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True Crime

The Cruelty

BBC Radio Scotland

In 2021, Davie Donaldson sought to solve the long-standing mystery of the Unknown Bairn, a young boy whose body washed up on a Scottish beach and was never claimed. Since that time, a number of Scottish Travellers have contacted him with stories of children being forcibly removed from their families. This becomes the catalyst for Davie's investigation into why this happened and whether it was sanctioned by the church and state. Along the way, the mystery that began it all re-enters Davies' life, taking him to a truth that's been hidden in the shadows for too long.

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  • 19 episodes
  • Avg 27 min
  • English

Episodes 19

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  • S2 · E8
    Jul 18, 2025 · 32 min

    8. Truth in the Shadows

    As the truth emerges from the shadows, a long overdue apology is sought.

  • S2 · E7
    Jul 11, 2025 · 35 min

    7. Strathmartine

    A photograph found years ago on a hospital floor shines a light on Davie’s investigation.

  • S2 · E6
    Jul 4, 2025 · 42 min

    6. Alexander and Sandy

    The story of the Unknown Bairn re-enters Davie’s life, with devastating consequences.

  • S2 · E5
    Jun 27, 2025 · 29 min

    5. Cutting the Roots

    Davie meets Bella to discover how the state treat Traveller families today.

  • S2 · E4
    Jun 20, 2025 · 25 min

    4. Paper Children

    Davie learns of a state-sanctioned visit, by a Nazi scientist, to Scottish Traveller Camps

  • S2 · E3
    Jun 13, 2025 · 30 min

    3. Finland

    Davie questions why a Church of Scotland Chaplain visited children’s homes in Finland.

  • S2 · E2
    Jun 6, 2025 · 36 min

    2. Fear and Sacrifice

    Davie hears disturbing stories about the Church of Scotland’s Gypsy Mission.

  • S2 · E1
    May 30, 2025 · 37 min

    1. Truth and Half Truths

    The family of the Unknown Bairn come forward and the mystery of the boy deepens.

  • S1 · E9
    Sep 28, 2022 · 30 min

    9. The Wee Boy

    As Davie comes to the end of his investigation, will he reveal what he has discovered?

  • S1 · E8
    Sep 28, 2022 · 19 min

    8. The Mother

    Davie returns to the crucial question of why no one came forward to claim the child.

  • S1 · E7
    Sep 28, 2022 · 25 min

    7. The Camp

    The investigation hits close to home and a major new piece of the puzzle slots into place.

  • S1 · E6
    Sep 28, 2022 · 25 min

    6. The Boy on the Bike

    Davie is given a concrete lead and makes a major breakthrough.

  • S1 · E5
    Sep 28, 2022 · 45 min

    5. The Experiments

    Can a 20th-century social experiment shine a light on the mystery of The Unknown Bairn?

  • S1 · E4
    Sep 28, 2022 · 35 min

    4. The Cruelty

    Davie’s investigations lead him to a “lost generation” of children taken into care.

  • S1 · E3
    Sep 28, 2022 · 25 min

    3. Lucky Scalp

    The water knows where The Unknown Bairn came from. Will the tides give up their secret?

  • S1 · E2
    Sep 28, 2022 · 23 min

    2. The Couple on the Bus

    Davie learns about a couple brought in for questioning. Can he find out who they were?

  • S1 · E1
    Sep 28, 2022 · 17 min

    1. The Memorial

    Fifty years after a little boy washed up in Tayport, locals hold a memorial for him.

Showing 1–19 of 19 episodes