Spotlight — Season 2023

Sean had a history of drug use and mental health problems when doctors decided to detain him in a psychiatric unit for his own good. Hours later, he managed to evade supervision and ultimately take his own life inside the hospital. Alan Haslam speaks to his grieving mother and investigates what lessons have been learned.

In 1970 the army invented a new weapon for Northern Ireland, one intended to save lives and keep peace - the rubber bullet. But after 17 people were killed by that weapon and its successor, the plastic bullet, Stephen Dempster investigates claims that the government knew of their deadly potential. Spotlight speaks to the soldiers who fired them, the families who lost loved ones and those still searching for answers.

The true story of an American trucker who became one of MI5's most important spies. Just when the Real IRA was bombing Britain and threatening to wreck the Northern Ireland peace process, the group's boss was spilling his secrets to David Rupert, who passed everything on to the FBI and MI5. In a broadcast exclusive, Rupert tells his extraordinary story to Jennifer O'Leary.

A case of suspected police corruption that turned into real-life Line of Duty. Mandy McAuley investigates what started as an investigation into police car contracts worth millions of pounds. After the case collapsed, failings were exposed in the way officers were conducting secret surveillance on other officers – including failings that the police service has never made public.

Conor Spackman hears chilling testimony from relatives of those slain in a spate of gun murders in north and west Belfast over the past five years. He examines links between the killings and investigates a shadowy dissident republican group claiming to be on ceasefire.

Freddie Scappaticci led a double life – spyhunter for the IRA and, at the same time, one of Britain's most important spies inside the group. His ability to interrogate IRA gunmen and bombers gave him unique access to their secrets – information that could be fed straight back to their enemies. But his IRA role also meant he was a killer. Jennifer O'Leary investigates.

The criminal justice system in Northern Ireland is burdened by long delays in cases getting to court. Murder and rape cases can take five years or longer to conclude. Reporter Stephen Dempster investigates why cases are taking so long, talks to victims who have found themselves in what they call a 'traumatic, nightmare situation', and hears from experts who fear the system is at breaking point, with potential consequences for the rule of law.

Mandy McAuley investigates a deadly new wave of street drugs and finds out about the risks posed by dealers.

The ban on new petrol and diesel cars has been pushed back by the UK government. Conor Spackman investigates why we're not yet ready for the switch to electric vehicles.

Years spent waiting for treatment - Lyndsey Telford talks to people stuck on the NHS's worst waiting lists and asks an expert panel how we fix this healthcare crisis.

Inside the crisis in policing: a massive data leak, a judge's ruling that led to a row over political interference, plus a leadership vacuum. Julian O'Neill investigates.

In the wake of the discredited neurologist Michael Watt being struck off the medical register, Conor Spackman investigates the death of a patient under his care, claims of a cover-up within Belfast Trust and finds thousands of cases are still awaiting review.

A family story of domestic abuse. Mandy McAuley investigates a link between violence at home and women who take their own lives, and hears call for a law change to hold abusers to account.

As race attacks are on the rise, Lyndsey Telford is on the ground to investigate behind the hate. Victims spell out how attacks wrecked livelihoods and risked lives – and ask who speaks for the communities where hate crimes are increasing?