Inside the Case: "In the blink of an eye" - Brian Altman KC

This inaugural episode features an interview with Brian Altman KC, the barrister who led the prosecution of serial killer Levi Bellfield for the abduction and murder of 13-year-old Milly Dowler. In a candid and detailed discussion with journalist Frances Gibb, Altman describes the professional and emotional weight of prosecuting one of "the most notorious cases of the past 20, 30 years". "Inside the Case” is a powerful new video podcast series by The University of Law and hosted by journalist Frances Gibb. It looks behind the scenes of some of the UK’s most significant criminal and constitutional legal battles. Each episode will focus on one high-profile trial, looking at the challenges in securing justice and the wider reverberations from the point of view of one of the key legal players involved. Trigger Warning: Please note the content does contain references to murder and abduction. 00:00:00 Brian Altman KC highlights 00:00:38 The case: Milly Dowler 00:03:57 First hearing the name Levi Bellfield 00:04:47 Initial advice to the Crown Prosecution Service (2006) 00:06:05 Complexity of the Bellfield murder cases 00:07:35 The first trial and Bellfield's conviction (2007-2008) 00:08:30 The link to Milly Dowler's case 00:10:15 Decision not to join the Milly Dowler case 00:11:33 Charging decision for Milly Dowler (2010) 00:12:06 The circumstantial evidence against Bellfield 00:14:07 The critical CCTV camera issue 00:16:39 Bellfield's flat and car movement 00:17:47 Speculation on how Milly was abducted 00:19:54 Difficulty of the Milly Dowler trial 00:21:22 Cross-examination of the Dowler family 00:23:42 Legitimacy of the defence's questioning 00:27:14 Why prosecute a second time? 00:32:43 Levi Bellfield's character and refusal to give evidence 00:35:53 Phone hacking and the closure of the News of the World 00:38:59 Lasting memories and abiding tragedy