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The Catch: The Real Freshwater Five Story
The story of the Freshwater Five is either one of the biggest drug busts in British history or one of its greatest miscarriages of justice.
In 2011 a group of fishermen living on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England, were convicted of one of the largest, most audacious drug-smuggling plots in British history. They were accused of scooping up £53 mill ($69 mill) worth of pure cocaine in the dead of night from the middle of the English Channel.
The men were given combined sentences of 104 years in prison. But they maintain their innocence and are fighting to clear their names.
Presented by Raphael Rowe, a journalist who himself spent 12 years locked up for a crime he didn’t commit, this series delves into both sides of the case, exploring each twist and turn, to piece together the real Freshwater Five story.
In 2011 a group of fishermen living on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England, were convicted of one of the largest, most audacious drug-smuggling plots in British history. They were accused of scooping up £53 mill ($69 mill) worth of pure cocaine in the dead of night from the middle of the English Channel.
The men were given combined sentences of 104 years in prison. But they maintain their innocence and are fighting to clear their names.
Presented by Raphael Rowe, a journalist who himself spent 12 years locked up for a crime he didn’t commit, this series delves into both sides of the case, exploring each twist and turn, to piece together the real Freshwater Five story.
- GenresTrue CrimeAudiobook
Podcast
Published February 24, 2022
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 3, 2022
3.5 stars
I have never heard anything about this case before, which I find quite shocking given the controversy surrounding it. The lawyer for the “Freshwater Five” claims to want to let the court of public opinion decide the guilt of the men - were they involved in an international drug smuggling ring or the unfortunate victims of circumstance and police corruption? As with many true crime podcasts, Rowe presents his findings but does not reach a judgement of his own, leaving the listener to do this independently. The interesting twist is that Rowe himself was wrongfully convicted of murder, so approaches the coverage and interviews from a unique perspective. As one of the interviewees says, if they are innocent then they are the unluckiest group of men ever given the series of events that transpire, but it is also clear that the police did not have the evidence to convict them so may have taken steps to bolster their case. Also, the sentences they received seem excessive even if they are guilty - perhaps the worse decision of their lives cost them all a minimum of 10 years? The presence of the immigrant worker Vic on the boat seems to be the main evidence of foul play, particularly as Rowe uncovers a potential link between him and organised crime in the Balkans. However, everything is far from conclusive which, given that criminals need to be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, seems to indicate that some level of miscarriage of justice has taken place. Very easy and absorbing to listen to, but some definite holes in the reporting which renders it difficult to reach a sense of closure or clarity.
I have never heard anything about this case before, which I find quite shocking given the controversy surrounding it. The lawyer for the “Freshwater Five” claims to want to let the court of public opinion decide the guilt of the men - were they involved in an international drug smuggling ring or the unfortunate victims of circumstance and police corruption? As with many true crime podcasts, Rowe presents his findings but does not reach a judgement of his own, leaving the listener to do this independently. The interesting twist is that Rowe himself was wrongfully convicted of murder, so approaches the coverage and interviews from a unique perspective. As one of the interviewees says, if they are innocent then they are the unluckiest group of men ever given the series of events that transpire, but it is also clear that the police did not have the evidence to convict them so may have taken steps to bolster their case. Also, the sentences they received seem excessive even if they are guilty - perhaps the worse decision of their lives cost them all a minimum of 10 years? The presence of the immigrant worker Vic on the boat seems to be the main evidence of foul play, particularly as Rowe uncovers a potential link between him and organised crime in the Balkans. However, everything is far from conclusive which, given that criminals need to be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, seems to indicate that some level of miscarriage of justice has taken place. Very easy and absorbing to listen to, but some definite holes in the reporting which renders it difficult to reach a sense of closure or clarity.
August 17, 2024
I listened expecting an outcome. Unfortunately there wasn’t one.
I might as well have
just read a newspaper article that doesn’t conclude either way.
Which I don’t. (Read newspaper articles that is)
I might as well have
just read a newspaper article that doesn’t conclude either way.
Which I don’t. (Read newspaper articles that is)
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews