Mattan: Injustice of a Hanged Man

Somali seaman Mahmood Mattan was hanged for a crime he didn't commit. On March 6th, 1952, Lily Volpert was murdered in the shop she ran in Cardiff's Tiger Bay. What followed was a flawed police investigation and prejudiced trial that ultimately led to Mahmood being hanged for a crime he was not responsible for. After 46 years, his innocence was finally proved in a court of law. But the impact of Lily's murder and Mahmood's execution are still being felt by two families today. For the first time, we hear from the family of murder victim Lily. Ruth was just yards away when her aunty was murdered, and she still doesn't know who killed her. And the surviving family members of Mahmood's family open up about the trauma they felt - and continue to feel to this day - 70 years after Mahmood was hanged.

Episode 1 – “We carry the name”. Available from September 9th

Follow on

Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app

Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

9. Our Legacy

Mahmood Mattan was hanged for a murder he didn't commit. 70 years on, and his execution continues to reverberate in Cardiff, and beyond. His surviving family still have so many unanswered questions - and one grandchild embarks on a journey to try to find answers. Finally, the police issue an apology for its role in the miscarriage - but will the family ever find peace? Presenter and Producer: Danielle Fahiya Sound Design: Cathy Robinson Original Music: Rhodri Llewellyn John Executive Producers: ...

Nov 11, 2022•41 min

8. A Lost Generation

Mahmood Mattan was hanged 70 years ago for a murder he did not commit. The aftermath of his execution has run deep through the Mattan family. All three of his sons faced years of prejudice because of what happened to their father: lives changed forever by an injustice committed by the State. And in the end, it was too much for them. Presenter and Producer: Danielle Fahiya Sound Design: Cathy Robinson Original Music: Rhodri Llewellyn John Executive Producers: Karen Voisey and Andy Maguire Story C...

Nov 04, 2022•34 min

7. Cursed

Mahmood Mattan's family received a six-figure compensation pay-out after his conviction for murder was quashed - but it didn't bring them the peace of mind they craved. The "blood money" brought with it its own problems, as his sons increasingly struggled to cope. And that was compounded by a police re-investigation which failed to identify any "new lines of enquiry". Lily's killer would never be found. Presenter and Producer: Danielle Fahiya Sound Design: Cathy Robinson Original Music: Rhodri L...

Oct 28, 2022•28 min

6. "Our Last Chance"

Desperate to clear Mahmood Mattan's name, his family have one last throw of the dice. It works - and finally his widow and three sons have their day in court. Forty six years after Mattan was hanged, a series of revelations are made which seriously undermine the case against him. And, explosive new evidence emerges which points the finger at who the real killer could be. Presenter and Producer: Danielle Fahiya Sound Design: Cathy Robinson Original Music: Rhodri Llewellyn John Executive Producers...

Oct 21, 2022•43 min

5. A new murder suspect

For years, Mahmood Mattan's family believed in his innocence. But no-one would listen. Then in 1969, a shocking revelation - another vicious attack which bore many of the hallmarks of the murder of Lily Volpert. And the man responsible for that attack was also a vital witness in the case against Mattan. Finally, could the family prove once and for all that Mattan was an innocent man who should never have been sent to the gallows? Presenter and Producer: Danielle Fahiya Sound Design: Cathy Robins...

Oct 14, 2022•32 min

4. The Aftermath

After Mahmood Mattan was hanged, his wife Laura was left alone to bring up three young children. She had little, or no, support; and moved her family to a new area of Cardiff where she hoped to start a new life. But some people wouldn't let her forget that she had been married to a man convicted and hanged for murder. She faced abuse and was ostracised; her young family suffered the most terrible cruelty and humiliation. But the trauma that she and her three sons endured didn't end there. It con...

Oct 07, 2022•32 min

3. "Semi-civilised savage"

Within six months of his arrest, Mahmood Mattan found himself on trial for murder. But could he ever receive a fair trial? A black man was facing the gallows and he had to place his faith in an all-white jury. There was little forensic evidence against him; and witness testimony which kept changing. And the motivation for the prosecution's star witness has been questioned. Even the actions of his own barrister have been called into doubt. Presenter and Producer: Danielle Fahiya Sound Design: Cat...

Sep 30, 2022•45 min

2. The Silent Killer

Aged just 10, Ruth was just yards away when her aunty was brutally murdered. For the first time, Ruth tells publicly the story of how Lily Volpert was killed in the shop she owned, and they lived in as a family. The police in Cardiff were struggling to make any progress as they hunted for "the silent killer". Then a reward brought forward key witnesses. Despite inconsistencies in testimony, the police made their move and arrested a Somali seaman, Mahmood Mattan. Presenter and Producer: Danielle ...

Sep 23, 2022•24 min

1. Prologue: It Began with a Murder

Mahmood Mattan came to the UK from Somalia to seek a better life. He met and fell in love with a local woman from Cardiff. But in the 1950s, their mixed marriage was frowned upon. And that racial hostility simmered away in Mahmood's life, and probably played a part in his death. He was arrested, convicted and hanged for the murder of shopkeeper Lily Volpert. His execution took place 70 years ago - and it would take decades for his name to be cleared. And even today, the repercussions of that mis...

Sep 09, 2022•17 min

Mattan: Injustice of a Hanged Man… coming soon

Sep 02, 2022•4 min

For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android

Open in Metacast