Bafta Awards for BBC journalists who made explosive documentary on convicted killer Iain Packer

In a significant achievement, BBC journalists Samantha Poling and Eamonn O’Connor have won a Bafta Scotland award for their documentary “Catching A Killer: “The Murder Of Emma Caldwell (Disclosure).” Playing a key part in convicting Iain Packer, Scotland’s worst sex offender, the documentary helped secure a murder conviction for the man who killed Emma Caldwell and many other crimes.

The Case of Iain Packer

He received a 36-year life term in jail in February 2024. In 2005 he was convicted of killing Emma Caldwell, a 27 year old woman. Packer was also convicted of 11 rapes and 21 other charges including sexual assaults on other women. Packer had been convicted at the High Court in Glasgow for preying on sex workers.

The Role of the Documentary

Poling and O’Connor’s documentary was key to Packer being brought to justice. The reinvestigation of the case was brought about by Samantha Poling embarrassing Packer about the murder in the television documentary. The documentary revealed the first investigation was a failure and showed the bravery of the survivors to come forward with their testemony.

Bafta Scotland Award

It won Bafta Scotland’s award for news and current affairs at a ceremony in Glasgow. Samanta Poling took the award and dedicated it to Emma Caldwell and the other survivors of Packer’s crimes during her acceptance speech. The BBC lawyer who worked on the investigation as well as the journalist who reported determinedly on it was also given her thanks, for the difficulties, and not passing it off lightly, of accusing someone of murder.

Producer Eamonn O’Connor had dedicated ten years to the project without forgoing due to his excellence, Poling said. ‘This award belongs to the survivors, whose courage and testimonies have been key in securing Packer’s conviction,’ she said.

New Allegations, Ongoing Investigations

After Packer’s documentary and conviction, new allegations of abuse have been made. Other women had come forward to the BBC team with similar abuse claims against Packer and other men, said Poling. The some of these allegations are now being probed by the police, going back 30 years.

The documentary was important, Poling said, in helping women to get the confidence to tell their stories. Some women had contacted her directly, she said, as they chose to speak to a BBC team rather than the police.

Criticism of Police Handling

The handling of the case by the police came under fire, with no police officer disciplined or sanctioned over the mistakes, Eamonn O’Connor said. He called for holding authorities accountable to stop further attacks on women.

Impact of the Documentary

The documentary “Catching A Killer: The Media Impact Of The Murder Of Emma Caldwell (Disclosure) Beyond a conviction for a dangerous criminal, it shone the light on the systemic problems within the police and survivor issues around sexual violence.

Their bravery as survivors and dedication of the journalists has been widely praised. Other women who came forward with their own stories due to watching the documentary have helped continue investigations and raise awareness for the need to support survivors of sexual violence.

Conclusion

The Bafta Scotland award for “Catching A Killer: Investigative journalism at its best: decoding the ‘Murder Of Emma Caldwell (Disclosure). ‘ The documentary by Samantha Poling and Eamonn O’Connor contributed hugely to the conviction of Iain Packer and exposing the failings of the investigation into the initial allegation.

The conviction of Packer takes on new meaning as new allegations erupt. It has helped survivors come forward and helped to spot that systemic changes are needed to support victims of sexual violence.

The dedication and perseverance of the journalists and the brave survivors their own individual voices and bravery have given towards seeing justice and protecting vulnerable people. The Bafta award is rightly for them for their work and because investigative journalism is vital to dealing with some of the most pressing issues facing society in this country.