The True Story of Kelly Bates: A Case That Can’t Be Forgotten
10 Minute Murder | Bingeable True Crime Stories
Joe Kuner
4.8 • 614 Ratings
🗓️ 20 March 2025
⏱️ 14 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
James Smith looked ordinary. Clean-cut, middle-aged, a non-drinker, non-smoker—just another man in 1980s Manchester who seemed put together. But behind closed doors, he was anything but. What started as domestic abuse escalated into something far worse, as he preyed on younger and younger victims, tightening his grip on each one until there was no way out. His final victim, 17-year-old Kelly Bates, endured a level of torture so extreme that seasoned forensic experts struggled to comprehend it.
In this episode, we break down the timeline of James Smith’s crimes, the psychological manipulation he used to trap his victims, and the horrifying reality of what happened behind closed doors. How did he go unchecked for so long? What warning signs were missed? And how does a system meant to protect young women allow predators like Smith to thrive?
This is a case that will leave you questioning how evil can hide in plain sight.#TrueCrime #CrimeStory
#SerialAbuser #JusticeForKellyBates #CrimePodcast #DomesticAbuseAwareness #TrueCrimeCommunity #WomenDeserveBetter
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | James Smith looked like your average middle-aged guy. |
| 0:03.9 | Neatly dressed, didn't drink, didn't smoke, kept his house spotless. |
| 0:08.7 | The kind of man who, at a glance, might seem responsible, |
| 0:12.1 | but responsible men don't leave a trail of destruction everywhere they go. |
| 0:16.9 | And James, he was less neat freak and more walking red flag factory. |
| 0:22.6 | He moved through relationships like a wrecking ball, each one worse than the last. |
| 0:27.9 | But when he met Kelly Bates, things escalated in a way that shocked even veteran investigators. |
| 0:34.0 | This isn't a story about one man's unchecked violence. |
| 0:37.4 | It's about manipulation, control, and a system that let it happen. This is the story of James Smith and how the warning signs were there long before it was too late. But before we dive in, if you like your true crime brief and bingeable, you're in the right place. |
| 0:57.0 | Hit Follow Now for at least two new episodes every week. |
| 0:58.8 | This is 10-minute murder. |
| 1:13.6 | Let's get into it. In 1980s, In 1980s Manchester, James Smith looked like the kind of man who had his life together, |
| 1:32.5 | middle-aged, well-groomed, and with an almost obsessive dedication to keeping his home spotless. |
| 1:39.2 | He stood out, especially among his peers, who were more inclined to enjoy a pint or several. |
| 1:45.7 | James didn't drink. |
| 1:47.0 | He didn't smoke. |
| 1:48.3 | On paper, he seemed like the kind of guy that mothers would approve of. |
| 1:52.3 | But James Smith was a walking facade. |
| 1:54.9 | Beneath the polished surface was a man who thrived on control, cruelty, and violence. |
| 2:00.5 | Everywhere he went, destruction followed, |
| 2:03.1 | relationships ruined, lives shattered, and in a pattern of abuse that grew worse with every new |
| 2:08.1 | victim. By 1980, James Smith's marriage was falling apart, not because of infidelity or drifting |
... |
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