THE NORTH EAST'S BIGGEST TRUE CRIME EVENT

10 October 2026 | Maldron Hotel, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

Be the first through the door.

Join the waitlist for early-bird tickets and speaker announcements before public release.

Last year sold out. This year is even bigger.

How it was last year...

Amazing launch at Blackfriars last year.

True Crime Forum 2025

Workshops

We're in the process of reaching out to more specialists, so the list of events is still growing. Stay tuned for updates — we're excited to share more with you soon!

Dr Bethany Usher

The Ethics of True Crime in Social Media & Journalism

Join our guest speaker Senior Lecturer in Journalism (Theory and Practice) and Director of Education at Newcastle University.

Holly's Hope

Behind the Headlines: A Family Perspective

Lee and Micala Trussler, the parents of Holly Newton who was tragically murdered by her ex, will be joined by Carly and Alison from Samantha’s Legacy, talking about the realities families are confronted with in the aftermath of a homicide — from dealing with the press to handling online attention and the wider public gaze.

The Crime Scene Insiders

‘The CSI Effect’ - Reality Vs Drama!

This workshop will be delivered by experienced CSIs, Mass Disaster Response consultants and hosts of the new True Crime Podcast, The Crime Scene Insiders.

Angela Davies and Dionne Watson will take you under the barrier tape of real investigations, in this insightful and practical workshop. Get ready to get hands-on and a little bit mucky!

Workieticket

JoJo Kirtley is a freelance writer, producer, and facilitator, and the Founder and Artistic Director of Workie Ticket Theatre CIC. A mother of three, she is a feminist and advocate for women’s rights, and a 2024 Churchill Fellow researching how theatre can tackle gender-based violence.

Workie Ticket Theatre is a female and survivor-led theatre company based in North Tyneside, working across the North East. Founded in 2017, the company uses theatre to amplify women’s voices, challenge male violence against women and girls, and create spaces for connection, care, and social change.

Samantha's Legacy

Carly Barrett MBE and Alison Madgin MBE are the mother-and-daughter co-founders of Samantha’s Legacy, created in memory of their beloved daughter and sister, Samantha Madgin, who was tragically murdered in 2007.

Shaped by profound personal loss, their work focuses on supporting families affected by serious violence through Samantha's Retreat, raising awareness of knife crime, and delivering preventative education and mentoring to young people.

Dr Rebecca Owens

Male Psychology and Mental Health

Dr Rebecca Owens is an evolutionary psychologist, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and is currently the Head of the School of Psychology at the University of Sunderland. Her research interests centre on male psychology and mental health, having developed the first taught module on this that takes a fully integrated perspective in the world.

Paul Bateman

Intro into Wildlife Crime

Paul Bateman, ex National Park Ranger who is National Police Wildlife Crime Officers Course trained, Rural and Wildlife Crime Coordinator for Crimestoppers Humberside, RSPCA Wildlife Rescue volunteer, Wildlife Crime Scene Awareness Trainer (badgers) and founder of the Independent Wildlife Crime Investigators and Trainers Association.

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True Crime Forum Day Ticket

Stay tuned for updates.

Coming Soon

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