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PODCAST

Motive & Method

Xanthe Mallett and Tim Watson-Munro

Motive & Method is an expert-led Australian true crime podcast. Join Dr Xanthe Mallett and criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro as they unpack what really makes the offenders behind some of history’s most notorious cases tick, and also react and unpack crimes as they hit the headlines. You will also hear from victim survivors, investigators and advocates for change analysing motive, and method.

true crime

All Episodes

40:35

Who is ‘The Playboy Swindler’? Inside the Psyche of a...

Motive & Method ·

2025/05/20

This week on Motive and Method, we dissect the mind of David Prince-Popovich, aka ‘The Playboy Swindler’. From bogus bank transfers to private jets, even duping a former Premier, his scams were as elaborate as they were audacious.Sydney Morning Herald crime reporter Clare Sibthorpe joins Xanthe and Tim to explore how one man built a life of lies - and why so many believed him. Read the Sydney Morning Herald Article Watch the A Current Affair storySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy

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39:13

SPECIAL GUEST: Why Innocent People Confess

Motive & Method ·

2025/05/12

Why would someone admit to a crime they didn’t commit? In this gripping episode, Xanthe and Tim are joined, from the US, by renowned false confessions expert Professor Alan Hirsch to dissect the psychological tactics and high-pressure interrogations that lead innocent people to falsely confess.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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38:36

Is Lucy Letby Innocent?

Motive & Method ·

2025/05/06

Tim and Xanthe are join by Professor Neena Modi, who was part of the international panel who looked at the case of Lucy Letby, to discuss the trial, the review and where it goes from here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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31:53

The Dark Side of Public Registers: Protection or Peril?

Motive & Method ·

2025/04/29

Does naming and shaming really make our kids safer, or does it just open the door to misinformation and vigilante justice? This federal election could lead to Australia's first public child sex offender register.Tim & Xanthe are joined by Dr Maggie Hall, from Western Sydney University, to ask the question 'Would it do more harm than good?'.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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39:57

Bondi Junction stabbings one year on with Greg Barton

Motive & Method ·

2025/04/22

Distinguished academic, Professor Greg Barton, joins the podcast to reflect on the Westfield Bonid Junction stabbing rampage one year on.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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35:26

Do Citizen Sleuths Help or Hinder Investigations?

Motive & Method ·

2025/04/15

Xanthe and Tim discuss the rise of citizen sleuths and their impact on investigations, and look at specific case studies such as Gabby Petito, Ivan Milat and The Teacher's Pet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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30:29

Adolescence and the Manosphere

Motive & Method ·

2025/04/08

Xanthe and Tim discuss Netflix drama Adolescence and how it's turned the world's attention to the growing influence of the manosphere and the influence it's having on teenage boys.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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52:05

SPECIAL: Tony Mokbel FREED after a 'Seismic Moment in...

Motive & Method ·

2025/04/04

Tim and Xanthe are joined by criminal barrister Ruth Parker to discuss the fallout and ramifications after underworld figure Tony Mokbel was set free on bail after 18 years in prison.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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38:55

How 14 members of a religious sect were convicted of...

Motive & Method ·

2025/04/01

Xanthe and Tim unpack the shocking death of an eight-year-old girl in rural Queensland, after she was denied life-saving medication by those who looked after her. They're joined by A Current Affair reporter Pippa Bradshaw who has followed the case closely since the beginning.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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29:36

Should juries have to explain their verdicts?

Motive & Method ·

2025/03/25

Xanthe and Tim examine the jury secrecy principle with barrister and academic Jason Donnelly. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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31:26

Will Victoria's 'toughest ever' bail laws reduce...

Motive & Method ·

2025/03/18

Xanthe and Tim discuss bail and its role in the criminal justice system, and if Victoria's sweeping reforms will help to reduce crime rates, and the risk of letting the status quo continue. They also look at the age of criminal responsibility, and the rise of vigilantism as some communities take matters into their own hands.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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37:29

Simon Feldman: The Man Who Embezzled $16.7 Million

Motive & Method ·

2025/03/11

Simon Feldman was a successful company co-founder at the height of his career… But the higher you fly, the further you can fall. Simon hit rock bottom after being found guilty of embezzling more than $16 million from his family business and was sentenced tofour yearsin Silverwater jail. In this episode, Tim and Xanthe sit down with Simon as he candidly confesses to the mistakes which cost him so dearly and how he’s turned his life around.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy

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35:45

Can people really commit crime whilst asleep?

Motive & Method ·

2025/03/03

What happens when we sleep? Parasomnia is a sleep disorder that causes people to do strange or even dangerous things while they're asleep. In some shocking criminal cases, people have committed murders or sexually motivated crimes whilst asleep, arguing they acted involuntarily and without awareness. In this episode, Tim and Xanthe are joined by USYD sociolegal scholar and lecturer Christopher Rudge to discuss the parasomnia defense. Does it hold weight? Can people who kill in their sleep be

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26:59

How Belle Gibson conned the world

Motive & Method ·

2025/02/25

She built an empire on hope—a wellness guru with a miraculous story of healing. Belle Gibson claimed she had cured her terminal brain cancer through natural remedies, clean eating, and holistic living. Her journey inspired millions, and her app and cookbook became global bestsellers. But there was just one problem… It was all a lie. For years, Belle Gibson convinced the world she was a cancer survivor. In this episode, Tim and Xanthe unpack the story of Belle Gibson... How she got away

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28:25

Remembering Jesse Baird and Luke Davies... One Year On

Motive & Method ·

2025/02/18

On February 18 2024, Sydney was shaken by the disappearance and tragic deaths of television presenter Jesse Baird, 26, and his partner, Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies, 29. Their bodies were found in surfboard bags near Goulburn, and ex-NSW police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon, 29, was charged with their premeditated killings. Authorities allege he used his police-issued gun after stalking Baird, his ex, for months, with Davies an alleged collateral victim. In this episode, Tim and Xanthe reflect

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34:01

The Unbelievable Horrors of Human Trafficking Networks

Motive & Method ·

2025/02/11

Human trafficking is a hidden crime that strips millions of their freedom every year. While many think it’s a distant issue, it’s happening closer than we realise - in neighborhoods, cities, and countries around the world, including Australia. In this episode, Tim and Xanthe speak to Matt Friedman - a leading, internationally renowned global expert on modern slavery and human trafficking. From forced labor to exploitation and coercion, Mattuncovers the dark reality of modern slavery and

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31:14

Where Is Samantha Murphy's Body?

Motive & Method ·

2025/02/04

It's been one year since the disappearance of 51-year-old Australian woman, Samantha Murphy. Samantha left her home in Ballarat, Victoria, for a morning run… and was never seen again. In this episode, Tim and Xanthe look at the investigation ahead of the impending court date and attempt to answer the public's burning questions about the case... Is her mobile phone the missing piece? Are Victorian Police doing all they possibly can? Where is Samantha's body?See omnystudio.com/listener for

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44:11

How Forensic Genetic Genealogy Is Solving Serial...

Motive & Method ·

2025/01/28

Netflix's latest short series, 'The Breakthrough', has captured the attention of true crime fans across the globe for it's fictional account of the infamous 2004 double homicidein Linköping, Sweden. This double homicide went unsolved for 16 years... Until police on the case enlisted the help of a genealogist, who found the killer by identifying genetic relatives and building family trees. In today's episode, Xanthe sits down with CeCe Moore, aka. The DNA Detective, to discuss how Forensic

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30:41

Hate Crimes & The Rise of Anti-Semitic Incidents

Motive & Method ·

2025/01/21

Australia has experienced a significant increase in anti-Semitic incidents, with reported cases quadrupling since October 7, 2023. Known more broadly as Hate Crimes, Tim and Xanthe sit down with Matteo Vergani, an Associate Professor at Deakin University who’s spent an enormous part of his career covering these issues. What constitutes a hate crime? Is there a difference between hate crimes, extremism and terrorism? Can people be de-radicalised?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy

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43:53

Unpacking the Menendez case with Laura Richards

Motive & Method ·

2025/01/14

Later this month, infamous brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez will have a sentencing hearing, where a judge will determine their fate and freedom. The brothers were found guilty of murdering Jose and Kitty Menendez with shotguns in 1989 and sentenced to life in prison without parole. With new evidence on the table and a brighter spotlight on the case following the popular Netflix series, Monsters, criminal expert Laura Richards joins Tim and Xanthe to unpack the many truths and myths. Laura Richards is

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157 results

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