{"podcast":{"title":"British Murders with Stuart Blues","slug":"british-murders-with-stuart-blues-1328515","podcast_index_feed_id":1328515,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/67c198ecc003bff532f5476d","website_url":"https://www.britishmurders.com/","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/67c198ecc003bff532f5476d/1761059814121-5f91d109-7391-4f9e-b91b-b7ed2b12af4f.jpeg","author":"Stuart Blues","episode_count":391,"summary":"British Murders is a UK true crime podcast exploring both headline making investigations and lesser known cases that deserve to be remembered. Hosted by Yorkshireman Stuart Blues, the show covers listener suggested cases from across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Each episode examines what happened, how the case unfolded, and the wider social, cultural, and historical context surrounding the crime. The show covers British crime cases ranging from domestic abuse, coercive control, missing persons, policing failures, miscarriages of justice, and the long-term effects of violent crime on those left behind. With care, balance, and empathy, placing victims, not offenders, at the centre of every story, British Murders focuses on the human cost of murder and the lasting impact on families and communities. Alongside case deep dives, the podcast features conversations with journalists, authors, campaigners, and criminal justice professionals about responsible true crime storytelling. New episodes every Thursday! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-06T02:17:07.784064+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/british-murders-with-stuart-blues-1328515"},"episode":{"title":"The Pub Landlord Who Refused to Back Down: The Murder of Christian Thornton | Ep. 256","slug":"the-pub-landlord-who-refused-to-back-down-the-murder-of-christian-thornton-ep-256","published_at":"2026-06-17T23:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/british-murders-with-stuart-blues-1328515/the-pub-landlord-who-refused-to-back-down-the-murder-of-christian-thornton-ep-256","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/british-murders-with-stuart-blues-1328515","url":"https://shows.acast.com/british-murders-with-stuart-blues/episodes/christianthornton","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/67c198ecc003bff532f5476d/e/6a31a5ac31f6783268ebb948/media.mp3","summary":"On the afternoon of August 11, 2019, customers at a popular pub in Widnes watched as landlord Christian Thornton confronted a man he had recently barred from the premises. For Chris, it was part of the job. As the long-serving landlord of the Hammer and Pincers, he had spent years looking after customers, serving pints, organising charity events, and helping make his pub a cornerstone of the local community. But what began as a routine confrontation would end in a shocking act of violence that devastated his family and sent shockwaves through Cheshire and beyond. Known affectionately as \"Tigger\", Chris was a devoted husband to Pam, a father of three young children, and one of the most recognisable faces in Widnes. Friends described him as kind, funny and always willing to help others. Whether he was supporting local musicians, raising money for charity, serving a cold beer to regulars or cheering on his children's sporting achievements, Chris was a man who put people first. His murder left not only a grieving family, but an entire town struggling to come to terms with the loss of a man who meant so much to so many. In this episode of British Murders with Stuart Blues , we examine the murder of Christian Thornton, the events that led to his fatal confrontation with Lee Abbott, and the investigation that followed. We explore the background tensions between the two men, the warnings and threats made in the days before the attack, the police investigation, Abbott's arrest, trial and conviction for murder, and the remarkable community response that saw hundreds rally around Chris's family. We also look at the wider concerns surrounding knife crime, pub safety, and violence in Britain's towns and cities. This is the story of a respected pub landlord, a senseless act of viole…","meta_description":"On the afternoon of August 11, 2019, customers at a popular pub in Widnes watched as landlord Christian Thornton confronted a man he had recently barred f…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1948,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/british-murders-with-stuart-blues-1328515/episodes/the-pub-landlord-who-refused-to-back-down-the-murder-of-christian-thornton-ep-256/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/british-murders-with-stuart-blues-1328515/the-pub-landlord-who-refused-to-back-down-the-murder-of-christian-thornton-ep-256.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}