The 20-year-old mystery surrounding Charlene Downes' disappearance has been marred by speculation and far-right rhetoric, with many in Blackpool still believing two men who were tried in 2007 got away with murder. Nicola Thorp, a writer, actor, and broadcaster who grew up in the town, is now on a mission to clear up some of the misinformation and expose how Charlene was repeatedly failed by those around her.
Thorp has been researching the case for years and has come across some disturbing stories that she believes have been sensationalized or distorted. She remembers hearing about a salacious story claiming that Charlene's body had been turned into kebab meat, which is still widely believed today. However, Thorp's investigation has revealed that this story was likely based on dubious evidence and may have been fabricated.
The case against Iyad Albattikhi and Mohammed Reveshi, who were tried in 2007, collapsed due to doubts over the evidence. The men were accused of killing Charlene and disposing of her body, but a retrial was abandoned due to concerns about the secret tapes that purportedly linked them to the crime.
Thorp believes that class played a significant role in the investigation, with police officers describing Charlene as a "runaway" and downplaying her disappearance. The media also perpetuated a racist narrative around the two Middle Eastern men who were accused, which has had a lasting impact on the case.
In addition to the police failures and media sensationalism, Thorp is critical of the Facebook group that has been campaigning for justice in Charlene's name. While the group claims to be motivated by a desire to uncover the truth, Thorp believes it has become increasingly hostile and divisive.
Thorp's podcast series has revealed some disturbing stories about grooming gangs in Blackpool and the police handling of the case. Many women who were groomed at the time of Charlene's disappearance reported feeling pressured into testifying against the men involved, and some even believe they were intimidated or threatened by investigators.
The investigation into Charlene's disappearance is still ongoing, with a £100,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction. Thorp believes that witness evidence yet to be uncovered could hold the key to solving the case, but she also acknowledges that the police handling of the investigation was inadequate and potentially compromised the pursuit of justice.
Ultimately, Thorp's podcast series is not just about uncovering the truth about Charlene Downes' disappearance but also about highlighting the systemic failures that allowed her to be failed by those around her. It is a call to action for people to bring information forward and to demand better from the justice system.
Thorp has been researching the case for years and has come across some disturbing stories that she believes have been sensationalized or distorted. She remembers hearing about a salacious story claiming that Charlene's body had been turned into kebab meat, which is still widely believed today. However, Thorp's investigation has revealed that this story was likely based on dubious evidence and may have been fabricated.
The case against Iyad Albattikhi and Mohammed Reveshi, who were tried in 2007, collapsed due to doubts over the evidence. The men were accused of killing Charlene and disposing of her body, but a retrial was abandoned due to concerns about the secret tapes that purportedly linked them to the crime.
Thorp believes that class played a significant role in the investigation, with police officers describing Charlene as a "runaway" and downplaying her disappearance. The media also perpetuated a racist narrative around the two Middle Eastern men who were accused, which has had a lasting impact on the case.
In addition to the police failures and media sensationalism, Thorp is critical of the Facebook group that has been campaigning for justice in Charlene's name. While the group claims to be motivated by a desire to uncover the truth, Thorp believes it has become increasingly hostile and divisive.
Thorp's podcast series has revealed some disturbing stories about grooming gangs in Blackpool and the police handling of the case. Many women who were groomed at the time of Charlene's disappearance reported feeling pressured into testifying against the men involved, and some even believe they were intimidated or threatened by investigators.
The investigation into Charlene's disappearance is still ongoing, with a £100,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction. Thorp believes that witness evidence yet to be uncovered could hold the key to solving the case, but she also acknowledges that the police handling of the investigation was inadequate and potentially compromised the pursuit of justice.
Ultimately, Thorp's podcast series is not just about uncovering the truth about Charlene Downes' disappearance but also about highlighting the systemic failures that allowed her to be failed by those around her. It is a call to action for people to bring information forward and to demand better from the justice system.
the whole thing's been super messed up since day one 
. i mean, all this speculation about ib & mr being guilty? come on, that story about charlene's body gettin turned into kebab meat? total trash 
. and then you got people still runnin with that narrative? it's like, how many times do u gotta be told u ain't got nothin' right? 
. police treatin her like a runaway? sounds like they were more worried 'bout keepin their own heads down than helpin her out 
. and those racist vibes around ib & mr? u mean come on, that's just nasty 
.
. need more people comin forward with the truth, not makin it up as they go along 
, it's just heartbreaking thinking about Charlene's family going through all that pain and uncertainty. But I've gotta say, Nicola Thorp is a total hero for taking on this mission 
! It's like she's shining a light on all the dark corners of the investigation and trying to clear up the truth. And yeah, class played a huge role in how it was handled - it's just not right that Charlene was seen as a "runaway" rather than a person who deserves justice 
.
! Nicola's podcast series is like a beacon of hope in all this darkness. It's a reminder that we can make a difference if we speak up and demand better from our justice system 
.
this charlene downes case has been messed up for 20 yrs & its still not cleared 
and then theres the racism factor, police & media failing blackpool ppl & targeting arab men unfairly... thats just disgusting 
and i love that she's having a podcast series about it - gotta keep ppl informed! 
this is so weird how charlene's body was turned into kebab meat rumor 
but turns out it was probably made up 
i mean what a load of lies, right? 
i feel bad for charlene's family and friends who've been dealing with this crap for so long 
. anyway, its good to see someone like Nicola Thorp trying to dig up the real truth behind it all 
. i mean, class and racism definitely played a part in how this case was handled, thats no secret 
. anyway, im glad theres still people out there who care about Charlene's story and want to see justice done 
. The more I learn, the more I realize how messed up everything was 
. And those salacious stories? Forget about it 
. It's not just about who killed Charlene, it's about how we handled the investigation 
. And honestly? The Facebook group is doing more harm than good 
.
. She's giving voice to all the women who were silenced or intimidated during that time 
. I wish more people would listen and demand change 
.
, but it takes a lot of courage to speak up 
.
.
. It's really making me think about the systemic issues at play here and how we can do better 
Maybe it's time we take a closer look at the real players involved 
. All that divisiveness and hostility... no wonder justice is still elusive 
. It's like they're more worried about stirring up drama than finding the truth 
. We need to be careful here, folks. There might be some serious corruption going on 
. It's like they're too afraid to come forward because of the system they were already failed by 
. We need more folks like Nicola Thorp, shining a light on these systemic failures and pushing for change 
the thing is, class played such a huge role in how everything was handled (or not handled) and its just not right that people were described as a "runaway" & then the media started spinning this racist narrative around 2 men who were already vulnerable. anyway, gotta keep pushing for justice & transparency 
, but seriously tho, nicola thorp is doing some real investigative work and shedding light on how class played a huge role in the investigation. i mean, downplaying it as a "runaway" girl? come on 
. anyway, good on thorp for keepin it real and calling out all the systemic fails that led to charlene's case goin cold 
. Let's all do our part to bring forward any info we might have, no matter how small it seems, and support Nicola's efforts in getting justice for this poor girl 
.
, but Nicola Thorp is trying to tell us a different story 
. It's all about class and racism 
, and the media just ran with it 
. We need more people speaking out and demanding better from our justice system 
.
she's on a podcast series and everythin 
It's messed up that class played a role in this investigation. Like, how many times do u gotta be told u r not good enough b4 they believe u? 
meanwhile, we're still hearing this ridiculous story about charlene's body being turned into kebab meat 
. Nicola Thorp's podcast series is really shedding light on how much misinformation was spread around and how class and racism played a huge role in the investigation, especially when it came to how Charlene was described as a "runaway". It's so unfair that women who were groomed at the time are still reporting feeling pressured or intimidated by investigators 