 1st of August, 1986. Diane Sindall pulled up in a small blue van outside the Wellington Pub in Bebington, on the Wirral. She grabbed a handbag and stepped out in blue jeans and lime green shoes, and walked into the pub. It's the last shift Diane will ever work.
Anne· Guest1:17
[instrumental music] Diane came in on the normal shift Friday night, and she worked behind