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During the 1950s and ’60s, Australian reporter and journalist Rupert Murdoch became the senior executive of his own private news proprietor company. After acquiring a number of newspapers in Australia and New Zealand, Rupert’s enterprise expanded into the United Kingdom and in 1969, he attended an auction for the largest-circulating national gazette, The News of the World. A spirited bidding contest ensued, wherein Rupert defeated the 34 million pound offer from business rival Robert Maxwell, securing ownership of the newspaper and its sister publication, The Sun.

Having secured his position as chairman of The News of the World Group, Rupert entrusted the role of the company’s deputy chairman to 60-year-old Alick McKay, an Australian newspaper executive with over a decade of industry experience. Alick had spent the previous 12 years in England working for Mirror Group Newspapers, proprietors of The Daily Mirror and The People amongst others, before he met Rupert Murdoch and was poached by the media mogul to spearhead his recently acquired publications.

Alick lived with his wife Muriel in south-west London’s upscale district of Wimbledon, near the world-famous tennis club. The couples Georgian-style manor titled ‘St. Mary’s House’ was situated on Arthur Road, a quiet, leafy street framed by spacious villas home to London’s professional elite – stockbrokers, bankers, and business executives.

In December 1969, Rupert Murdoch and his wife Anna made plans to holiday in Australia over Christmas. During their absence, Alick McKay was assigned the role of acting chairman of the News of the World Group and tasked with overseeing Rupert’s business duties. As acting chairman, Alick was provided with the Murdoch’s deep-blue Rolls-Royce and its accompanying chauffeur…

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Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at anytime you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. Some suggestions for confidential support for men, women and children:

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Lifeline Crisis Support: 13 11 14

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CREDITS

NARRATION:

Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host

EPISODE:

Episode researched and written by Milly Raso

MUSIC:

‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro www.dl-sounds.com

All other music and audio clean up performed by Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn 

OTHER:

Logo design by Paulina Szymanska

RESOURCES

BOOKS:

Brothers; The Trial of the Brothers Hosein for the Murder of Mrs. McKay – William Cooper

The Rise and Fall of the Murdoch Empire – John Lisners

ARCHIVED ARTICLES:

Brothers kidnapped ‘wrong woman’ – The Age: Sept 15 1970
‘Brutal’ plot, says prosecutor – The Sydney Morning Herald: Sept 15 1970
Ransom money was left uncollected – The Guardian: Sept 17 1970
The mystery of Muriel McKay – Daily News: Dec 13 1970
A deadly mistake in Wimbledon – Daily News: Aug 5 1979

ARTICLES:

The Wrong Woman –People Magazine

Murdoch, Murder, & the Mare Street Connection – Medium

VIDEOS:

Great Crimes and Trials: Episode 20 – The McKay Kidnapping

Interview with Alick McKay

OTHER RESOURCES:

Case of European Court of Human Rights, March 4 1985: Hosein V. The United Kingdom

The McKay Kidnapping Crime Files – Crime Investigation UK

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