The Crime Agents

Global

If you want to understand what’s really happening on Britain’s streets, you need to hear this.

The Crime Agents, the new podcast from the makers of The News Agents, goes beyond the headlines to uncover the truth behind crime that affects all of us. Why is violence rising? Why is public trust in the police collapsing? And what’s really driving young people to kill each other?

Hosted by two insiders who have spent their lives chasing the answers, this is your front-row seat to the realities of crime today. Neil Basu, the former Head of UK Counter-Terrorism Policing, brings unparalleled experience from the front lines of law enforcement. Andy Hughes, LBC’s Crime Correspondent, has spent two decades exposing the criminal underworld as an award-winning investigative journalist.

Each week, The Crime Agents dives deep into the stories you think you know - from foiled terror plots and unsolved murders, to gang culture, far-right extremism, and the tactics police use to crack the toughest cases. With over 50 years of combined experience, Neil and Andy don’t just report on crime - they’ve lived it.

The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For advertising opportunities on this podcast, email: GlobalStudiosSales@global.com

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103 episodes
Updated Thursday
Explicit

Episodes103

Newest first

Thursday · 30 min
Q&A: Prison early release scheme, domestic abuse & how did Russia find the Skripals?
Killers and sex offenders were being lined up for early release later this year - until new PM Andy Burnham paused the scheme. Was that the right call? Can letting people convicted of serious offences out after half their sentence ever be justified? Andy & Neil debate the government's options as it scrambles for a short-term fix to Britain's never-ending prisons crisis. They also ask what police can realistically do about the depressing spike in domestic abuse that accompanies every major football tournament, and Neil explains how Russian spies tracked down Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, even though neither police nor MI5 knew where he was living. Plus: can having a criminal parent stop you joining the police? And Andy shares tips for young reporters trying to build trusted law enforcement sources. Have a question for a future Q&A? Send it via email to thecrimeagents@global.com or follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
July 27 · 42 min
‘Are you ready to save a life?’ The reality of hostage negotiation
You've seen the Hollywood movies - but what is hostage negotiation really like? John Sutherland spent decades as one of the Met Police's most accomplished crisis negotiators. In this episode, he gives Andy and Neil the inside track: how it feels to have a life in your hands, what you actually say in those moments, and how he coped when things didn't go to plan. From talking down hostage-takers armed with suicide vests and flamethrowers, to helping ordinary people through the worst day of their lives, John reveals the reality behind the role most of us only know from the big screen. Later, he also explains how the job almost broke him, and how he rebuilt his life as a Sunday Times best-selling author and novelist. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
July 23 · 27 min
Q&A: Child terror suspects, Hillsborough Law & how long do police keep fingerprints on record?
A 14-year-old boy was recently charged with terrorism offences. Were Andy and Neil surprised? Less than you might think. They explain what's behind the trend in terror suspects getting younger and why it should worry us. They also take on the new Hillsborough Law, which legally compels institutions to tell the truth in public inquiries. What does it say about policing and public bodies that the government felt this law was necessary? Neil has his say. They also discuss why the World Cup saw so little hooliganism and why Trump's ICE agents kept such a low profile during the tournament. Plus, they reveal how long police keep your fingerprints on record, and they look at whether the Met is right to force experienced, specialist officers back onto the beat; is this another move that will damage morale in the ranks? Have a question for a future Q&A? Send it via email to thecrimeagents@global.com or follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
July 20 · 47 min
The Salisbury Poisonings: the day Putin attacked Britain
Many people called it an act of war. The 2018 Salisbury Poisonings remains one of the most infamous criminal cases in British history - and Neil was the man who led the investigation. In this episode, he reveals how police, the security services and MI6 worked together to identify the Russian agents who carried out the Novichok attack, and why he still lives in hope of bringing them to justice. But should the local police and MI5 have known that former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal was living an apparently normal life in Salisbury? Andy challenges Neil on whether the failure to flag his presence was a justifiable decision or a dangerous blind spot. Plus, they explain what you'll learn from the new CNN documentary The Salisbury Poisonings: The Spy Next Door, in which Neil plays a prominent role. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
July 16 · 24 min
Q&A: Ann Widdecombe, the Flying Squad and should the IRGC be banned?
The UK government has finally proscribed Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, but what does that actually mean in practice? Andy and Neil break down what labelling the IRGC a terror group gives police and security services the power to do, and whether it will make any real difference. Neil also explains why Counter Terror Police may have taken over the Ann Widdecombe investigation, and reveals whether the Met's famous Flying Squad are still armed and operational. Plus: should police tell the public more or less about ongoing investigations? Andy makes the case for how forces can rebuild public trust through better communication. Have a question for a future Q&A? Send it via email to thecrimeagents@global.com or follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
July 14 · 38 min
Special episode: why Counter-Terror Police have taken over Ann Widdecombe investigation
Counter-Terrorism Police have confirmed that the killing of Ann Widdecombe was a 'targeted attack'. So how does an investigation like this actually work? Why did it take days for CT Policing to take over from Devon & Cornwall? And why did the local force publicly rule out a political motive, only to reverse that position 24 hours later? In this special episode, Andy and Neil break down what we know, examine how the investigation has been handled, and ask whether MPs and public figures need more protection than they're currently getting. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
July 9 · 28 min
Q&A: Rochdale grooming gang leader & should sex offenders ever get early release?
The leader of the Rochdale grooming gang has been freed after just 14 years - and the government says it can't deport him. Andy and Neil dissect how Shabir Ahmed ended up back on British streets, discuss why the case has provoked such fury, and give their view on what should happen to him now. They also ask whether justice has finally been served after two teenage boys who raped young girls in Hampshire were given custodial sentences on appeal. Plus, Andy explains why rapists are often given such short prison sentences, and Neil gives his view on whether sex offenders should ever be eligible for the government's early release scheme. Later, Andy reveals whether his undercover reporting has ever put him in enough danger to need close protection. Have a question for a future Q&A? Send it via email to thecrimeagents@global.com or follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
July 6 · 48 min
Lee Rigby’s murder: The terror attack that launched a far-right movement
On 22 May 2013, Fusilier Lee Rigby was murdered in broad daylight on a London street. His killers didn't flee, they waited, bloodied weapons in hand, and spoke to camera. It remains one of the most shocking terrorist attacks on British soil. Neil was a Met police commander in southeast London that day. He reveals what happened inside the Met's leadership team in the minutes after the attack, why it took 15 minutes for armed officers to arrive, and what the footage of those officers' response tells us about the reality of policing. Together, Andy and Neil examine the uncomfortable questions this case still raises: How were both attackers already known to MI5? Why was hate preacher Anjem Choudary allowed to radicalise young men for decades before being stopped? Should the media have broadcast a terrorist's self-made martyrdom video? And how did the murder of one soldier become the launchpad for a national far-right movement? Andy was in the newsroom when the infamous footage first surfaced, and at the EDL rally in Newcastle three days later when Tommy Robinson exploited Lee Rigby's death to galvanise thousands. This is the story of how one act of terror fractured British society in ways we're still living with today. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
July 2 · 25 min
Q&A: The Palantir block, tipping off MI5 & 24 Hours in Police Custody
Should a police commissioner publicly criticise the mayor who holds him to account? Sir Mark Rowley did exactly that after Sadiq Khan blocked the Met from working with Palantir, the AI company built on CIA technology. Neil explains the unwritten rules of police leadership, and why he understands the intervention, even if it breaks their relationship. Andy also responds to a listener who asks: why didn't he go straight to MI5 when he uncovered intelligence connected to the Manchester Arena bombing? He explains where the line sits between investigative journalism and national security, and what he'd do differently now. Plus, how shows like 24 Hours in Police Custody actually get made, why most police forces say no to cameras, and what Neil learned when a documentary crew followed his murder squad around for ten months. And finally, if Andy had to join the police, would he pick up a detective's notebook or join the armed response unit? Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 29 · 41 min
Nottingham Attacks: the failures that let a killer roam free
Valdo Calocane was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He'd been arrested and sectioned for violent offences multiple times. He was known to carry knives. And yet on a June morning in 2023, he was free to roam the streets of Nottingham, where he killed three innocent people. In this episode, Emma Webber - mother of 19-year-old victim Barnaby - tells Andy and Neil about her fight for answers. She reveals how the families discovered the deaths were preventable, the litany of failures by police and mental health services that left Calocane free to kill, and her fury that not a single person has been held accountable for the errors that cost Barnaby, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates their lives. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 25 · 20 min
Q&A: Andy Burnham’s police protection, Edinburgh machete attack & Peter Murrell's sentence
Andy Burnham looks to be on the cusp of becoming the next Prime Minister. In this Q&A episode, Andy and Neil reveal how police work out which politicians need close protection, and whether Burnham will automatically be getting extra security now he's back in Parliament. Plus, a knife attack in Edinburgh reportedly targeted Muslims and left five people injured, so why didn't it get more news coverage? Andy explains how newsrooms decide which stories lead the agenda, while Neil asks the uncomfortable question: would this have received more attention if the alleged attacker was Muslim and the victims were white? They also give their verdict on Peter Murrell's five-year sentence for embezzling SNP funds, and debate whether fraudsters like him deserve space in our overcrowded prisons. And in the shocking case of a child allegedly thrown into a crocodile enclosure at a Cambridgeshire zoo, Andy and Neil explain why a suspect arrested on suspicion of attempted murder might still be granted bail. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 22 · 50 min
Manchester Arena bombing: the inside story of the terror attack that shook Britain
The Manchester Arena bombing was the deadliest terror attack in Britain in a decade. Salman Abedi killed 22 people - including children and teenagers - when he detonated a bomb at an Ariana Grande concert in May 2017. But how was he able to do it? And how was his brother finally brought to justice years later? Neil was a senior counter-terrorism figure at the time. He reveals how the security services responded, where the intelligence failures were, and the painstaking effort to prosecute Hashem Abedi for his role in the plot. Andy had spent months in Manchester before the attack, investigating a different terror cell, and explains how so many members of a community on one Moss Side estate became radicalised by ISIS. Plus, they both explain how the tragedy led to Martyn's Law, and whether what we learned from this attack is enough to prevent the next one. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 18 · 35 min
Q&A: Social media ban, Belfast riots & why don't police believe rape survivors?
Hampshire Constabulary — the same force that arrested murder victim Henry Nowak as he lay dying — is now under investigation for dismissing a rape report made by one of its own officers. Andy reveals how that failure had devastating consequences, and he and Neil tackle the deeper question: why do so many police officers still refuse to believe rape survivors? They also take on the government's plan to ban social media for under-16s. Many think it sounds good in theory, but can it actually be enforced? Andy and Neil give their verdict on whether this is meaningful policy or an unenforceable headline. Plus, Andy goes into more detail about what he saw during his reporting on last week's Belfast riots, and Neil is challenged over his view that two-tier policing doesn't exist in the UK. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 15 · 44 min
Britain's most wanted: hunting down fugitives
Nearly 60,000 suspects skipped court in England and Wales last year. Thousands still haven't been found. Investigative journalist Matt Shea has spent months tracking down some of Britain's most wanted fugitives – from safehouses in North London to red light districts in Thailand – for his Channel 4 Dispatches film Hunting Britain's Fugitives. He joins Andy and Neil to reveal how he found people the system hasn't caught up with, and why so many suspects now feel emboldened to simply not show up. Plus they discuss what exactly has gone so wrong with British justice that attending court feels optional, and what would it take to fix it. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 10 · 41 min
Special Episode: Inside the Belfast riots
As Belfast burned on Tuesday night, Andy was there. In this special episode, he delivers a full eyewitness report from the riots: the violence, the racism, and the fury that erupted on the streets of Northern Ireland's capital. Andy & Neil explain how a horrific knife attack by a Sudanese man on Monday night led to calls for protest within hours, and how those calls spiralled into widespread disorder. They discuss why immigration has become such a flashpoint in Northern Ireland, whether the Common Travel Area represents a genuine security gap, and what can be done to stop this unrest spreading, as it did in the Southport riots two years ago. Later, they examine the role played by the likes of Tommy Robinson and Elon Musk in stoking division, and break down whether law enforcement has any real power to curb their influence. Neil also gives his personal response to the growing levels of racism on Britain's streets, and explains his fear that a 'race war' could be coming to the UK. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 8 · 34 min
The World Cup’s dark side: hooligans, ICE & terror threats
The 2026 World Cup will be the biggest football tournament in history, but it could also be the most dangerous. Andy reveals the shockingly small number of British police officers travelling to the US for the tournament, and explains why that makes hooliganism and crowd trouble at England and Scotland matches far more likely. What happens when rowdy English football fans meet armed, heavy-handed American cops? Later, Neil breaks down the terror threat: why ISIS and other groups may see the World Cup as a target, and what he learned preparing London for the 2012 Olympics as a senior Met Police officer. Plus: could Trump's ICE agents pose a threat to Latin American and Middle Eastern fans attending the tournament? And back in Britain, how is law enforcement preparing for a summer of international football? From the predictable spike in domestic violence, to the challenge of policing fan zones across major cities, Andy & Neil give you the inside track on everything you need to know. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 4 · 41 min
Henry Nowak's murder: a policing disaster hijacked by politics
Nigel Farage has spent all week trying to weaponise the murder of Henry Nowak for his own political gain. In this episode, Andy & Neil react to the shocking policing which saw Henry wrongly arrested as he lay dying, explain how the officers should have responded in that situation, and debunk Farage's claims that 'two-tier' policing is now prevalent in the UK. Neil gives a passionate & personal explanation of why those claims that ethnic minorities are now treated better by police than white people are so wide of the mark, and they discuss whether more unrest is likely to follow Tuesday night's riot in Southampton, which involved the notorious far-right activist, Tommy Robinson. Andy & Neil also analyse whether there is any truth to the idea that national police guidance needs to be reworded, and whether it's time for the law to change to ban people from legally carrying the kirpan, the Sikh ceremonial dagger which was used to kill Henry Nowak. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
June 1 · 24 min
Q&A: Police 'Honeytraps' & should parents go to prison for their kids' crimes?
Should parents ever be held criminally responsible for the actions of their children? In the wake of the inquiry into the Southport murders, the government is considering whether parents who fail to act on serious warning signs should, in some cases, face prosecution. Andy and Neil debate whether that would be a fair and effective change in the law, or a step too far. They also revisit one of Britain’s most notorious police investigations: the undercover “honeytrap” operation used against Colin Stagg after the murder of Rachel Nickell. Would controversial tactics like that still be used today? Plus, Andy gives a firm answer on whether prisoners should have the vote, and he & Neil share some of the most bizarre moments from their careers - including how Andy ended up appearing in an episode of Top Boy. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
May 28 · 39 min
John Worboys: the true horror of the black cab rapist
Over 100 survivors of John Worboys' abuse have now come forward to police; but after the recent TV drama 'Believe Me', that number is still growing, decades after Worboys first attacked the women who were unlucky enough to get in his black cab. In this episode, Andy & Neil hear from survivor Becki Houlston, who tells her story, and that of another victim, which leaves Andy & Neil questioning why Worboys was never charged with attempted murder as well as rapes and sexual assaults. Becki explains why she and so many other survivors were initially reluctant to go to the police, as well as describing the police failures she's had to deal with in the last few years. Later, they discuss whether this case has fundamentally changed the way the authorities deal with victims of sexual crimes, and whether someone like Worboys could still get away with similar crimes today. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
May 22 · 25 min
Special episode: ‘bombshell’ Andrew revelations explained
The police investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is back in the headlines. In this special episode, Andy & Neil react to the latest developments and break down why it's so significant that detectives are now considering looking at allegations of sexual misconduct by the former Prince as part of their ongoing inquiries. They also explain how this investigation has already become one of the biggest in British history, why political interference is making the police's job so much harder, and why Trump's US Justice Department is yet to hand over key, unredacted documents from the Epstein Files. Plus, Neil gives an insight into what it will be like for the detectives working on this case to have the eyes of the world following their every move. Follow us on social media: @thecrimeagents The Crime Agents is a Global production, available every Monday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.