Sutton-On-Trent-based true crime podcaster recounts close-to-home story of Julie Dart and Stephanie Slater — victims of murderer and kidnapper Michael Sams

A true crime podcaster has explored the lives of Julie Dart and Stephanie Slater — the brave victims of murderer and kidnapper Michael Sams.

Sams, who lived in Sutton-on-Trent when he carried out his crimes, was sentenced to four life sentences in 1993 for the murder of Julie Dart and the kidnapping of estate agent Stephanie Slater.

Podcaster Clare Laxton, who is based in Sutton-on-Trent and has has worked for over a decade with survivors of abuse and trauma and has a masters in criminal justice, produces the Killer In The Family podcast which usually highlights stories of men who have killed their families.

Due to the close-to-home connection she decided to explore this case — and is also seeking to take the focus away from Sams, and instead explore Julie and Stephanie’s life before meeting him, and their legacy.

Clare said: “Julie and Stephanie were young women with their whole lives ahead of them before they met Sams. Not only did Sams kill Julie in cold blood but his kidnapping of Stephanie changed her life forever. She survived because of her own actions and bravery and has made a lasting difference to the way victims are treated even now by the police.

“I wanted to do this podcast — not only because of the local connection — but also to centre their stories and not focus on Sams or why he did what he did.”

Sams took 18-year-old Julie Dart from Leeds’ Chapeltown red light district on July 9, 1991, and held her in his workshop in the Swan and Salmon yard in Newark, before demanding £140,000 from her mum.

He failed to give a drop-off point for the money, and instead, he killed Julie after she tried to escape and dumped her body in a field near Grantham.

The following year, in January 1992, he kidnapped 25-year-old estate agent Stephanie Slater after arranging to view a house in Birmingham.

She was kept in a coffin-like bin, laid horizontally on the floor in his Newark workshop, and was told she would be electrocuted if she tried to escape.

She was held for eight days before being released after her company paid the ransom.

Sams was caught because Stephanie was able to give an accurate description of him, and an ex-wife recognised his voice ­— recorded when he made his ransom demand ­— when it was played on BBC's Crimewatch programme.

Stephanie died from cancer, aged 50, in 2017 — leaving behind a lasting legacy of her work with the police in improving how they support victims of crime, which Clare highlights in her podcast.

The podcast episodes also features an interview with Andy Whittaker, former BBC Nottingham radio host and podcast producer who created ‘The Kidnapping of Stephanie Slater’ podcast on BBC Sounds.

Andy said: “It’s so important to remember Stephanie and Julie’s story as they can’t tell it themselves. As such I was pleased to work with Clare on this podcast.”

The case is explored across two podcast episode, with part one released on Friday, January 24, and part two to launch on Friday, January 31.

The episodes, and all other episodes of Killer In The Family are available on all main podcast platforms including Apple and Spotify.