Share

cover art for Loose Units – Electric Blue - #175

Australian True Crime

Loose Units – Electric Blue - #175

Season 1, Ep. 179

Paul Verhoeven’s second book about his father John’s time in NSW police is another fantastic, action-packed and funny read. This time it’s John’s time in the Forensics Unit under Paul’s microscope. 

Electric Blue also covers some interesting father-son territory including a very difficult period in both their lives during which Paul was brutally bullied. You can hear more about that in a companion episode of The Nitty Gritty Committee also featuring Paul and John Verhoeven, here.


Show notes for Episode 175:

Your hosts are Meshel Laurie and Emily Webb

With thanks to Paul Verhoeven and John Verhoeven

Listen to Loose Units

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram or Twitter

Support us on Patreon

Visit our Bookshop

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Google Podcasts

Listen on Spotify


If you or someone you know is being bullied, contact The Bully Project: https://thebullyproject.com.au/get-help/


If you have any information on the cases covered by this podcast, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.


Thank you for listening!

More episodes

View all episodes

  • 608. Shortcut: Holly's Heroin Addiction Ended in a Thai Prison

    18:43||Season 1, Ep. 608
    This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed.In 2000, Holly Deane-Johns was arrested and later sentenced to 31 years in a Thailand prison.It marked a turning point in a life shaped by trauma, heroin addiction, and loss.After serving time in both Thailand and Australia, Holly has rebuilt her life and now works as a counsellor and speaker, using her story to support others facing addiction and adversity.Click here to visit Holly's website to learn about her professional work and to purchase her book, Holly's Hell.Click here to subscribe to ATC Plus on Apple Podcasts and access all ATC episodes early and ad-free, as well as exclusive bonus episodes. Join our Facebook Group here.Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.For Support: Lifeline  on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Guest Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on instagram.Guest: Holly Deane-JohnsExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Send us a question to have played on the show by recording a voice message here.Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com 
  • 607. Holly's Heroin Addiction Ended in a Thai Prison

    01:01:00||Season 1, Ep. 607
    In 2000, Holly Deane-Johns was arrested and later sentenced to 31 years in a Thailand prison. It marked a turning point in a life shaped by trauma, heroin addiction, and loss. After serving time in both Thailand and Australia, Holly has rebuilt her life and now works as a counsellor and speaker, using her story to support others facing addiction and adversity.Click here to visit Holly's website to learn about her professional work and to purchase her book, Holly's Hell.Click here to subscribe to ATC Plus on Apple Podcasts and access all ATC episodes early and ad-free, as well as exclusive bonus episodes. Join our Facebook Group here.Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.For Support: Lifeline  on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Guest Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on instagram.Guest: Holly Deane-JohnsExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Send us a question to have played on the show by recording a voice message here.Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com 
  • 606. Can Marion Barter’s Disappearance Be Solved by Forensic Advances

    43:37||Season 1, Ep. 606
    Marion Barter was a respected Australian teacher who disappeared on June 22, 1997, under circumstances that remain unresolved.In this episode, guest host and criminologist Dr. Xanthé Mallett is joined by forensic DNA expert Dr. Jodie Ward, who shares insights from her humanitarian work, and Marian’s daughter, Sally Leydon, who discusses her ongoing efforts to uncover the truth behind her mother’s disappearance.Missing Person Marion Barter Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MissingMarionBarter/Sally Leydon’s website: https://themissingmatter.com/Forensic Human Identification Co.’s website: https://forensichid.co/Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.Click here to subscribe to ATC Plus on Apple Podcasts and access all ATC episodes early and ad-free, as well as exclusive bonus episodes. Got a True Crime question you want answered on the podcast? Send us a question by recording a voice message here.For Support: Lifeline  on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Guest Host: Dr. Xanthé MallettGuest: Sally Leydon and Dr. Jodie WardExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardThis episode contains extra content from Channel 7 and the ABC.GET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Send us a question to have played on the show by recording a voice message here.Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com 
  • 605. Shortcut: The American Cowboy Who Walked Into 1919 Surry Hills

    18:24||Season 1, Ep. 605
    This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed.A crazed gunman unleashes chaos in 1919 Sydney, triggering a wild 15-hour siege.A mysterious American cowboy strides in, demanding a gun and promising to end it all himself.But who was "Arizona Ryan"? Michael Adams from the Forgotten Australia podcast joins us on this episode of Australian True Crime to tell his true story.You can listen to "Forgotten Australia" wherever you get your podcasts.Click here to subscribe to ATC Plus on Apple Podcasts and access all ATC episodes early and ad-free, as well as exclusive bonus episodes. Join our Facebook Group here.Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.For Support: Lifeline  on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Guest Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on instagram.Guest: Michael AdamsExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Send us a question to have played on the show by recording a voice message here.Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com 
  • 604. The American Cowboy Who Walked Into 1919 Surry Hills

    51:06||Season 1, Ep. 604
    A crazed gunman unleashes chaos in 1919 Sydney, triggering a wild 15-hour siege. A mysterious American cowboy strides in, demanding a gun and promising to end it all himself. But who was "Arizona Ryan"? Michael Adams from the Forgotten Australia podcast joins us on this episode of Australian True Crime to tell his true story.You can listen to "Forgotten Australia" wherever you get your podcasts.Click here to subscribe to ATC Plus on Apple Podcasts and access all ATC episodes early and ad-free, as well as exclusive bonus episodes. Join our Facebook Group here.Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.For Support: Lifeline  on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Guest Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on instagram.Guest: Michael AdamsExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Send us a question to have played on the show by recording a voice message here.Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com 
  • 603. ATC Discusses: Leaving Neverland, Toyah Cordingley and Tesla Vandalism

    37:55||Season 1, Ep. 603
    As a bonus episode for you all, Meshel and her producer, Matthew, sit down to discuss a few recent true crime headlines.Content warning: This episode contains depictions of child sexual abuse.Click here to subscribe to ATC Plus on Apple Podcasts and access all ATC episodes early and ad-free, as well as exclusive bonus episodes. Join our Facebook Group here.Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.For Support: Lifeline  on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on instagram.Executive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Send us a question to have played on the show by recording a voice message here.Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com 
  • 602. Shortcut: An Old School Outlaw - Part Three

    17:08||Season 1, Ep. 602
    This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed.This is the conclusion of our three-part edition featuring notorious bank robber and escape artist, John Killick.Today, we discuss John's last great escape—the 1999 prison break from Silverwater, where he was spirited away from the exercise yard in a helicopter hijacked by his girlfriend, Lucy.Click here to view and purchase John Killick's books.John is also a regular contributor to the Maccas Old School Podcast, which you can check out here.Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.Click here to subscribe to ATC Plus on Apple Podcasts and access all ATC episodes early and ad-free, as well as exclusive bonus episodes. Got a True Crime question you want answered on the podcast? Send us a question by recording a voice message here.For Support: Lifeline  on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Guest Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on instagram.Guest: John KillickExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardThis episode contains extra content from Channel 7.GET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Send us a question to have played on the show by recording a voice message here.Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com 
  • 601. An Old School Outlaw - Part Three

    52:42||Season 1, Ep. 601
    This is the conclusion of our three-part edition featuring notorious bank robber and escape artist, John Killick. Today, we discuss John's last great escape—the 1999 prison break from Silverwater, where he was spirited away from the exercise yard in a helicopter hijacked by his girlfriend, Lucy.Click here to view and purchase John Killick's books.John is also a regular contributor to the Maccas Old School Podcast, which you can check out here.Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.Click here to subscribe to ATC Plus on Apple Podcasts and access all ATC episodes early and ad-free, as well as exclusive bonus episodes. Got a True Crime question you want answered on the podcast? Send us a question by recording a voice message here.For Support: Lifeline  on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Guest Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on instagram.Guest: John KillickExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardThis episode contains extra content from Channel 7.GET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Send us a question to have played on the show by recording a voice message here.Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com 
  • 600. ATC Plus *Preview*: The Hollywood Manager Who Stole Millions

    17:44||Season 1, Ep. 600
    This is a preview of a full-lenth bonus episode for Australian True Crime Plus subscribers. To listen to all of our bonus episodes, plus early and ad-free access to every episode of the podcast, you can subscribe on either Apple Podcasts or at Acast.Jonathan Todd Schwartz was a leading entertainment manager when he embezzled money from his superstar clients to feed his addictions.And when I say superstar, I'm not exaggerating. Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Linkin Park and Alanis Morissette were just some of the people who trusted him with their money. Jonathan has now dedicated his life to supporting others in addiction recovery, and you can visit his Instagram here.Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.Click here to subscribe to ATC Plus on Apple Podcasts and access all ATC episodes early and ad-free, as well as exclusive bonus episodes. Got a True Crime question you want answered on the podcast? Send us a question by recording a voice message here.For Support: Lifeline  on 13 11 1413 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732CREDITS:Guest Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on instagram.Guest: Jonathan Todd SchwartzExecutive Producer/Editor: Matthew TankardGET IN TOUCH:https://www.australiantruecrimethepodcast.com/Follow the show on Instagram @australiantruecrimepodcast and Facebook Send us a question to have played on the show by recording a voice message here.Email the show at AusTrueCrimePodcast@gmail.com