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In this episode, I tell the story of Claire Morris, a 32-year-old woman killed near Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, in May 1994.
Claire was killed by her husband, Malcolm Webster, just eight months after they tied the knot. She was unknowingly drugged throughout their marriage, and, at first, it was thought that Claire's death was a tragic car accident.
Webster wasn't brought to justice until 2011 when he was handed a life sentence with a 30-year minimum, but killing Claire wasn't the only thing he was guilty of.
This extremely convoluted story also includes Webster's attempted murder of his second wife, Felicity Drumm, in New Zealand, his fraudulent acquisition of insurance money in the aftermath of Claire's death and another fraudulent scheme involving a third woman, Simone Banarjee.
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Intro music:
David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'
davidjohnbrady.com
References:
Appeal after fatal accident. (1994, May 30). Dundee Courier, 3.
Banks, K. (2011, July 12). Claire Morris murder: Victim’s brother Peter Morris’s walk. BBC News. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-14105125
Beaton, A. (1994, May 30). Floral tributes to car-crash victim. Aberdeen Press and Journal, 41.
Campsie, A. (2011a, May 20). Why was wife-killer Webster free for so long? The Herald. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13030319.wife-killer-webster-free-long/
Campsie, A. (2011b, May 21). How victim’s sister nailed Webster lies. The Herald. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13030371.victims-sister-nailed-webster-lies/
Cox, L. (2014, March 17). Killer Malcolm Webster drops appeal against sentence to murder of Claire Morris on eve of The Widower TV drama on ITV. Kent Online. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/-killer-drops-appeal-on-14308/
Crash husband is a “callous killer.” (2011, May 19). Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/crash-husband-is-a-callous-killer/28618961.html
Family of nurse murdered by her husband have to ask HIS permission to alter her gravestone. (2011, June 3). Mail Online. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1393837/Family-nurse-murdered-husband-ask-HIS-permission-alter-gravestone.html
Fear, H. (2022, May 9). Malcolm Webster: ITV drama and Channel 4 doc explore murderer’s life. Entertainment Daily. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.entertainmentdaily.com/true-crime/married-to-a-psychopath-on-channel-4-where-is-malcolm-webster-now-killed-wives/
Fireball horror. (1994, May 28). Aberdeen Evening Express, 23.
Gall, C. (2016, February 11). Evil wife killer “should rot in jail for 30 years” demands murder victim’s brother. The Mirror. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/evil-wife-killer-should-rot-7348776
Gall, C. (2019, December 24). Loving brother of “Black Widower” murder victim who fought for justice dies age 56. Daily Record. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/loving-brother-battled-keep-sisters-21153833
Hills and roads claim six lives. (1994, May 30). The Scotsman, 3.
Horn, J. (2014, November 5). Malcolm Webster, convicted of killing his wife Claire Morris, from Upchurch, in Aberdeenshire in 1994, to have his case reviewed. Kent Online. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/wife-killer-to-have-case-26450/#:~:text=A%20man%20found%20guilty%20of,eight%20months%20after%20marrying%20Webster.
MALCOLM JOHN WEBSTER v. HER MAJESTY’S ADVOCATE. (2013, December 13). Scottish Courts and Tribunals. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/search-judgments/judgment?id=c58086a6-8980-69d2-b500-ff0000d74aa7
Malcolm Webster’s wife Felicity Drumm says justice done. (2011, May 29). BBC News. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-13588222
Man accused of Kiwi’s attempted murder “strange.”(2011, February 12). Stuff. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/4650341/Man-accused-of-Kiwis-attempted-murder-strange
MAN KILLED FIRST WIFE AND TRIED TO KILL SECOND IN pounds 1M SCAM.(2011, May 20). The Free Library. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.thefreelibrary.com/MAN+KILLED+FIRST+WIFE+AND+TRIED+TO+KILL+SECOND+IN+pounds+1M+SCAM-a0256826969
Mansfield, K., & Cameron, L. (2022, May 3). Malcolm Webster: Who is the murderer seen in Married to a Psychopath? The Independent. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/malcolm-webster-married-psychopath-channel-4-b2070339.html
McCammon, B. (2011, August 25). Wife-killer Webster loses headstone rights. Stuff. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/5504416/Wife-killer-Webster-loses-headstone-rights
O’Hare, P. (2013, October 9). I refused painkillers from Malcolm Webster - it could have saved my life, says ex Brenda Grant. Daily Record. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/refused-painkillers-malcolm-webster---1090741
Ossei, N. S., & Adefolalu, A. (2023, September 22). Where is Malcolm Webster now? The Sun. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/18437333/where-is-malcolm-webster-now/
Pa. (2011, July 5). Life term for wife killer Malcolm Webster. The Independent. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/life-term-for-wife-killer-malcolm-webster-2307319.html
Ross, S. (2022, May 9). Malcolm Webster: who is murderer in Married to a Psychopath TV programme on Channel 4 and is he in prison now? NationalWorld. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.nationalworld.com/culture/television/malcolm-webster-murderer-killed-wife-claire-morris-have-children-where-now-3675662
Rutherford, B. (2022a, May 2). Detective who exposed north-east wife killer Malcolm Webster says there could be other victims. Press and Journal. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/crime-courts/4241054/detective-who-exposed-north-east-wife-killer-malcolm-webster-says-there-could-be-other-victims/
Rutherford, B. (2022b, May 2). Rise and fall of cold and calculating killer Malcolm Webster. Press and Journal. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/crime-courts/4241669/the-rise-and-fall-of-malcolm-webster/
Sinha, S. (2023, September 6). Claire Morris Murder: Malcolm Webster is Serving His Life Sentence Today. The Cinemaholic. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://thecinemaholic.com/claire-morris-murder-where-is-malcolm-webster-now/
Smith, S. (1994, May 30). Three die in weekend of car carnage. Aberdeen Press and Journal, 2.
Staff, H. (2014, March 24). Actress praised for TV portrayal of wife murdered by Malcolm Webster. The Herald. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13151984.actress-praised-tv-portrayal-wife-murdered-malcolm-webster/
Timeline: Malcolm Webster murder case. (2011, May 19). BBC News. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-12392028
Uqaili, A. (2022, May 3). Who was Malcolm Webster and What happened to Malcolm Webster? BOL News. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.bolnews.com/international/2022/05/who-was-malcolm-webster-and-what-happened-to-malcolm-webster/
Urquhart, F. (2013, October 4). Malcolm Webster refused burial near wife he killed. The Scotsman. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.scotsman.com/news/malcolm-webster-refused-burial-near-wife-he-killed-1559104
Wife killer Malcolm Webster denies “experiments” on three children. (2011, June 8). The Scotsman. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.scotsman.com/news/wife-killer-malcolm-webster-denies-experiments-on-three-children-1673629
Wife killer who also tried to murder second wife loses bid to have conviction re-examined. (2016, February 9). The Mirror. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/wife-killer-who-also-tried-7341868
Wife-killer launches appeal. (2020, September 16). NZ Herald. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/wife-killer-launches-appeal/YS3BL5X6HIGOJQUFREPBUAVIXA/
Wife-killer struck from nursing register in England. (2020, September 16). NZ Herald. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/wife-killer-struck-from-nursing-register-in-england/XBLVCWYYKOVZ2HCPNS6E6Y6I3M/
Woman “slept with Malcolm Webster on anniversary.” (2011, March 17). BBC News. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-12775108
