Tim Wood and his father, Joe, outside the Old Bailey
THE man behind Old Bailey Insight and Legal London Tours is Tim Wood, who has more than 30 years’ experience of working at the Old Bailey as a court reporter. He has built up a wealth of knowledge about the Criminal Justice System and the newspaper industry, and has covered the Old Bailey cases that gripped the nation.
Tim’s father, Joe, set up the Joe Wood Agency in the early 1970’s. It provided copy on countless high-profile cases for the British and international Press. Trials covered by Tim himself include those of the ‘Yorkshire Ripper’ serial killer Peter Sutcliffe; millionaire novelist and politician Jeffrey Archer, who was jailed for four years after being found guilty of perjury and perverting the course of justice, and of Ian Huntley, who was convicted of murdering Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. He also covered Baby P and several high profile IRA terrorist cases including the Brighton bombing before moving to work as a crime reporter for national newspapers.
Although Tim says he has “done it all”, certain trials remain particularly hard to handle. He said: “As a reporter you develop a professional detachment to most cases, it is a bit like watching TV. But I still find myself becoming emotional in baby murders.
“One of the first I covered was back in 1984, involving a two-year-old girl called Heidi Koseda. She was locked away by her stepfather in an uncarpeted, unheated room and left to starve to death, while the rest of the family carried on as normal. Her mummified body was found in a bedroom cupboard by a social worker.
“A post mortem showed bits of nappy in her stomach, which she had eaten in a desperate attempt to keep herself alive.
“Her stepfather, Nicholas Price, was jailed for life for murder and her mother, Rosemary Koseda, was convicted of manslaughter.
“I can still remember Price in the witness box weeping and pretending he did not know she was there.
“The thought of that frightened, unloved little girl, whimpering and slowly dying all alone, just feet from the rest of her family, still sends shivers down my spine.”
CONTACT US ON: Mobile: 07866 690618 or EMAIL: tim.wood@oldbaileyinsight.co.uk or Joseph Wood at 58 Echelon Walk, Colchester, Essex CO4 6BW
We are delighted to announce that tickets are now available for our Crime & Punishment Webinar, which will take place on the 7th June. We have three expert speakers, who will all be giving their insights into our criminal justice system. Former undercover cop Neil Woods, who risked his life bringing down major drugs gangs but now believes all drugs should be legalised and brought under government control. Top criminal defence barrister Harry Potter, a regular at the Old Bailey, an author of several books who has presented a TV series on the law for the BBC and convicted armed robber Scott Walsh, who has experienced the law from the other side of the prison wall. For more information please visit our Crime & Punishment page or Click here to purchase your tickets for this fascinating insight into our criminal justice system.
