The Brink's-Mat Heist | Buried Treasure | 3

DCS Boyce is hurled bang into the middle of Micky and Brian’s fierce rivalry. But can he use the in-fighting to finally trace the Brink’s Mat stash and bring the criminals to justice? Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/links/british-scandal/ now. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Alice Levine?

  Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of British Scandal ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.

• 0:13Matt Forde?

  Alice, I need your help.

• 0:14Alice Levine?

  What's wrong? What's going on?

• 0:16Matt Forde?

  I've been invited to a birthday party. I don't want to go because I'm scared of my friends, mates.

• 0:21Alice Levine?

  OK, OK, we just need to come up with something that's believable to get you out of it.

• 0:26Matt Forde?

  So glad you said that. So I was thinking of buying a magic drug off the internet, which you take and it makes you ill for a bit. But basically, there are no long-term side effects. You just spew for a few days.

• 0:34Alice Levine?

  What else have you got?

• 0:38Matt Forde?

  I was thinking I could get run over, but just a bit, and then I would be genuinely injured.

• 0:42Alice Levine?

  It feels extreme. Anything else that might be a bit more moderate?

• 0:46Matt Forde?

  I could just close my eyes and jump off a shed.

• 0:48Alice Levine?

  And that's always in your back pocket. But dare I say, maybe you could text them and just say, sorry, I can't make it. Sorry, I don't know why I even said that. Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?

• 0:59Matt Forde?

  Yeah, but you're right. I think sometimes just being direct is the right message. Just go to the sent. I just, there we go. That's sent.

• 1:09Alice Levine?

  You're coming to my party, though, right?

• 1:11Matt Forde?

  Yeah, yeah.

• 1:14Matt Forde?

  Don't read that now.

• 1:17Matt Forde?

  October 1986, San Lorenzo Restaurant, Knightsbridge.

• 1:22Alice Levine?

  Why do I remember the San Lorenzo Restaurant?

• 1:25Matt Forde?

  Well, it's either because you used to eat there in what I think was the year of your birth. Or it's because this featured on the Boris Becker series.

• 1:33Alice Levine?

  Oh, yes.

• 1:34Matt Forde?

  Yes, this was his favourite restaurant, and the place where he discovered his investments in Dubai had basically gone kaput.

• 1:41Alice Levine?

  I love it when scandal worlds collide.

• 1:46Matt Forde?

  Michael Relton smooths down his neatly cut hair, shakes an empty bottle of 1970 Macetto above his head, then leans back as a team of waiters rush over to pour another bottle. He's with two American hedge fund managers, closing a deal to sell them Cyclops Wharf in the Isle of Dogs. He swallows a mouthful of veal, dabs at his mouth with his napkin. I'm afraid I can only hold this offer for 24 hours, gentlemen. My advice is don't sit on it too long. The managers glance at each other. One of them nods, clicks his pen.

• 2:24Matt Forde?

  Okay, Mike. Why don't we just go right ahead and sign under... Relton watches him freeze mid-sentence. He spins around. Sees two shabbily dressed men staring down at him. He's about to tell them to shove off, when one of them flicks open his police ID. He glances at the name. DCS, Boyce.

• 2:46Alice Levine?

  Boyce.

• 2:47Matt Forde?

  What the hell is this? Michael Relton. I'm arresting you on suspicion of money laundering and dishonestly handling the proceeds of the stolen Brink's Matt Gold. You have the right to remain silent. Two uniformed policemen drag Relton to his feet. He snaps. Get your filthy hands off me! He blinks over at the two Americans. This is absurd. It's a mistake. But they look away. Too embarrassed to meet his eye. The whole restaurant falls silent as Relton's marched outside to a waiting police car.

• 3:21Alice Levine?

  It is an elaborate way not to pay the bill.

• 3:23Matt Forde?

  Thanks for that, guys. I was in the hole for fifty quid. That's how much veal costs, is it?

• 3:30Matt Forde?

  A few seconds later, Boyce slides into the seat next to him. Why don't you make this easy for yourself? Tell us about Brian Perry. Relton's been a criminal solicitor long enough to know he'll never survive in prison. But if he talks, every ruthless hard man on the whole Brink's Matt network will be after him. There's only one thing he can do now. He dabs at his eyes, looks back at Boyce, and hears his own quivering voice say, I want full protection. Then, I'll tell you everything.

• 4:12Speaker 02

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• 4:25Speaker 03

  Hi, I'm Candace DeLong, former FBI profiler and host of the podcast Killer Psyche. In our latest episode, we go inside the case of Krista Pike, the woman Tennessee tried to execute and failed. Listen to Killer Psyche on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 4:48Matt Forde?

  I'm Matt Ford.

• 4:49Alice Levine?

  And I'm Alice Levine.

• 4:51Matt Forde?

  And this is British Scandal.

• 5:04Matt Forde?

  So Alice, in the last episode, mad Mickey McAvoy was banged up and his best mate Brian Perry was doing everything in his power to keep him there. Have you picked a side? Are you team Mickey or team Brian?

• 5:14Alice Levine?

  I mean, that's very rock and a hard place in terms of options, isn't it really? But just thinking about Mickey, this was his plan. This was sort of his genius heist vision and he recruited all of the guys. So you might say the fact that he's done the most time is fair, but nobody else seems to have suffered in quite the way that Mickey has. Then you've got Brian, who is the least trustworthy con that we have ever covered probably on British Scandal. He didn't waste a second in stealing Mickey's wife, in stealing his gold and also in flaunting his new wealth for everybody to see. So not only was he a double-crossing so-and-so, he didn't even do it subtly so that it didn't

• 5:58Alice Levine?

  draw too much attention. So if you wouldn't mind, I'd quite like to just go down the pub with old Boise and hear some of his stories. I mean, I'd like to go to the pub with any of them to hear their stories and then basically not let any of the crooks know where I live because I don't think it would be particularly safe to know any of them.

• 6:15Matt Forde?

  Yes, I think the best thing to do is just enjoy the stories from afar because these aren't just robbers, there's a murder now. They are very, very dangerous people. So Alice, I think there are more pleasant people you could go to the pub with.

• 6:28Alice Levine?

  But now you've said that, I'd just like to say Mickey and Brian, you sound lovely. I don't really know enough about you to make a judgement. I'm sure they're really nice, their mums.

• 6:35Matt Forde?

  Yeah, I mean, we just want to make it clear, we're not slagging anyone off.

• 6:39Alice Levine?

  No, god, no, no, no, no, no.

• 6:41Matt Forde?

  We're just helping you tell your story.

• 6:43Alice Levine?

  Yeah.

• 6:44Matt Forde?

  Whilst also just not being on your side because we believe in the rule of law. This is episode three, Buried Treasure.

• 6:53Matt Forde?

  Eight months earlier, Biggin Hill, Kent. Brian stands in the middle of his four-acre plot of land, watches the digger scoop out the foundations of his new £700,000 mansion. He shouts at the builder. Put a swimming pool and sauna here. I want a separate wing for my cars. And some stables.

• 7:15Alice Levine?

  Dare I say, drawing this out rather than just shouting and pointing would be quite an accurate way to do this plan.

• 7:23Matt Forde?

  You don't want to ad lib a building.

• 7:25Alice Levine?

  Window, kitchen, did I already say kitchen? Keep going. Bathroom, pool, underground car park. We really should have done that first because we tend to do the underground first. But yeah, okay, yeah, yeah.

• 7:35Matt Forde?

  I forgot to say stairs. How am I going to get up there?

• 7:39Alice Levine?

  Slide.

• 7:41Matt Forde?

  Oh, I'd love a slide.

• 7:44Matt Forde?

  The builder stutters out. You might need planning permission for... Brian raises his hand, slides up the aerial on his new Motorola phone. He hears Jackie's panicked voice.

• 7:57Speaker 04

  I just got a call from Tony White. He's at the Green Man. Wants to see you urgently. Be careful. I think he might be planning...

• 8:08Matt Forde?

  Brian jabs at the buttons on his phone. This stupid phone cost Brian three grand and he can never get a bloody signal. His mind racers as he marches over to his Bentley. He hasn't seen Tony since the raid. He thought he was living in Marbella.

• 8:24Alice Levine?

  Okay, so I'm getting all my Tonys twisted. This is Tony White, not Tony Black. Which one's which again?

• 8:30Matt Forde?

  So Tony White was part of the heist gang and Tony Black was the guard that let them in. Half an hour later, Brian walks into the pub and sees Tony's large frame prowling around the pool table. Brian pastes on a wide grin and strides over. Tony mate, great to see ya. Tony holds his hand up to silence him. Brian watches his gold sovereign rings glint under the lights. Tony leans across the table, takes his shot. I've just been to see Mickey. Brian feels the cigar drop from his lips. Mickey? Tony sneers at him. He's getting out, mate. Brian feels Tony's eyes on him. And I'm helping him.

• 9:16Matt Forde?

  Brian's knees buckle. He's... how? He's done a deal with the police. He's given back his share of the gold, and he's made me the go-between. Brian wipes the sweat from his forehead. So you need to hand the gold over. Brian flicks his tongue over his dry lips, steadies himself on the edge of the pool table. He doesn't have a single ingot of Mickey's gold left. Brian pastes on a wide smile. Let me negotiate with the coppers, Tony. I'll sort it for you, mate. He watches Tony's eyes narrow. You don't want any heat on you, do ya? The coppers know ya. They don't know me. I'll meet them and hand over the gold myself.

• 10:01Alice Levine?

  They don't know you, but you don't scream legit.

• 10:05Matt Forde?

  Brian feels Tony's eyes burning into him. Tony finally mutters. Fine, but don't fuck it up, or you'll have me and Mickey both to deal with. Brian tries not to shake as he lights another cigar. Putting himself in plain sight will be risky, but Mickey getting out isn't an option. He has to take the gamble and kill Mickey's deal with one blow.

• 10:36Matt Forde?

  March 1986, National Theatre, London.

• 10:40Alice Levine?

  Oh, lovely. I don't think we've ever been to the National.

• 10:43Matt Forde?

  Oh, I have.

• 10:44Alice Levine?

  I meant in the show.

• 10:45Matt Forde?

  Oh. I was surprised. I thought you must have been to the National.

• 10:50Alice Levine?

  I have been to the National, but, you know, we spend so much time in police stations and courtrooms and dark alleys. It's very nice just to go to the theatre for the evening.

• 11:01Matt Forde?

  This afternoon's performance of Animal Farm will begin in five minutes. DCS Boyce watches the theatregoers hurry off to their show. He glances around, then checks the wire under his jacket. He always likes to meet saucers at the theatre, very discreet.

• 11:20Matt Forde?

  He checks his watch, scans the room again for his contact, Tony White. Mr. Boyce! He looks up to see a smartly dressed grey-haired man smoking a fat cigar. I'm afraid Mr. White couldn't join us. Boyce shifts in his seat, glances around the empty lobby.

• 11:41Matt Forde?

  Who are you? He sees a faint smile spread across the man's face. A good mate of Mickey's.

• 11:47Alice Levine?

  And Jacky's.

• 11:49Matt Forde?

  That's all you need to know. Boyce bristles as the man exhales a cloud of thick smoke. He leans forward. He hasn't come here to play games. I won't accept anything less than 3,400 gold ingots. But the man shakes his head. Thing is, Mr. Boyce, it's not that simple. Mickey don't have the gold no more. Boyce feels his jaw tighten. Meaning? He watches the man blow a plume of smoke at the ceiling.

• 12:21Matt Forde?

  It's been dealt for, Mr. Boyce. Traded. It's all gone. Boyce's stomach drops. Gone? Thirteen million? The man leans back, shrugs. Mickey's out of touch. He's not in control no more. He hasn't been since that cell door closed.

• 12:42Alice Levine?

  Okay, so Brian doesn't have loads of options, but I actually think, considering he's backed into a corner, this is a really good strategy. I mean, it's risky, obviously, but yeah, just say, keep Mickey locked up. He's not the boss. I mean, I'm not sure what he's going to say when the police go, who is the boss?

• 13:01Matt Forde?

  I don't know, but it ain't Mickey.

• 13:03Alice Levine?

  And it ain't me.

• 13:04Matt Forde?

  Damn it, I hadn't thought of that.

• 13:07Matt Forde?

  Boyce runs his fingers through his hair, blinks around the huge room. For a few moments, he can't speak. He looks up, open-mouthed, as the man gets to his feet, then disappears outside into the crowds of tourists. He rips the wires from under his jacket, slams them down. Damn it! He's wasted months setting up this damn meeting. And if the gold has been traded and turned into cash, it'll be near impossible to trace. He's only got one option. He's going to find out who this man is. And when he does, he's gonna bring him down, along with the rest of those dirty, stinking criminals.

• 13:53Matt Forde?

  The following day, Gartery Prison, Leicester. Mickey strides along the dark, narrow corridor. He's hardly slept, but that hasn't dented his mood. All he can think about is getting out early, moving to Spain, the sun on his skin, a cold beer in his hand, and the warm sea lapping at his feet. In the next few minutes, he'll finalize his deal with the police.

• 14:18Matt Forde?

  He walks into the meeting room, takes a seat opposite DCS Boyce and Detective Superintendent Lundey. Gentlemen? But the smile fades on his face. They both look grim, and neither one of them can look him in the eye. Tony gave you the gold, yeah? We need to ask you some questions, Mickey. Boyce slides an ID drawing to him.

• 14:42Alice Levine?

  And it's the eighties, so you can imagine the state of this.

• 14:44Matt Forde?

  Oh, man, those old photo fits they were doing on Crime Watch, where it's just like, six different faces all cut together. How did they ever lead to any arrests, those things?

• 14:54Alice Levine?

  It was like G C S E art, where you just cut loads of bits out from magazines and made a collage.

• 14:59Matt Forde?

  We're looking for this gentleman. Late forties, square jawed, grey hair.

• 15:05Matt Forde?

  Mickey stares in horror at the sketch of Brian. He looks up, startled. What the fuck is this?

• 15:14Alice Levine?

  Well, we were doing it from memory and it's more of an interpretation of what he looks like, a kind of impressionist view. And it took some artistic liberties, but I'm really quite proud of it.

• 15:23Matt Forde?

  He watches Boyce shoot a look at Lundie, then back at him. I'm afraid this gentleman told us your share of the gold has gone. All thirteen million. Mickey stares at him in disbelief. He shuts his eyes as the room starts to spin. Sees an image of Brian with Jackie. Brian was a penniless nobody until Mickey brought him in on the job. And now, not only is he sleeping with his wife, he's stolen his gold.

• 15:54Matt Forde?

  From a distance, he can hear Lundie goad him. He said you're not in control anymore, Mickey. It seems there's a new boss in town. Mickey launches himself over the table, clamps his hands around Lundie's neck. He pushes his thumbs on his windpipe, watches his eyes bulge. Boyce pulls the man apart.

• 16:13Speaker 04

  Enough!

• 16:15Matt Forde?

  Mickey sits, his chest heaving. Boyce points at the drawing. Help us ID this man, Mickey. Help us trace the gold. Mickey feels suddenly weak. Is it all gone? He takes in the heavy silence around him, fights hard not to burst into tears. He's got twenty-five years inside for nothing. Brian's got his wife, his gold, and now he's scuppered his last chance of getting out. He wipes his eyes with a ball of his hand as one of the guards gently takes his arm. Come on, Mickey, let's get your bike. But he shakes his head, stares at the image of Brian.

• 16:59Matt Forde?

  He's lived his whole life by a code of honour. Never snitch, never give a name to the police. He looks up at Boyce.

• 17:10Matt Forde?

  All right.

• 17:12Matt Forde?

  That man is Brian Perry. He's at Blue Cars Cab Office, Peckham. That's where we'll be running everything from. But be careful, Mr. Boyce. I've never met a more slippery fucker. Mickey's not going to protect his mate anymore. His code of honour is dead and gone. And now, he's going to tell the police everything they need to know about that backstabbing snake, Brian Perry.

• 17:44Matt Forde?

  One month later. Blue Cars Cab Office, Peckham. Boyce slides down in the driver's seat and watches as Brian Perry jumps into his Bentley. He checks his watch, waits until the car pulls away, then follows at a safe distance. Half an hour later, the Bentley glides to a halt outside a smart restaurant in Mayfair. Boyce pulls down his hat, watches Perry hop out of the car and heads straight towards him.

• 18:14Matt Forde?

  He winds down the window. "I'm off for some lunch, Mr. Boyce. I'll be about three hours. See you, boys, later."

• 18:22Alice Levine?

  Oh my god, so smarmy.

• 18:25Matt Forde?

  Boyce watches, open-mouthed, as Perry disappears into the restaurant, then spits at the driver to get him back to HQ, when his radio crackles.

• 18:35Speaker 04

  "Sir, we just had a call from the Swiss police. They picked up a man called John Elcom."

• 18:42Matt Forde?

  Boyce rubs his tired eyes. "And?"

• 18:45Speaker 04

  "He was trying to smuggle eight hundred grand in new fifty-pound notes across the border to be deposited in a bank in Zurich. And he's a known associate of Brian Perry."

• 18:55Alice Levine?

  Cha-ching!

• 18:57Matt Forde?

  Boyce sits bolt upright, looks out at the smart Mayfair street, sees Perry's silhouette through the tinted window of the restaurant. He barks into the radio. "Get me on the first flight out."

• 19:14Matt Forde?

  Early next morning, he strides into Zurich's main police station. Takes in the vaulted ceiling. The dazzling red and orange Giacometti frescoes. This place is more like an art gallery than a police HQ. It's a long way from South London.

• 19:29Alice Levine?

  Can he get a transfer?

• 19:30Matt Forde?

  Do you guys do a sort of exchange system at all? Oh, South London is, you guys would love it.

• 19:35Alice Levine?

  The frescoes? Don't get me started.

• 19:38Matt Forde?

  He takes a deep breath. Makes his way to his appointment with the Chief of Police. A few minutes later, he sits opposite a slightly built man with clear blue eyes. I'm afraid I have no jurisdiction over the banks, Mr. Boyce. Boyce nods politely. Then fixes the man with a stare as he takes an envelope from his pocket. This is a photograph of one of my best officers. He was undercover, following the Brinksmatt Gold when he was murdered. As you can see. He suffered ten stab wounds in all. Mostly to the chest, neck, and face. He leans forward as the Chief blinks away. These men are ruthless. This time, it was my officer.

• 20:23Matt Forde?

  Next time, it could be one of yours. The Chief pushes the photos back across the desk. I'm sorry, Mr. Boyce. I really can't help.

• 20:37Matt Forde?

  An hour later, Boyce sits in a nearby café, stares into his coffee cup. Tries to figure out what he's gonna say to his boss. The last thing the Commissioner wants to hear is that he's hit another dead end. He's about to finish his coffee, when he's suddenly jolted forward. Excuse me. He looks at a young, clean-shaven man. Picks up the file he's just dropped on the table. He's about to hand it back, when he sees his own name scrawled across the front. When he looks back, the man's gone.

• 21:08Alice Levine?

  Oh my god, I've got shivers, what's happening?

• 21:11Matt Forde?

  He opens the file. Thumbs through a wad of bank transactions. Stares in disbelief at the numbers in front of him. Records of six million pounds in cash deposits to accounts in Perry's name.

• 21:26Matt Forde?

  Then out to dozens of other accounts and businesses around the world. All under another name. Michael Relton. His eyes narrow. He just saw Relton's photo a few days ago in the Evening Standard. The successful solicitor who's made a fortune dealing in London property. He stares back at the transactions. These men are using the proceeds of the Brink's Matt robbery to develop a huge chunk of London. It seems Michael Relton's the linchpin. The one making it all possible for Brian Perry. Boyce tucks the file away and decides. He's going to switch tactics. Ruffle some very expensive feathers.

• 22:11Matt Forde?

  Get Relton, make him talk. And bring this whole empire crashing to its knees.

• 22:23Speaker 05

  By 1779 Benedict Arnold had sacrificed more for the revolution than almost any other man in America. One of George Washington's most effective commanders. He had nearly lost a leg in the Second Battle of Saratoga. But in return, Arnold believed he had been humiliated by Congress and cheated of his glory by lesser men. So he decided to make them pay. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of the podcast American Scandal. We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in US history. Presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our latest series Benedict Arnold turns his back on his comrades in the Continental Army and secretly defects to the British. With the help of his wife, he plots to hand over the most important colonial fortress to the enemy

• 23:08Speaker 05

  and doom the revolution he once served. Follow American Scandal wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of American Scandal early and ad free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.

• 23:24Matt Forde?

  You stepped out for your morning jog. Except it's not your usual morning jog. You started listening to an epic sci fi book on Audible. Thirty chapters later, you've accidentally run a half marathon. You lost track of how far you've run, somewhere just past the city limits. You can't stop, you have to find out what happens next. Then it's over. The universe seems bigger. You feel different. You feel like you have no idea where you are. Audible. Stories that speak to you.

• 24:03Matt Forde?

  10pm the next day. New Caledonian Wharf, Isle of Dogs.

• 24:09Matt Forde?

  Brian checks his mirror to make sure he's not being followed, pulls up at the building site, kills the engine, and looks out at the dark water. A few minutes later, a blue Merc pulls up next to him.

• 24:24Matt Forde?

  He winds down the window, nods at the stout, middle-aged man at the wheel. The man glances around nervously. Rowellton was arrested last night. He's being held at New Molden Police Station. He's got a color telly, kitchen, bathroom, the lock. Brian's eyes bulge. He's in the super grass suite? Fuck!

• 24:48Alice Levine?

  Obsessed about the super grass suite?

• 24:51Matt Forde?

  Yeah, so there was part of New Molden Police Station known as the super grass suite, and it had a color telly, a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. It had bulletproof glass. And while Rowellton was in there, he was getting food sent in, and his wife and kids were able to come and visit him there.

• 25:05Alice Levine?

  This sounds delightful. I would grass any day of the week on you, on you, on you.

• 25:11Matt Forde?

  This is basically how the tabloids imagined prison to be, and in this part of New Molden Police Station, they were right. Brian watches the man nervously check over his shoulder again. Nobody gets anywhere near him, only his missus. Yesterday, she brought him braised pheasant and a bottle of plonk that cost more than my monk's wages. Brian runs his hand over his head, then reaches into the glove compartment, hands over a thick envelope of cash, and speeds off.

• 25:43Matt Forde?

  Two hours later, he pulls up outside Relton's family mansion in Kent. He looks up at the stained glass window as a light snaps on. Sees the heavy velvet curtains move back as Relton's wife, Terry, peers anxiously out of the bedroom window. Brian calls up to her. "Terry, love! Mike is in serious danger! He needs help!"

• 26:07Matt Forde?

  A few seconds later, she's at the door, pulling her silk dressing gown around her. "Good god, Brian! What on earth's happening?" He barges in, shoves her against the wall. "You need to tell him to keep his mouth shut." He flicks open his cigar knife, pushes the blade to her throat. "If he talks, I'll fucking do you both." Her eyes widen with terror, her whole body shaking. He grins, snaps the knife shut, then walks out into the night. If Relton's got any sense, he'll take the warning. But if he doesn't, Brian'll pull in a few favours, spend a bit of money, and shut him up for good.

• 26:56Matt Forde?

  Two days later, New Molden Police Station. Boyce slams his fists down on the desk, watches Relton flinch. "You have got to be bloody kidding me!" Relton squirms in his seat. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Boyce. I'm not saying another word." He watches Relton's lip quiver. "No comment. I can help, but you have to talk." Boyce closes his eyes, then nods over at a uniformed officer. "Take him back, not to the suite. He can go to the normal cells with the other prisoners." Relton looks up, startled. "Mr. Boyce! You can't!" Boyce cuts him short.

• 27:40Matt Forde?

  "We're not running a bloody hotel. This is your last chance." He waits for Relton to say something, but he just shakes his head. Boyce waves his hand at the officer. "Get him out of my sight!"

• 27:57Matt Forde?

  An hour later, he heads along the corridor to his office in Tintagel House. He stops dead in his tracks. Mutters under his breath. "Oh shit." The Commissioner is sitting at his desk, sipping tea. He strides in, his mind racing for a positive spin. "Sir, we've just interviewed Michael..."

• 28:20Matt Forde?

  But the Commissioner puts down his cup. "I've already heard, detective. You're one lead." And he's saying nothing. Boyce feels himself shrink under the Commissioner's glare. "It's been two and a half years since the Brink's Matt raid. You've got no gold, no money, and now, no whistleblower. That money's funding a bloody crime wave and you've got nothing." Boyce feels his cheeks burn. His chest tightens. "It's only a matter of time." But the Commissioner's already at the door. "I can't justify the resources. I'm halving your team. Let them know immediately."

• 28:59Matt Forde?

  Boyce sinks into his chair, rubs at his forehead. Then drags himself to his feet and wearily makes his way to the incident room to break the bad news. He calls everyone to order. Looks out at the expectant faces. He glances at the incident board, at the mass of red string from Brian Perry's photo over to Relton, then onto a web of accounts and property deals. He takes a deep breath.

• 29:27Matt Forde?

  "Everyone, I need your attention. There's something I need to tell you.

• 29:32Matt Forde?

  We're going to lift Brian Perry."

• 29:35Alice Levine?

  "Oh what? That's a spin on what has just been told. That's an interesting interpretation."

• 29:39Matt Forde?

  "It's not quite how I would have put it."

• 29:43Matt Forde?

  The room erupts with excited gasps and murmurs. He raises his voice. "Dawn raid tomorrow." He looks back at the board. If he fails to make the charges stick, Perry will walk away stronger than ever. The whole investigation will be in ruins. Never mind his reputation. But if this investigation's going to be pulled, he's not going quietly. It's time for him to use everything he's got.

• 30:16Matt Forde?

  The following morning. Brian's mansion. Biggin Hill, Kent.

• 30:22Matt Forde?

  Brian snatches up his phone, dials Jackie. He needs to meet her at the airport in an hour. He's taking her off to their favourite spot for a holiday in the Cayman Islands.

• 30:34Alice Levine?

  Oh yeah, because it's Jackie's favourite, I'm sure. The Cayman Islands is because just Jackie loves the beach there.

• 30:39Matt Forde?

  It's got nothing to do with any sort of financial arrangements in that part of the world. Brian mutters to himself. Come on Jackie, where the hell are you? He hears a commotion downstairs. He's about to shout at his wife to keep the noise down. But then the door bursts open. He staggers back as a mass of uniformed officers rush at him, shove him against a wall and snap on handcuffs. Get your fucking hands off me! He spun around and comes face to face with DCS Boyce. Brian Perry, I am arresting you on suspicion of dishonestly handling six million pounds from the Brink's mat robbery. His legs buckle with shock as he's dragged outside and bundled into the van.

• 31:23Matt Forde?

  He looks at his wife on the drive. What the fuck have you done, Brian?

• 31:28Alice Levine?

  What you know when you marry Brian Perry is that if ever there's a dawn raid, you're not like, "Get your hands off my Brian, he hasn't done nothing!" You're like, "What have you done? What have you bloody done now?"

• 31:39Matt Forde?

  Next time guys, you don't need to kick the door in, I'll just open it and let you in.

• 31:42Alice Levine?

  Honestly, do you want a key?

• 31:43Matt Forde?

  I'll stick the kettle on. An hour later, Brian sits in the police interview room opposite Boyce. Stares down at his Swiss accounts. Last I heard, it wasn't illegal to open a bank account. He watches Boyce's eyes narrow. How do you explain this money? He shrugs again. My cab firm's been making a profit this year.

• 32:07Alice Levine?

  Good one. I mean, cabs are expensive. It just feels like to go from maybe, you know, forty grand last financial year to six million this financial year. It could have been a bumper crop, but it seems unlikely.

• 32:20Matt Forde?

  A lot of our customers, they tip big.

• 32:23Alice Levine?

  And we declare it.

• 32:24Matt Forde?

  Always.

• 32:26Matt Forde?

  Boyce folds his arms. What's your connection with Michael Relton? He studies Boyce's face. Brian smiles to himself. He knows Relton hasn't said a damn word. I did a couple of property deals with him. So what? He watches Boyce and nod. That'll be all. For now. Brian grins. He moved all his money out of Switzerland into secret accounts in Liechtenstein after Relton was arrested. Boyce'll never find the cash. He feels his neck muscles relax as he follows a policeman into the corridor. His holiday with Jackie might just be on after all.

• 33:03Alice Levine?

  Brian?

• 33:05Matt Forde?

  He stands rigid as he comes face to face with Jackie.

• 33:08Alice Levine?

  Maybe she's just come to pick him up?

• 33:10Matt Forde?

  Hmm? He stares into her tear-streaked face. She's flanked by two burly coppers. And she looks terrified. Looks like your little trip to the Cayman Islands is off.

• 33:24Alice Levine?

  Oh, he's loving it.

• 33:25Matt Forde?

  He spins and stares at Boyce. His heart suddenly thudding. Also, before you go back to your cell, you should know. We've taken out an injunction to look at your accounts in Liechtenstein.

• 33:38Alice Levine?

  Ah, mic drop. Yes, he's one step ahead. If they're not delivering in Zurich, you go to Liechtenstein.

• 33:46Matt Forde?

  He feels a sudden rush of anger as he's dragged away. He looks back at Boyce's smirking face. If this copper wants to make it personal, then bring it on. Boyce might be smart, but so is he. And he's got the money to buy the best legal team out there. He'll go to trial, take on the cash-strapped coppers, and watch his team tear DCS Boyce and his career to shreds.

• 34:17Matt Forde?

  1992, Old Bailey, London. Brian fiddles with his gold tie pin. He watches Boyce now on the stand. Mr Perry built a complex money laundering empire using six million pounds from the Brinksmatt raid. He opened a series of secret accounts in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. He then moved the money to other offshore accounts and companies and invested further. Brian's barrister leans over, whispers.

• 34:46Matt Forde?

  He's sending the jury to sleep. He even looks drowsy himself. A few minutes later, Brian smooths down his tie and makes his way to the stand. He's going to put all the blame on Michael Relton.

• 35:01Matt Forde?

  Mr. Relton asked me to open most of these accounts. I didn't fully understand it at the time. I can see now that he was setting me up. He was the one laundering money from the Brinksmatt robbery. And I walked straight into his trap.

• 35:15Matt Forde?

  He watches the prosecuting barrister fumble through his notes before he drops them. Mr. Relton's a clever man with all his law degrees and whatnot. I just run a small cab business.

• 35:26Alice Levine?

  Me, a simple taxi driver, how would I know how to open a bank account on my own?

• 35:31Matt Forde?

  Taxi drivers are honest people. We never lie about how close we are to your home. Maybe one day someone would invent an app where you can actually see how long the taxi's gonna take, but I can't see that happening. The prosecuting barrister steps towards him. Mr. Perry, is it true you had an affair with Mrs. Jacqueline McAvoy? His eyes dart over to Jackie. What the hell is this? Yeah, but... And this was after your friend, Mr. McAvoy, asked you to look after his wife?

• 35:59Alice Levine?

  Yeah, but to be fair, I misunderstood what that meant.

• 36:02Matt Forde?

  He hears the gasps ripple around the room, looks at the jury. They're all sitting bolt upright, eyes shining and alert. It wasn't something either of us planned, it just... But the barrister cuts in. And Mr. McAvoy also trusted you with the safekeeping of his share of the Brinksmatt gold, did he not? Thirteen million pounds' worth, six million of which made their way into Swiss banks. He tightens his grip on the stand. I didn't take his gold. Every penny in my own accounts is from my cab business. The barrister looks at the jury. A six million pound profit from five battered old cars. You seem to have the Midas touch, Mr. Perry.

• 36:47Matt Forde?

  He blinks around, alarmed at the barely stifled laughter. The barrister holds up a piece of paper, sweeps around the room. This is a letter to Mrs McEvoy from her husband. Dated March 1986, after the meeting at the National Theatre between you and Detective Chief Superintendent Brian Boyce. Brian swallows hard as the barrister marches over to the jury. Quote, "Tell that thieving, low-life scumbag I want my share of the gold back, and tell him to keep his effing hands to himself." He's referring to you, isn't he, Mr Perry?

• 37:25Alice Levine?

  Oh, this is an amazing bit of evidence. So this is a letter from Mickey to Jackie. At this point, he knows they're having an affair, he knows the gold's gone walkabout. But obviously Jackie's given it to the police.

• 37:35Matt Forde?

  Yeah, so we know that Boyce had got Jackie on side. And this is what happens: if you don't take Jackie on holiday, she's going to leak private letters. Brian shakes his head, mutters, "No." But the prosecutor keeps going. There's no such thing as honour among thieves, is there, Mr Perry? Let me remind you of the sign you pinned in your cab office.

• 37:58Alice Levine?

  Oh, I can't believe this is coming back to bite him finally.

• 38:02Matt Forde?

  Brian studies himself as the barrister booms out in a theatrical voice. Remember the golden rule. Whoever has the gold, makes the rules.

• 38:13Alice Levine?

  I don't want to say I told you so, it doesn't feel good to say I told you so. But just don't put up the sign.

• 38:19Matt Forde?

  But also, Alice, you did tell us so, and I think sometimes when you're proven right, that is the time to say I told you so. Brian shrinks back as the barrister storms towards him, her face thunderous. You've lied and lied and lied to this court, to the police, to Michael McEvoy, to every single person around you. He holds his breath in the pin-drop silence, looks at Boyce, sees the twinkle of victory in his eyes. When he speaks, his voice is flat. Ominous.

• 38:56Matt Forde?

  Two days later, he stands as the jury file back in. His heart thuds as he waits for the verdict. We find the defendant

• 39:07Matt Forde?

  guilty, your honour.

• 39:10Alice Levine?

  Oh my god!

• 39:13Matt Forde?

  He tries to control his panicked breathing as the judge sentences him to nine years in a Category A prison. He calls over to Boyce. Don't let him bang me up with Mickey, Mr. Boyce! Please! But he's hauled away before Boyce even looks at him. He stumbles down the steps, his whole body trembling.

• 39:34Matt Forde?

  It's not the time inside that scares him. It's mad Mickey McAvoy. Because from now on, he's a dead man walking. And there's nothing he can do to save himself.

• 39:53Matt Forde?

  Alice, have you ever wondered why the Mini is so small?

• 39:57Alice Levine?

  The skirt or the Magnum?

• 39:59Matt Forde?

  Well, I meant the iconic British car. Because in 1956, Britain's oil supply was suddenly cut off. Petrol rationing was brought in and the car industry was scrambling around for a vehicle that hardly used any fuel. Enter the Mini.

• 40:13Alice Levine?

  Interesting, but actually not technically British Scandal series material.

• 40:18Matt Forde?

  Well, the reason they had to save petrol is because the Prime Minister started a war and lied about why.

• 40:24Alice Levine?

  Okay, scandal siren going off.

• 40:26Matt Forde?

  I'm Matt Ford.

• 40:27Alice Levine?

  And I'm Alice Levine.

• 40:28Matt Forde?

  And our latest British Scandal series involves a secret meeting in a French villa, a Prime Minister running on amphetamines.

• 40:34Alice Levine?

  An Egyptian president that everyone fancied, the end of the British Empire, and at the heart of it, a canal.

• 40:41Matt Forde?

  This is the story of the Sewers Plot.

• 40:44Alice Levine?

  Follow British Scandal wherever you get your podcasts, or listen early and ad-free on Audible.

• 40:53Speaker 06

  Dr Seuss's Cat in the Hat and Fish are back for a whole lot of wonderfully whimsical fun. What happens when you switch bodies with your best friend? Discover a caveman frozen in ice? Or make an alien so angry he threatens to destroy the planet? Find out in season two of the Cat in the Hat podcast. The Cat and Fish are travelling the world in the great catastrophic cacophony cruiser, meeting genies, clown professors, cave trolls and extraordinary characters along the way. With clever wordplay, imaginative rhymes, original songs and stories celebrating curiosity, empathy and creative problem solving, every adventure brings something new to discover.

• 41:36Speaker 06

  It's a world of wonderful words, big imaginations and plenty of heart for the whole family. Listen to the Cat in the Hat podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all 20 episodes early and ad-free right now.

• 42:00Matt Forde?

  Eight years later, August 2000, Gartery Prison, Leicester. Mickey grips his carrier bag, steps out of the prison grounds, tips his face to the sun and breathes out a sigh of relief. Mickey! He turns round, sees his missus Cath running towards him.

• 42:19Alice Levine?

  Okay, so this is a development. Last time we heard about Cath was way back in episode one, I think it was early 1980s. It was when they were doing the heist. They were together then, but Mickey was also married to Jackie, so Cath was kind of the mistress. Now, she's the missus.

• 42:37Matt Forde?

  That's right. So the one benefit of his wife also having an affair is that he is now free to be with the love of his life Cath, who was originally his mistress.

• 42:47Alice Levine?

  It's a tale as old as time.

• 42:50Matt Forde?

  He opens his arms, wraps them around her and starts to quietly weep. Let's get you back. Back home. On the motorway, he lets his head rest against the car window. He can't wait to be back in London. After sixteen years inside, all he's got left of his old life is the watch he wore when he was arrested, and the wedding ring on his finger. He's also got a bundle of letters from Brian Perry. He reaches into the carrier bag now, unfolds the latest letter.

• 43:21Matt Forde?

  I never nicked your gold, Mickey. I was protecting it for you, mate. I was gonna hand the cash over when you got out. I swear on my life, I'd never double-cross ya. Mickey folds the letter, puts it back, stares out of the window as the modern cars speed past, and tries to work out his next move.

• 43:40Matt Forde?

  That night, he checks Cath's fast asleep. He creeps out of bed, grabs a shovel, and heads out into the night. A few minutes later, he parks Cath's car in Southwark, jumps over the railings of Crossburne's graveyard, heads past the paupers' graves, then out into the cobbled streets beyond. He pulls down his baseball cap. None of this looks familiar. He walks back to the graveyard, takes another turn. A few streets later, he feels the tension in his shoulders loosen as he recognizes a pub. He speeds up, his heart thumps. Just a few yards to go. His whole body tingles with excitement.

• 44:25Matt Forde?

  He turns a corner, then stops still. Stares right at the spot where he buried a box of gold in Gottes in nineteen eighty-three. He sways slightly. He's dreamed of this moment for years. His eyes prick with tears as he looks at the patch of land in front of him, where his gold's buried. Then up, at the gleaming new block of flats built on top of it.

• 44:52Alice Levine?

  You're joking!

• 44:54Matt Forde?

  This is the problem with burying anything in London. It's gonna get developed within about two months. He empties his stomach on the pavement, spits out the last of the sick, then slowly trudges back to the graveyard. He sinks down onto a bench, stares out into the eerie stillness. He wishes he could go back in time, avoid the whole Brinksmack poison. It's ripped his life apart, ruined his marriage to Jackie. Most of all, it took away the best years of his life. He's more skinned now than ever. The gold has destroyed him. He has to let it go.

• 45:37Matt Forde?

  He takes a deep, shuddering breath and decides he'll move on, build a new life with Cath, make the most of the time he has left. But not before he's finally dealt with Brian Perry.

• 45:57Matt Forde?

  Sixteenth of November, 2001, South Bermondsey, London.

• 46:04Matt Forde?

  Brian taps the steering wheel to the music, then slows the car to a halt in the traffic.

• 46:11Matt Forde?

  He checks his watch. He doesn't want to be late for the cab office. His old job has been his lifeline since he left prison a couple of weeks ago.

• 46:19Alice Levine?

  And also, we know it's highly lucrative.

• 46:22Matt Forde?

  He lights a cigar, glances in the rearview mirror, and feels his body jolt at the sight of the Ford Escort behind him. He thinks he's being followed. He tries to catch a glimpse of the driver, but he can't quite make him out. He edges forward into the moving traffic. When he looks again, the car's gone.

• 46:46Matt Forde?

  Ten minutes later, he pulls up, locks his car, and heads to his office.

• 46:53Matt Forde?

  He steps into the road, then jumps back. Feels his heart leap in his throat as he sees the Ford Escort. It's there, parked a little way up the street. He starts to run, hears his own ragged breath, his blood surging in his ears. He ducks into an alleyway, lets the cigar drop from his fingers.

• 47:14Matt Forde?

  He waits for a moment.

• 47:16Alice Levine?

  This is the thing about double-crossing somebody, and we've seen it before in British scandal, that you may get away with it for a little while, but you're basically living your life like this. You're looking over your shoulder and you kind of know at some point you're going to have to reckon with that decision.

• 47:31Matt Forde?

  It is too stressful to live this life. He edges forward. He's just about to look out into the street when a man jumps in front of him. He's dressed in black, his face covered with a balaclava. Brian looks straight into his cold, empty eyes. He hears the gun click before he sees it, feels the cold tip press into his forehead. Don't! Please! Whatever you want. Money! He squeezes his eyes shut, sees a flashing image of a box of buttery-gold-yellow ingots,

• 48:12Matt Forde?

  sees Jackie's smiling face as she leads him into the bedroom, and hears his own laughter as he sees the piece of paper with eight million pounds written on it. We have the deal.

• 48:26Matt Forde?

  The bullets rip into his body. He tries to catch his final breath as he slumps to the ground and realises: he's paid Mickey back at last.

• 48:45Matt Forde?

  Mickey McAvoy died in January 2023 in Bromley, Kent, aged 71. He was alone. In January 1985, Kenneth Noe was found not guilty of murdering undercover policeman John Fordham. He was later found guilty of conspiracy to handle stolen gold and was sentenced to 14 years. The Brinksmatt raid and its aftermath sparked a trail of destruction and death. It's estimated that more than 20 people involved in the raid, the subsequent money laundering schemes, or in the investigation have been murdered. Half of the gold from the Brinksmatt raid has never been recovered. The common belief is that anyone wearing jewellery made after 1983 is probably wearing some Brinksmatt gold.

• 49:34Speaker 06

  Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia spent her life exposing powerful people. Then, in 2017, she was killed in a car bombing. I'm Stephen Gray, and for the past nine years, I've been trying to find out who wanted her dead. That search took me to Malta through secret companies, organised crime, and eventually to one of the island's richest and most powerful men. Now, after years of waiting, this trial has finally happened. But when the verdict came in, the case took a turn that almost no one had expected. In a brand-new update to the multi-award-winning podcast Who Killed Daphne?, I'm returning to Malta to find out how we got there and where the search for the truth goes next.

• 50:15Speaker 06

  Listen to the new episode of Who Killed Daphne? wherever you get your podcasts, and you can hear the full six-part investigation from the beginning and free with Audible. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app and by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.

• 50:34Speaker 02

  There are books that change how you see the world, and there are books that change how you see yourself. In a new podcast series, A Great Book with Barack Obama, President Obama sits down with a series of surprising and sharp guests to explore six books that have shaped his life and perspective on the world. From Song of Solomon and the Fire Next Time, to All the Pretty Horses and Gilead, the president is joined by guests like Tom Hanks and Ta-Nehisi Coates to reflect on how these timeless stories shaped his thinking on everything from fatherhood to leadership, and discover together what they tell us about the world we live in and the world we want to create.

• 51:17Speaker 02

  Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of A Great Book with Barack Obama ad-free right now, plus access each audiobook discussed in the series. Download the Audible app today.

• 51:37Matt Forde?

  From Wondery and Samizdat Audio, this is the third episode in our series, The Brink's Matt Heist.

• 51:43Alice Levine?

  A quick note about our dialogue: in most cases, we can't know exactly what was said, but all our dramatizations are based on historical research.

• 51:50Matt Forde?

  If you'd like to know more about this story, you can read The Curse of Brink's Matt and Public Enemy Number One: The Life and Crimes of Kenneth Noye by Wensley Clarkson; The Gold: The Real Story Behind Brink's Matt: Britain's Biggest Heist by Neil Forsyth and Thomas Turner; Death Warrant: Kenneth Noye, The Brink's Matt Robbery and the Gold by Will Pearson; and Goldfinger and Me: Bullets, Bullion, and Betrayal by Marney Palmer.

• 52:13Alice Levine?

  And remember, if you want to get in touch with us with comments, suggestions, complaints, ideas for scandals, then you can email us at [email protected]. British Scandal is hosted by me, Alice Levine.

• 52:25Matt Forde?

  And me, Matt Ford. Written by Karen Laws. Additional writing by Alice Levine and Matt Ford. Our story editor is James Maniac. Sound design by Rich Evans. Our engineer is Jai Williams. For Samizdat, our producer is Chika Ayers. Our assistant producer is Redsey Bernard. Our senior producer is Joe Sykes. For Wondery, our series producer is Theodora La Ludis, and our managing producer is Rachel Sibley. Executive producers for Wondery are Estelle Doyle, Chris Bourne, Morgan Jones, and Marshall Lewy.

• 53:11Speaker 02

  There are books that change how you see the world, and there are books that change how you see yourself. In a new podcast series, A Great Book with Barack Obama, President Obama sits down with a series of surprising and sharp guests to explore six books that have shaped his life and perspective on the world. From Song of Solomon and the Fire Next Time, to All the Pretty Horses and Gilead, the president is joined by guests like Tom Hanks and Ta-Nehisi Coates to reflect on how these timeless stories shaped his thinking on everything from fatherhood to leadership. And discover together what they tell us about the world we live in and the world we want to create.

• 53:54Speaker 02

  Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of A Great Book with Barack Obama ad-free right now. Plus, access each audiobook discussed in the series. Download the Audible app today.

• 54:11Matt Forde?

  Imagine you're reading Pride and Prejudice, except you're not reading it. Harris Dickinson and Marissa Abella are reading it to you on Audible. Her barbs sting you. His coldness sends a shiver up your spine. Your heart aches. Your ears burn. You yearn for Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to profess their undying love for one another. You can't bear it any longer. Well, maybe a chapter longer. Performance is so good, you'll give love a second chance. Audible, stories that speak to you.