The harrowing true story of a calculating nurse who murdered his first wife and attempted to kill his second for nearly £1 million in insurance payouts has gripped a new audience, as the drama The Widower surges in popularity on Netflix.
Originally an ITV production from 2014, the series starring Reece Shearsmith details the life and heinous crimes of Malcolm Webster, a medical professional from Surrey whose deadly schemes targeted the women closest to him.
A Pattern of Deception and Murder
Malcolm Webster's criminal pattern began with his marriage to Claire Morris from Aberdeenshire in 1993. Court proceedings later revealed that Webster routinely drugged his wife throughout their relationship.
The culmination of his plan occurred in May 1994. After drugging Claire, Webster staged a car crash with her in the passenger seat. He then set the vehicle ablaze in a deliberate attempt to make her death look like a tragic accident.
Following this, Webster moved to New Zealand, where he married oncology nurse Felicity Drumm in 1997. The couple had a son together, but this did not deter Webster from plotting another murder.
In 1999, he orchestrated a second car crash and was subsequently accused of attempting to murder Felicity to fraudulently claim £750,000 from nine separate life insurance policies.
Web of Lies Unravels
Webster's criminal ambitions extended even further. He began a relationship with Simone Banarjee, deceiving her into believing he was suffering from terminal leukaemia.
This manipulation led Banarjee to alter her will, naming Webster as the sole beneficiary of her entire estate. However, police intervention revealed Webster's dark past and exposed the fact he already had a wife and son, preventing another potential tragedy.
In July 2011, Malcolm Webster faced justice at the High Court in Glasgow. He was convicted of the murder of Claire Morris and the attempted murder of Felicity Drumm.
The court heard how these violent acts were part of a cold-blooded scheme to claim close to £1 million in life assurance money. The judge sentenced Webster to a minimum of 30 years in prison, where he remains today at the age of 66.
Appeals and Ongoing Incarceration
Webster has repeatedly attempted to challenge his conviction, maintaining his innocence. In 2013, his appeal was dismissed after judges rejected his claim of being a victim of a miscarriage of justice.
He tried again in 2016, seeking to have his case referred back to the High Court. The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission denied his application, ensuring his lengthy prison sentence stands.
The case of Malcolm Webster serves as a stark reminder of how a facade of normalcy can conceal a predatory nature, with his crimes now immortalised for a new generation of true-crime viewers on the streaming platform.
The Widower is currently available to stream on Netflix, joining the platform's extensive catalogue of real-life crime documentaries and dramas.
