The History Podcast – "The Magnificent O'Connors: 5. Shame the Devil"

Host: BBC Radio 4
Date: October 15, 2025

Main Theme

This episode dives into the O'Connor family's relentless quest to clear Jimmy O'Connor's name, 25 years after he was convicted for the murder of Donk Ambridge. As the family uncovers overlooked evidence and confronts new revelations, they grapple with the personal costs and emotional weight of a decades-old injustice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Bugged Meeting and a New Lead (01:14–07:08)

• Context: In 1995, Nemone Lethbridge, Jimmy's former wife and fierce defender, bugged her own house to record a crucial meeting with John Andrews, son of another police suspect.
• Purpose: The family hopes John can secure a confession from his father, Freddie Andrews, potentially exonerating Jimmy.
• Quote:
  • Nene Lethbridge (actor): “The one thing that would make him happy before he died was to get a pardon.” (09:48)

2. The Emotional Toll of the Case (09:48–11:51)

• Family Struggle: The case has haunted not only Jimmy but also Nemone and their children, affecting careers and personal lives.
• John Andrews' Dilemma: John is torn between helping and the risk of legal consequences for his ailing father, seeking immunity that is never secured.
• Quote:
  • Milo: “My family say, I'm mad even talking to you...this is a wrong and it's blighted a lot of lives...” (10:34)
  • Nemone Lethbridge (actor): “In the end, all you can do is tell the truth and shame the devil, isn't it?” (11:01)

3. Hopes Dashed by Tragedy and Bureaucracy (12:15–15:24)

• Unfulfilled Promises: Despite John’s intent, a confession is never recorded. The CPS refuses immunity, and the family is struck by tragedy with Natalie’s (John’s daughter) death.
• The Aftermath: John withdraws, and both Freddie Andrews and Jimmy O'Connor decline in health and pass away.
• Quote:
  • Nemone Lethbridge: “When we first met, he was full of hope. Towards the end of his life, he was dreadfully disappointed...I couldn't get him a pardon.” (13:39)

4. Revisiting Memories and the Last Days (15:24–16:11)

• Conflicting Memories: The family shares differing recollections about Jimmy’s final moments, highlighting the strain and emotional fog of loss.
• Quote:
  • Nemone Lethbridge: “When dad was dying...he was trying to say something. He was very distressed, wasn't he?” (15:24)

5. The Relentless Paper Trail and Dead Ends (18:00–21:10)

• A Decades-Long Paper Chase: Attempts are made to reopen the case, including new Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, yielding little new information but confirming Freddie Andrews was a police suspect.
• Moment of Disappointment:
  • Ragnar O’Connor: “What had been finally released to us amounted to very little of real value.” (21:10)

6. A Forgotten Statement Transforms the Narrative (22:30–28:33)

• Discovery in the Family Archive: The family finds a 1943 statement by Jimmy O’Connor detailing his version of the events around Donk’s murder. Contrary to the story believed for decades, it implicates Jimmy as present and involved, contradicting his lifelong claims of innocence.
• Key Moments of the Statement:
  • Jimmy acknowledges plotting the break-in with Freddie Andrews and William Redhead,
  • Describes seeing Andrews strike Donk with a tyre lever,
  • Claims he did not commit the murder but was complicit in the break-in,
  • Offers to testify against Andrews as the murderer.
• Quote:
  • Ragnar O’Connor (reading the statement): “It is the absolute truth and I'm fully prepared to go all the way in a prosecution of Andrews, the murderer of Don Cambridge.” (27:56)
• Family Reaction: Profound shock, silence, and reconsideration of their decades-long campaign for justice.
  • Nene Lethbridge: “It's not very attractive, but it doesn't surprise me. Jimmy had an odd relation with the truth.” (28:53)

7. The Emotional Cost of Justice—And the Unanswered Question (28:53–29:53)

• Ongoing Uncertainty: The family wonders whether to continue the fight for a pardon in light of these revelations.
• Final Reflections:
  • Ragnar: “You’re trying to get a pardon. Is it too late?” (29:47–29:48)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “My family say, I'm mad even talking to you. And we were just trying to appeal to his better nature...if you can put it right, you'll be doing a very honorable thing.” – Milo (10:34)
• “He really was something. He was bulletproof. Well, up until the end.” – Ragnar O’Connor about Jimmy (14:56)
• “I think he was a truthful man and he had nothing to gain. But it was all very sad. We got so close, and then it really fell to pieces.” – Nemone Lethbridge (11:51)
• “What had been finally released to us amounted to very little of real value.” – Ragnar O’Connor (21:10)
• “Jimmy had an odd relation with the truth.” – Nemone Lethbridge (28:53)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:14 – Setup of the bugged 1995 meeting
• 05:31 – John Andrews' phone call and revelation
• 09:00 – Emotional costs on the Lethbridge–O’Connor family
• 11:01 – "Shame the Devil" quote; the plea for John’s help
• 13:39 – Nemone's reflection on Jimmy's unfulfilled hope for a pardon
• 15:24–16:11 – Family's memories of Jimmy’s final days
• 20:34–21:10 – FOI request and anticlimax of released files
• 22:35 – The rediscovered 1943 statement, read aloud
• 28:53 – Family’s shock and Nemone’s assessment of Jimmy’s truthfulness

Podcast Tone and Style

Reflective, candid, and deeply personal, the episode remains anchored by family voices—Ragnar, Milo, and Nemone—interweaving narrative, archival material, and raw conversation. The tone shifts between hopeful, weary, and at times resigned, underlining the long journey and emotional complexity of seeking justice for a disputed crime.

Conclusion

The episode explores the heartbreaking turns in the O'Connors’ decades-long fight for justice, culminating in a bombshell from their own archives that casts Jimmy O’Connor's innocence into question. As they face the limits of truth, memory, and the legal system, the family must decide if—and how—to keep fighting.

Next Episode Teaser:
The series finale promises to address whether Jimmy's name can ever be cleared—and confronts the family with "one final shock revelation" hidden deep in their archive.