The Lost Girls: Part 10 - The Aftermath

·1 hr 15 min·5 clips

Hector Clark reads a newspaper article about the unsolved murders, unaware that within four hours, Robert Black would abduct another child.

This episode serves as the conclusion to a multi-part series on serial killer Robert Black, focusing on the aftermath of his convictions. Host Paul introduces the episode from North Wales, noting it covers disturbing content involving children. The narrative begins with the criticism faced by police, particularly Hector Clark, following Black's 1994 convictions for the murders of Susan Maxwell, Caroline Hogg, and Sarah Harper, and the attempted abduction of Teresa Thornhill. Clark's book, 'Fear the Stranger', is referenced, including a coincidental moment where a newspaper article about the unsolved cases was published just hours before Black abducted another child. Retired Detective Superintendent John Stainthorpe is noted as a harsh critic, though many officers defended Clark. The episode then shifts to the long-term effects on the victims' families. The Hogg family retreated into privacy, while Jackie Harper found new love and spoke openly about her grief, stating the pain never goes away. The Maxwell family, including parents Liz and Fordyce, moved homes and returned to journalism, keeping Susan's memory alive. Their son Tom broke his silence in 2011, discussing being a 'surviving child'. The Cardy family, particularly mother Pat, showed remarkable compassion, praying for Black and considering meeting him to ask about other victims. Robert Black's death in Maghaberry Prison on January 12, 2016, is detailed, attributed to a sudden cardiac arrest. His cremation was a solitary, brief affair with no mourners. The inquest in 2018 confirmed natural causes, with no family members coming forward. The episode explores Black's potential involvement in other unsolved child murders, mentioning a file held by Devon and Cornwall Police regarding the 1978 disappearance of Jeanette Tate. Retired detective Roger Orr believes Black was close to confessing to more crimes in a 1990 interview. Psychologist Dr. Richard Badcock's assessment of Black as 'beyond redemption' is included. Host Paul reflects on the research process, describing Black as epitomizing evil, and speculates that Black may have killed abroad or kept trophies. He implores listeners to remember the victims and their families rather than the killer. The episode ends with Paul taking a break from true crime and dedicating the series to Jennifer Cardy, Susan Maxwell, Caroline Hogg, and Sarah Harper.

As heard by us

Family endurance and prison years anchor a steady aftermath-focused chapter, with only a dense health rundown to slow it down.

Rather than revisiting the violence itself, the chapter stays with the long afterlife of it, letting Liz Maxwell's words and the family's endurance do most of the work.

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Why you'd press play

You want the aftermath, the prison years, and no tidy landing.

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