FROM THE ARCHIVES | Donald Neilson: The Murders of Lesley Whittle and Three Subpostmasters
British Murders with Stuart Blues
Stuart Blues
4.6 • 876 Ratings
🗓️ 15 February 2026
⏱️ 53 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Fifty-two years have passed since Donald Neilson committed his first known murder - that of 54-year-old Donald Skepper on 15 February 1974. What followed was a violent campaign that would stretch across four English counties and culminate in one of the most infamous kidnappings in British criminal history.
In the mid-1970s, sub-postmasters were targeted in a series of calculated and ruthless attacks. Then, in January 1975, 17-year-old Lesley Whittle was abducted and held for ransom - a crime that gripped the nation and ended in devastating tragedy.
This episode revisits my November 2024 coverage of the case, now re-released from the archives. It’s a story of lives stolen, families devastated, and the relentless manhunt that brought one of Britain’s most notorious serial offenders to justice.
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Disclaimer:
The case discussed in this podcast episode is real and represents the worst day in many people's lives. I aim to cover such stories with a victim-focused approach, using information from publicly available sources. While I strive for accuracy, some details may vary depending on the sources used. You can find the sources for each episode on my website. Due to the nature of the content, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for your understanding and support.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to Always True Crime, a podcast network bringing you gripping real-life stories that you won't be able to stop thinking about. |
| 0:08.2 | Discover your next true crime obsession at alwaystruecrime.com. |
| 0:14.7 | 52 years have passed since British serial killer Donald Nielsen committed his first known murder, that of 54-year-old |
| 0:23.6 | Donald Skepper on February 15, 1974. It marked the beginning of a violent campaign that would |
| 0:31.1 | stretch across four English counties and culminate in one of the most infamous kidnappings in British criminal history. |
| 0:40.2 | In the mid-1970s, sub-postmasters were targeted in a series of calculated and ruthless attacks. |
| 0:48.2 | Then, in January 1975, 17-year-old Leslie Whittle was abducted and held for ransom, a crime that gripped the nation and ended in devastating tragedy. |
| 1:01.2 | In this episode of British Murders with Stuart Blues, I've dug back into my archives to re-release my November 2020-coverage of this case. |
| 1:11.4 | It's a story of live stolen, community shaken, and the relentless manhunt that brought one of |
| 1:18.7 | Britain's most notorious serial offenders to justice. |
| 1:23.4 | Before we get into the case, I've got a quick favour to ask. |
| 1:26.9 | If you're listening to this on a podcast at Please Follow the Show. |
| 1:30.5 | It doesn't cost a thing, but it really helps British murders reach more people who care about these stories. |
| 1:37.1 | Ratings and reviews make a huge difference too, so thank you if you've already left one. |
| 1:41.5 | And if you'd like add free episodes, early access and a load of |
| 1:45.3 | exclusive content you were here on the main feed, you can find all of that over at patreon.com |
| 1:51.3 | forward slash British murders. Based on how many people have suggested this case, you can tell |
| 1:59.1 | it's a notorious one which has piqued the interest of many |
| 2:02.5 | in the five decades that have passed since its occurrence. There is a vast quantity of articles, |
| 2:09.0 | books, documentaries and further reading available about this case, which means there will inevitably |
| 2:14.6 | be some portions that I've omitted for the sake of time, |
| 2:18.2 | otherwise I'd be here for 10 plus hours with a multiple part episode. |
... |
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