AN investigation into a Greenock double killer has been named as one of the best independent podcasts by top audio industry names.
'A Murder Without End' tells the story of Phillip Harkins who murdered a man in Florida in 1999, fled to Scotland, killed again, and then fought extradition for more than a decade.
In 2003, Harkins killed Jean O'Neill, 62, by dangerous driving on Greenock's Eldon Street. He later pleaded guilty to driving at 60mph on the wrong side of a 30mph residential street.
He had a provisional licence and had bought the vehicle just three weeks earlier.
Harkins then fought attempts to get him back to Florida, spiralling into one of Britain's longest running extradition battles.
The case twice went to the European Court of Human Rights before Harkins finally returned to the US in 2017.
He later pleaded guilty to murdering Joshua Hayes at the Oak Harbor boat ramp on August 10, 1999.
A Murder Without End has been named a finalist for Best Indie Podcast at the Signal Awards in the US, whose judges include top names from HBO Max and Vox Media.
Newsquest reporter Tristan Stewart-Robertson first started following the Harkins case in 2007 and has been speaking with Josh's mum, Patricia, for 15 years through every step in the case.
Tristan said: “This story is ultimately about loss. The end of a court case doesn’t bring an end to grief for a family, and telling that story is complicated and listening to it is difficult.
“So I am thrilled that my first podcast has been recognised for trying to bring a spotlight to this story across 20 years and two continents.”
The series exposes that Florida police knew Harkins was in Scotland months before he killed Jean O'Neill. And an Interpol "red notice" for his arrest was drafted just days before the road crash. But it was never filed.
And it reveals that Harkins was already an "habitual offender" with multiple driving offences, including driving while his licence was suspended. Yet he got a provisional licence in the UK and got behind the wheel.
As well as being a finalist for Best Indie Podcast, a separate listener's choice award will be given in each category, and a public vote is now underway at signalawards.com.
To listen to A Murder Without End, go to pod.link/1661221409.
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