It’s crime like you’ve never heard or seen it before … from two ‘unlikely’ forensic scientists from Huddersfield.
Annie Robinson and Beth Kent have teamed up to provide a weekly crime podcast and video with a difference and accept they don’t look like how you’d expect scientists to look.
Called Grave Secrets, it looks at crime and baffling disappearances from a forensic viewpoint, interviewing people who work within the industry, and they’re also keen to involve other forensic scientists and police as there is so much to the profession the public doesn’t know about.
The free podcasts and videos are available on Apple, Spotify, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram with a new one released every Monday morning.
Annie, of Fixby, did a forensics science degree at Sheffield Hallam University and followed that with a masters degree in Forensic Anthropology at the University of Huddersfield.
She is an expert emergency responder dealing with the aftermath of major incidents such as railway disasters or terrorist attacks and her skills include bagging up personal effects, taking photographs, helping families or working in makeshift mortuaries.
People often just see forensic scientists on TV dramas, but how it works in real life can be very different and Anne and Beth are giving unique insights into the reality.
Beth Kent (left) and Annie Robinson recording a Grave Secrets podcast
Annie, 34, said: “Forensic science can be very involved and complex but also has to work within strict budgets. It’s often nowhere near as quick as you see on TV – I was involved with one crime scene for two years. There is a lot to forensic science people don’t know about.
“We’re on the hunt for those in the forensic science and policing industry, either still serving or retired. We don’t look like your ‘typical’ scientists and we’re hoping that will draw some people in.
“We are here to show everyone, especially women, that science can be a great career for anyone. I’d done several different jobs from hairdressing to training to be a firearms officer before I ended up doing this and I really love what I do now.
“Our aim with the podcast is to shed more light on the ‘truth’ behind the TV shows and murder podcasts out there. We both work in the industry ourselves and want to show that there is more variety within forensic science roles than people could ever imagine.”
The podcast has already seen them interview a well-known criminal psychologist, Linda Sage, who has interviewed thousands of Category A and B inmates, including UK serial killers Rose West, Myra Hindley and Dennis Nilsen who murdered at least 12 young men and boys between 1978 and 1983.
Linda says of Nilsen: “He was one of the most surprising. He was incredibly well read and you could have a conversation with him about anything and everything, if he felt like it.”
Annie added: “Our aim is to interview more people from a variety of backgrounds, maybe even ex-criminals, who want to share their stories and inspire others.”
Beth, 28, of Honley, is a forensic linguistics specialist who studied English language and linguistics at York St John University and now works for Skelmanthorpe-based Think Forensic (https://thinkforensic.co.uk/) which sponsors the podcast.
The company provides crime-solving experience days in forensic science, gives talks and workshops in schools and colleges and is staffed by experts from the criminal justice system.
Annie also works there part-time and Beth said: “That’s where we became a bit of a double act so we decided to take it into podcasting.”
The podcasts are recorded at BrigHub in Brighouse – the former Vulcan pub turned into offices – as the acoustics are just right for recording. The first podcast introduces Annie and Beth and their backgrounds in forensics.
Their forensic knowledge means they can drill right down into different forensic techniques such as how blood is processed at a crime scene and how that can become crucial in evidence at court.
The podcasts are doing well and the first one immediately lifted Grave Secrets into the top 50% of podcasts.
Follow this link https://linktr.ee/gravesecretspod for the podcasts on Facebook, TikTok, Spotify, Apple, YouTube and Instagram. You can also contact them through the link.
Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content and copywriting.
