Real Cases. Real Cops. Real Talk.
Crime Time Inc.
Former detectives Tom Wood and Simon McLean bring you inside Scotland's most gripping criminal cases. Real investigations. Real insight. No fluff.
5
Seasons
268+
Episodes
★ 5
Apple Podcasts
Fresh Episodes
Latest Episodes
S7 · E9 · 27:58
The War on Drugs: Has Prohibition Failed?
Nearly twenty years ago, one of Scotland’s most respected legal figures delivered a devastating verdict on the war on drugs: prohibition was not working. In this episode, former detectives Simon McLean and Tom Wood revisit the views of Lord John McCluskey and ask whether decades of criminalisation have reduced drug use — or helped create the hugely profitable black market exploited by organised crime. Simon argues for a radically different approach built around decriminalisation, regulation and rehabilitation. Tom challenges the practicalities: who would supply regulated drugs, could easier access increase consumption, and does Scotland have anything like the treatment infrastructure required? They examine Scotland’s record on drug deaths, the relationship between drugs and organised crime, and lessons from approaches used overseas. Tom also reflects on his own experience working in alcohol and drug strategy and raises a crucial question about drug deaths: rather than looking only at how someone died, should we pay much more attention to how they lived in the years beforehand? The discussion then turns to Scots law and Brennan v HM Advocate, a murder case involving alcohol, LSD and the important legal principle surrounding voluntarily induced intoxication, insanity and diminished responsibility. A frank discussion about drugs, crime, health, law — and whether continuing with the same policies can ever produce a different result. Real cases. Real detectives. Real talk. Chapters 00:00 — Cold Open: The War on Drugs Has Failed 00:53 — Lord McCluskey and Scots Law 03:54 — “It Does Not Work. It Cannot Work.” 05:03 — Tom Remembers John McCluskey 06:48 — Is Prohibition Causing the Problem? 08:03 — Drugs and Organised Crime 10:01 — Decriminalisation, Regulation & Rehabilitation 13:01 — Tom Challenges the Practicalities 14:09 — What Would Regulation Look Like? 15:13 — Would Drug Use Increase? 16:12 — Safety, Purity and Regulation 17:14 — What Do Drug Death Statistics Tell Us? 18:17 — Scotland’s Drug Treatment Failures 20:07 — The Political Courage Problem 22:23 — Brennan v HM Advocate 24:13 — Intoxication and Criminal Responsibility 25:37 — How Appeal Courts Shape Scots Law 26:36 — Closing Banter About Crime Time Inc. Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic. This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history. Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work. Two crime worlds. One podcast. New episodes released regularly throughout the season. Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/ If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us. Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey. http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S7 · E8 · 23:17
No-Go Glasgow? Crime, Drugs and a City Centre in Crisis
Is Glasgow city centre becoming somewhere people increasingly choose to avoid? A recent BBC Disclosure programme has put the condition of Glasgow city centre firmly back in the spotlight. In this episode, former detectives Tom Wood and Simon McLean examine what is happening on the streets — and whether the problems run much deeper than policing. Tom and Simon discuss the disappearance of the highly visible city-centre policing they remember from their own careers, and the shift towards a more reactive system where officers increasingly arrive after something has happened rather than being there to prevent it. They look at open drug dealing and drug use, antisocial behaviour, dispersal zones, homelessness, rough sleeping, mental-health problems and tensions surrounding asylum seekers and immigration. But the discussion goes beyond crime. Simon asks whether Glasgow is experiencing the effects described by the “Broken Windows” theory — when neglected streets, empty buildings, poor maintenance and declining public spaces begin to reinforce a wider sense that nobody is in control. Tom draws on his own experience working with homelessness and addiction services to explain why seemingly straightforward solutions, such as simply providing accommodation, often fail to address the complex combination of addiction, mental health, physical illness and vulnerability affecting people living on the streets. Ultimately, both former detectives reach the same conclusion: what is happening in Glasgow cannot be regarded simply as a police problem. Police officers are increasingly being expected to manage the consequences of failures elsewhere — in housing, addiction services, mental-health provision, social care and the maintenance of the communities they police. As one senior Glasgow officer puts it: “We cannot arrest our way out of this problem.” In this episode 00:00 — Cold open: “There’s a time bomb in our city centres” 00:56 — Why Glasgow is back in the news 02:00 — Is Edinburgh experiencing the same problems? 02:52 — The BBC Disclosure programme and what it revealed 03:33 — Where have Glasgow’s city-centre police officers gone? 04:31 — Open drug dealing on the streets 05:02 — Reactive policing versus preventing crime 07:25 — Drugs, antisocial behaviour and enforcement 08:59 — Glasgow’s city-centre dispersal zone 09:58 — Homelessness and Glasgow’s housing emergency 11:36 — Mental health and the city-centre “time bomb” 12:05 — Simon’s disturbing walk through Glasgow during Covid 13:40 — Tom’s experience working with homelessness services 16:42 — Why providing accommodation alone isn't enough 17:07 — The Broken Windows theory — is Glasgow demonstrating it? 20:15 — What neglected public buildings tell the public 22:08 — Are police being left to deal with everyone else’s failures? 23:03 — “We cannot arrest our way out of this problem” Crime Time Inc. — Real cases. Real detectives. Real talk. About Crime Time Inc. Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic. This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history. Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work. Two crime worlds. One podcast. New episodes released regularly throughout the season. Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/ If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us. Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey. http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S7 · E7 · 27:01
A66 Pursuit Tragedy: Two Police Officers Among Seven Killed
Seven people lost their lives in the early hours of Saturday 22 August 2026 when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way along the A66 at South Bank, near Middlesbrough, collided head-on with a marked Cleveland Police armed response vehicle. Among those who died were Cleveland Police officers PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, along with the five occupants of the Passat. In this episode, former detectives Tom Wood and Simon McLean examine what is currently known about the tragedy while recognising that the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision is still at an early stage. Tom explains how police pursuits are controlled, why a pursuit can be abandoned when the danger becomes too great, and the specialist training required to drive police vehicles at high speed. Simon and Tom also reflect on incidents from their own police careers which brought home the risks faced by officers on the road. Simon recalls the 1994 death of Strathclyde Police officer PC Stuart Simpson, who was killed when his police vehicle was struck head-on by a car travelling the wrong way on the M8. Tom remembers losing two traffic officers while he was an acting divisional commander in West Lothian — and the devastating experience of personally going to the home of one of the officers to tell his wife that her husband had died. The conversation also examines: how police vehicle pursuits are managed and terminated; the highly specialised training of police traffic drivers; the role of Armed Response Vehicles in British policing; why most British police officers continue to patrol without firearms; the impact that the death of colleagues can have on a close-knit police force; and the support needed by officers and other emergency workers who attend traumatic scenes. The circumstances leading to the A66 collision are being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Tom and Simon therefore distinguish between what is known and the questions that remain unanswered. 00:00 — Cold Open 00:50 — The A66 tragedy: seven people killed 02:43 — How police pursuits are controlled and called off 06:36 — What we know about the A66 collision 08:41 — Simon remembers PC Stuart Simpson and the 1994 M8 tragedy 10:35 — Tom recalls losing two traffic officers in West Lothian 15:41 — How road policing departments operate 17:28 — The specialist training of high-speed police drivers 20:47 — What is an Armed Response Vehicle? 25:04 — Why most British police officers remain unarmed 25:52 — The unanswered social-media question 26:37 — Closing thoughts Crime Time Inc. — Real cases. Real detectives. Real talk. About Crime Time Inc. Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic. This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history. Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work. Two crime worlds. One podcast. New episodes released regularly throughout the season. Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/ If you like this show please leave a review. It really helps us. Please help us improve our Podcast by completing this survey. http://bit.ly/crimetimeinc-survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Hosts
Straight From the Case Files
Tom Wood
Co-Host
Tom Wood is a retired detective, former Deputy Chief Constable and bestselling author of "Ruxton: The First Modern Murder". With decades of experience in Scottish law enforcement, Tom brings unparalleled insight into criminal investigations and forensic history.
Simon McLean
Co-Host
Simon McLean is a former detective and undercover cop. His experience spans organised crime, serious assault, and complex criminal networks across Scotland.
Chris Burt
Producer
Chris Burt is the producer of Crime Time Inc, handling all aspects of audio production, post-production, and digital content.
Listener Reviews
What Listeners Say
Absolutely Gripping
“Tom and Simon bring an authenticity to true crime that you just can't fake. Having two actual detectives walk you through these cases is incredible. Essential listening.”
— ScottishCrimeFan · Apple Podcasts
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