File on 4 Investigates

The story of the Post Office IT scandal has gained new momentum in the wake of an ITV dramatisation about how dozens of subpostmasters were falsely accused of theft and fraud and hauled through the courts. After 20 years, campaigners won a legal battle to have their cases reconsidered and in 2019 the Post Office lost a High Court battle and agreed to pay nearly £60 million to more than 550 of its staff. Some ended up in prison, others bankrupt - many more have been left with their health and reputations in ruins. A public inquiry is ongoing, but many victims are still fighting to have their convictions overturned or to secure full compensation.In this episode of File on 4 - updated since its first broadcast in February 2020 - Hayley Hassall meets some of those whose lives were destroyed. She returns to the Post Office in the East Riding seaside town of Bridlington with former subpostmaster Lee Castleton. There are still buckets and spades in the otherwise empty shop - a business he'd taken on after deciding to give up his job as a stockbroker for a better quality of life. She hears from Tracy Felstead who was convicted of fraud and sent to Holloway Prison when she was just 19 years old.One whistleblower reveals how he warned the Post Office the Horizon system was unsafe and, in his first ever interview, forensic accountant Ron Warmington reveals how he struggled to get straight answers from Post Office management after he was brought in to carry out an investigation.Reporter: Hayley Hassall Producers: Mick Tucker and Nick Wallis Editor: Carl Johnston

For more than twenty years, Zholia Alemi worked as a psychiatrist for the NHS. She practiced the length and breadth of the country, treating vulnerable patients with dementia, learning disabilities and mental illness. And then she was caught in a lie. Alemi was found guilty of forging a dementia patient’s will. But this deception was only the beginning. From Crowd Network, Doctor of Deception investigates how one woman’s web of lies reveals historic flaws in the system designed to keep patients safe. If you were treated by Zholia Alemi, or have concerns about her practice, there is a support page available on the General Medical Council’s website: https://www.gmc-uk.org/news/news-archive/zholia-alemi---information-for-patients Presenter: Saleyha Ahsan Producer: Louisa Adams Technical Producer: Phill Brown Executive Producer: Samantha Psyk

File on 4 tells the story behind the brutal killing of 16-year-old transgender schoolgirl Brianna Ghey. She was attacked in a park near Warrington in Cheshire on a Saturday afternoon in February 2023. Two teenagers, who were obsessed with murder and torture, have been convicted of her murder. In the build-up to the killing, they'd exchanged text messages outlining a details of their plan. Reporter Katie Barnfield speaks to Brianna’s mother and the detective involved in bringing her killers to justice.Reporter: Katie Barnfield Producer: Hayley Mortimer Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston

Felicity Hannah explores how climate change is leaving communities 'uninsurable' because of the rising risk of them being hit by extreme weather events.She speaks to one businessman living in 'Hurricane Alley' in Louisiana, who has seen his premiums rise by $200,000 in just three years, and learns how many residents are now having to run the risk of living without insurance, because the cost is just too high. In Australia, she speaks to residents resigned to the fact that their hometown is considered too much of a risk for the insurance industry. Instead, the government has bought their homes and they have been forced to leave. In the UK too, Felicity meets business owners already deemed 'uninsurable' because of the frequency of flooding they have faced. Meanwhile British homeowners relying on a temporary fix that has helped reduce their premiums must hope flood defences are built before time runs out. Could rising premiums be the canary in the coalmine for taking more decisive action on climate change?Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Nick Holland Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor Richard Fenton-Smith Sound Design: Graham Puddifoot

File on 4 reveals how hundreds of vulnerable women and children are being trafficked to the UK by organised crime gangs to work as shoplifters. The victims are forced to live in squalor in overcrowded houses in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Investigators have discovered there are 154 known members of one gang which is making millions for the gangmasters from Eastern Europe. High street stores have reported a 25 per cent increase in the number of shoplifting incidents over the last year. Reporter: Datshiane Navanayagam Producers: Holly Clemens and Kate West Editor: Carl Johnston

Lucy Letby was allowed to continue working with new-born babies despite her colleagues raising concerns about her for months. Her conviction highlighted how NHS executives put the reputation of the Countess of Chester NHS Trust ahead of patient safety. But what happened in Cheshire was far from a one-off. File on 4 hears from doctors with unblemished medical careers who were sacked after raising patient safety concerns. The programme follows one medic through an Employment Tribunal as he attempts to save his career, and hears the emotional, brutal toll the process takes on him. For the first time, a top doctor who won record damages talks about the extraordinary steps her managers took to undermine her. Their tactics included relocating her to an empty office with a broken chair and telling colleagues that she agreed with their assessment she was incompetent. And a former NHS executive tells the programme that trusts are more interested in “flying LGBT flags” than tackling concerns about patient safety. With widespread calls for NHS managers to be regulated, File on 4 asks who should take on the role, given the willingness of the NHS to redeploy managers found to have ignored patient safety concerns, or even punished those who dared to raise them. Reporter: Michael Buchanan Producer: Katie Langton Editor: Carl Johnston

Artificial intelligence, or AI, makes it possible for machines to learn - and in the future it will perform many tasks now done by humans. But are criminals and bad actors ahead of the curve? AI is already being used to commit fraud and other crimes by generating fake videos and audio; fast emerging threats that form just part of a potential new crime wave. File on 4 investigates.Reporter: Paul Connolly Producer: Fergus Hewison Editor: Carl Johnston

When people who don't speak English, including refugees arriving in the UK after fleeing war, they are entitled to receive the support of interpreters when dealing with public sector organisations. The service provides a lifeline for some of society's most vulnerable people to help them navigate places like hospitals, social services and courts. But reporter Matthew Hill hears allegations the service is seriously failing those who need it most - with tragic consequences. Data obtained exclusively by File on 4 has revealed over the past five years at least 80 babies have died or suffered serious brain injuries in NHS maternity units in England, where interpreting and communication problems due to language difficulties, were a contributing factor. The programme also hears from an alleged victim of serious sexual abuse who says she was unable to give police an accurate account of her ordeal because the interpreter was so poor. Campaigners claim huge disparities in the levels of qualifications required in public service organisations and poor rates of pay have caused an exodus of qualified interpreters, which they claim is putting some of society's most vulnerable people at risk of harm.Reporter: Matthew Hill Producers: Ben Robinson and Surya Elango Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Production Coordinators: Tim Fernley and Jordan King Editor: Carl Johnston

As a young person, Ellen Macleod wasn’t sure whether her disabilities would mean she could never have sex so she turned to the internet. There she found porn featuring disabled adults, but those films threw up dark questions around consent, exploitation and whether disabled people were being made the involuntary subject of a fetish. Now Ellen has teamed up with journalist Nastaran Tavakoli Far to investigate whether what she saw online was extreme role play or very real abuse. Ellen and Nas speak to disabled adult content creators, as well as safeguarding and legal experts to explore how society protects vulnerable adults, and what many of us get wrong about sex and disability. If you have been affected by sexual abuse or violence, details of help and support is available at bbc.co.uk/actionlinePresenters: Ellen Macleod and Nastaran Tavakoli-Far Producer: Ailsa Rochester Sound Design: Rob Green Executive Producer: Jo MeekAn Audio Always production for BBC Radio 4

File on 4 highlights one fraud phone call, in order to shine a light on how scammers work. A man rings a company pretending to be from the bank. How does he persuade a victim he is legitimate? We consider the psychological, financial and emotional impact fraud has on those involved, and we hear from experts hunting the perpetrators. Producer: Vicky Carter Reporter: Iona Bain Technical Producer: Kelly Young Production Coordinators: Tim Fernley and Jordan King Editor: Clare Fordham

The collapse of retail giant Wilko in September left 12,500 people out of work across the UK. No area has been harder hit by the redundancies than the Nottinghamshire town of Worksop, where Wilko employed 1,200 people at its head office, shop and distribution centre.Citizen's Advice has been helping those affected warning that debt in the town was at a record level before the collapse and has doubled since this time last year. Reporter Jane Deith has been following the lives of several former Wilko staff as they attempt to find new jobs.Producer: Matt Pintus Reporter: Jane Deith Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Coordinators: Tim Fernley and Jordan King Editor: Tara McDermott

A perfect storm of equal pay claims and a huge overspend on an IT project has brought Europe’s largest local authority to its knees. But how did Birmingham go from the triumph of hosting the Commonwealth Games to financial ruin in just over a year? Adrian Goldberg investigates for File on 4.Producer: Phil Marzouk Producer: Fergus Hewison Producer: Megan Jones Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Technical Producer: Matthew Dempsey Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Clare Fordham

The Manchester Arena terrorist attack in 2017 left 22 people dead and more than a thousand injured. The subsequent inquiry found security arrangements were lacking with some security staff admitting they were untrained in vital procedures. File on 4 goes undercover to reveal how, despite assurances the industry has tightened up procedures, some training companies are offering 'fast-track' courses which don't comply with regulations. the programme also reveals how candidates are told to falsifty time sheets and are given the answers to a final examination to ensure they pass and can subsequently work in an industry which is supposed to keep the public safe. Producer: Kate West Reporter: Greg McKenzie Assistant producer: Nick Holland Editor: Carl Johnston

Hayley Hassall investigates accusations of bullying and body-shaming at some of the UK’s elite ballet schools. File on 4 and Panorama have spoken to more than 50 ex-students of the Royal Ballet School and Elmhurst Ballet School who attended between 2004 and 2022. Many described developing eating disorders, while some said they had been left with mental health problems. One retired ballerina File on 4 has spoken to has begun legal action against the Royal Ballet School for the treatment she says she suffered there. The two ballet schools dispute the accounts given to the BBC and say they are working hard to change the culture, and put health and wellbeing at the forefront of their prioritiesReporter: Hayley Hassall Producer: Paul Grant Editors: Carl Johnston and Clare Fordham

The Crooked House: One summer’s night the Crooked House, known as Britain’s wonkiest pub, caught fire. Less than 48 hours later the ruins were knocked to the ground, completely destroying an iconic symbol of the Black Country. The pub gained its name, and worldwide fame, from its crazy angles caused by mining subsidence. But its loss is now being mourned amid calls for it to be rebuilt brick by brick. File on 4 tells the story behind the destruction of the Crooked House.Presenter: Adrian Goldberg Producers: Fergus Hewison, Emma Forde and Phil Marzouk Assistant Producers: Ella Rule and Patrick Kiteley Production Coordinators: Tim Fernley and Jordan King Technical Producer: Kelly Young Editor: Carl Johnston

After an inevitable decline during the pandemic, school exclusions are again on the increase. There are concerns that behaviour is worse because, post pandemic, children can’t regulate their behaviour in the classroom. So what happens to those who are kicked out? The Government says it has issued updated guidance on suspensions and permanent exclusions and is clear that initial intervention should be put in place where children are at risk of being permanently excluded and entering alternative provision. It says permanent exclusions should always be a last resort and shouldn’t mean exclusion from education. But File on 4 hears compelling evidence from pupils, parents and teachers to suggest hundreds - maybe thousands - are falling under the radar, targeted by criminal gangs, forced to sell drugs and lured into a life of crime. Reporter: De-Graft Mensah Producers: Shona Elliott and Tom Wall Senior Digital Journalist: Melanie Stewart-Smith Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Gareth Jones Editor: Carl Johnston

Set in the belly of rural England, the small village of Winchmore Hill is a far cry from the world of privileged tech bros and slick silicon valley investors, often associated with crypto currencies. Yet in 2021, this community just north of Slough became the recruiting ground for a crypto investment called Koda. Thanks to the gregarious pub landlord, who promoted the coin and ran crypto nights, a big chunk of this community where everyone knows everyone put money into the currency. They invested thousands of pounds, in some cases their life savings, but when the currency plummeted months later, they lost it all, leaving the community utterly devastated. Lucinda Borrell explores the lasting impact on this small village, and asks why this particular crypto coin became so appealing in the first place.

With the number of potential modern slavery cases in England and Wales at a record level, File on 4 investigates how vulnerable people are being targeted and exploited by organised crime groups for cheap labour.Police estimate that there are tens of thousands of victims of modern slavery in the United Kingdom, being forced to work and live in inhumane conditions with little hope of escape.Investigators whose job it is to protect workers from exploitation reveal to File on 4 that the care industry has become their top priority in the past 18 months. Datshiane Navanayagam finds out why and asks whether the systems in place to support victims are working. Reporter: Datshiane Navanayagam Producers: Matt Pintus and Phil Marzouk Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Production Manager: Sarah Payton Digital Producers: Melanie Stewart-Smith and Georgia-Mae Browne Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Editor: Carl Johnston

It’s been called a bigger scandal than Thalidomide. The drug sodium valproate is estimated to have harmed 20,000 children in the UK. It’s mainly used to treat epilepsy and other conditions such as bipolar disorder.But taking the drug when pregnant can cause serious harm to unborn babies. Even when it was licenced fifty years ago, it was known to cause harm to foetuses in animals. But it wasn’t until 2005 that the patient information leaflet, which should come with a prescription- gave clear warnings on the risks of taking valproate in pregnancy to unborn children, beyond a small chance of spina bifida.File on 4 asks if the health regulators in the UK and the company who make it, Sanofi, did enough to inform patients of the severity of the drug's risks soon enough. Meanwhile, new risks of the drug are still emerging. A new study shows the drug may affect the neurological development of children fathered by men taking valproate. The evidence is still inconclusive, but neurologists are uncertain what to advise their male patients on valproate.And why are women still getting pregnant on it? We ask if the system set up to protect women taking it is working as it should be? A major review of the drug made a number of recommendations, including the setting up of specialist clinics and a compensation scheme for those affected. The programme asks what progress has been made in the UK to implement those changes, and are we lagging behind other countries? File on 4 speaks to the families whose children have been left with lifelong neurological and physical disabilities as a result of taking the medication. Reporter: Rachel Stonehouse Producers: Jane Fellner and Emma Forde Editor: Carl Johnston

The morning rush in a doctor’s surgery usually begins around 8am, before the doors even open, as patients ring up to try and get a precious appointment. But why is it so hard to get to see a GP, and why is primary care under such pressure? File on 4 has spent a week in a GP’s surgery speaking to doctors, staff, and patients to try and understand the challenges facing the front line of health care. The programme has been given access to what goes on behind the scenes at a doctor’s surgery in Gateshead, on Tyneside, in one of the most deprived parts of England. It hears why a growing population, more elderly people, and fewer fully qualified doctors dealing with more complex health problems are all factors pushing some GP practices to the brink, and some to consider leaving the profession altogether.Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producers: Fergus Hewison and Kat Collins Techincal Producer: Nicky Edwards Editor: Carl Johnston

File on 4 tells the story of a young street trader from Lagos who revealed a conspiracy that took down one of Nigeria’s most powerful politicians. The young man was tested, trafficked and tricked into a plot to take his kidney, to donate to the politician’s sick daughter in the UK. His conviction - the first of its kind in the UK - has led to police investigating more potential cases. Reporter: Mark Lobel Producer: Kate West Technical Producer: Kelly Young Digital Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston

Nearly half a million young people in the UK are members of the Scout Association. The organisation employs 143,000 adult volunteers and leads the way in nurturing a love of the outdoors and providing practical skills which will allow members to make a positive contribution to society. But not everyone has been enriched by the experience. File on 4 has learned that in the last ten years the Scout Association has paid out £6m to scouts who were abused. Reporter Hayley Hassall hears from some female abuse survivors who say they were ignored when they reported abuse. The Scout Movement says it is "deeply sorry" for anyone who has suffered abuse. Now there are calls for the organsiation to overhaul its safeguarding policy. John Cameron, the former director of ChildLine and head of child protection operations at the NSPCC, tells File on 4 that voluntary organisations would benefit from an independent body overseeing safeguarding practices.Reporter: Hayley Hassall Producer: Paul Grant Researcher: Shona Elliott Technical Producer: Kelly Young Digital Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston

Earlier this year, the government announced their new plan to stamp out antisocial behaviour across England and Wales. Hot spot policing and what they call ‘immediate justice’ will be trialled in towns and cities in an attempt to curb the problem.What is it like to live in a community that experiences antisocial behaviour year-in, year-out? And what do the people who live there think needs to be done?This is the story of one community marred by antisocial behaviour - and their fight for better.Reporter: Alys Harte Producers: Vicky Carter and Surya Elango Digital Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston

When you go to hospital you expect to be safe. But File on 4 has discovered that many patients and staff who are victims of sex attacks say not enough is done to deal with the perpetrators - and hospital managers ignore complaints. The programme examines startling data on the number of reported cases and asks what's being done to prevent sexual assaults in hospitals. The Department of Health says sexual violence or misconduct of any kind is unacceptable and has no place in the NHS. However, they also say there is still a long way to go in tackling sexual assaults to deliver justice for victims. Reporter: Fergus Hewison Producer: Matthew Pintus Digital Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston

For 40 years, affirmative action policies were created in the United States to address a lack of women and people of colour in the workplace and at university. They have been questioned before, and are now under scrutiny once again in the Supreme Court.Two cases are being brought by a group called Students for Fair Admissions challenging the way race is considered in the admissions process at Harvard and North Carolina Universities.The case against Harvard specifically alleges discrimination against Asian Americans, which the prestigious college denies. But affirmative action is divisive and means different things to Americans.Nomia Iqbal speaks to Edward Blum, the man bringing the case to court, and to students on either side of the debate.Is the policy a helping hand, or an unfair handout?

File on 4 investigates claims that children are being taught graphic and age-inappropriate material as part of their Relationship and Sex Education.The government has brought forward a review into how sex education is taught in schools in England following concerns that children across the country are being taught lessons on oral sex, how to choke your partner safely and 72 genders as part of their RSE.We speak to teachers, parents, children and sex education providers to try and discover what's really happening in schools and where there are instances of bad practice, we ask if they're part of a systemic national problem in sex education or extreme examples used to push a political moral agenda.Reporter: Kate West Producer: Hayley Mortimer Researcher: Shona Elliott Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl JohnstonArchive credits: This Morning, Good Morning Britain, TalkTV, GB News, Life Begins, Huntley Film Archives

File on 4 investigates the secretive world of oil shipping, dark fleets and camouflaged cargos. Sanctions were supposed to hit President Putin in the pocket, weakening his military capabilities. But have they simply created new markets and new millionaires? And why can a company in Essex enable Russian oil to move around the world without attracting the attention of the authorities? Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Jo Casserly Editor: Carl Johnston

Britain’s biggest police force says there are hundreds of rogue officers amongst its ranks. It’s now The Met’s job to root them out, with dozens of staff diverted away from organised crime and counter-terrorism units to work in its professional standards department. But can the police be trusted to investigate themselves? File on 4 can reveal how an officer working for a force outside of London, who had multiple rape allegations against him, was given a job in the professional standards department, investigating complaints made against colleagues. We’ve discovered how complaints to police forces across England and Wales are being regularly dismissed, with many people resorting to legal action to get accountability and winning damages from the police in court. File on 4 also reveals how recent reforms to the complaints process have done little to improve accountability and restore public confidence.Reporter: Hayley Mortimer Producer: Tom Wall Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston

The Probation Service is meant to protect the public by monitoring released prisoners and offenders on community sentences - helping them to stay out of trouble and rebuild their lives. But a series of catastrophic failures have led to the murders of two women who were killed by men who should have been monitored more closely. File on 4 analyses the case of Damien Bendall who killed his pregnant partner Terri Harris and three children in 2021 while on probation. The Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell has said Bendall’s supervision “fell far below the quality that the public has a right to expect”. The programme hears from the families of Bendall's victims and from those probation officers on the front line who say the service is at breaking point.Reporter: Danny Shaw Producer: Fergus Hewison Assistant Producer: Patrick Kiteley Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston

Social housing providers say they are under more financial pressure than ever before. The sector has warned long-term Government funding cuts and the cost of improving homes to meet new fire safety laws, have now been compounded by high inflation, to create a perfect storm of pressure. But is it vulnerable tenants who are paying the price? File on 4 investigates record complaints about social housing providers and hears allegations of "degrading" treatment by some social housing providers. Reporter Iona Bain also uncovers failings by a housing provider which led to raw sewage flooding into residents' flats.Reporter: Iona Bain Producer: Ben Robinson Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Clare Fordham

Suicide or attempted suicide is not a criminal offence. But, as Adrian Goldberg discovers, mentally ill people are still being punished for attempts to take their own lives. They can be charged with 'intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance,' 'railway trespass' or 'obstruction of highways.' File on 4 hears from people who believe they should have been given care and compassion rather than face criminalisation. The programme also investigates concerns over a scheme called Serenity Integrated Mentoring, or SIM, which was adopted by many NHS mental health trusts in England. It was designed to enable police and hospitals to cope with patients who regularly call the emergency services or arrive at hospitals having self-harmed, attempted suicide, or threatened to take their own life. When tagged under the system, patients can be denied care, prevented from seeing doctors or psychiatrists, and sent home.Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Producer: Vicky Carter Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Manager: Sarah Payton Production Coordinators: Tim Fernley and Jordan King Editor: Carl JohnstonDetails of organisations offering information and support with mental health or feelings of despair are available at: www.bbc.co.uk/actionline

200 children have gone missing from hotels used by the Home Office to temporarily house lone asylum seekers. File on 4 investigates what’s being done to find them and why so many have disappeared.Reporter: Livvy Haydock Producer: Kate West Researcher: Nathan Standley Editor: Carl JohnstonImage credit: Ben Stansall\Getty

Levi Davis - a 24-year-old rugby player and X-Factor star went missing in Barcelona at the end of October last year. He’s not been seen or heard from since. Four months on, File on 4 pieces together his last known movements - speaking to his family and friends to try and understand more about what happens when someone goes missing overseas without a trace.Reporter: Rachel Stonehouse Producer: Alys Harte Editor: Carl Johnston Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Manager: Sarah Payton Production Team: Tim Fernley and Jordan King

A damning report into the culture of London Fire Brigade found a toxic mix of racism, sexism, misogyny and bullying. Launched after a young firefighter of colour took his own life, the review included terrible anonymous accounts from those serving in the capital, women groped during exercises, a black man who had a noose left on his locker. Now File on 4 has discovered shocking new evidence of problems within the fire service elsewhere across the UK. We hear from those subjected to sexual assault, violence and bullying while working on the frontline, left suicidal as a result of the treatment they suffered at the hands of colleagues and those who were hounded out or chose to walk away from a career they loved. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Nicola Dowling Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Editor: Carl Johnston

They were born in the same month of the same year: Emily, Nadia, and Christie. The three young women who lived close to each other in the North East of England became friends, their lives intertwined due to severe mental health problems. They shared their innermost fears, their thoughts and laughs. But their tragic deaths came within eight months of each other while under the care of the same mental health trust. An investigation has higlighted multiple failings by the Tees Esk and Wear Valley Mental Health Trust. File on 4 tells their stories in their own words and hears from those closest to them, and asks what could have been done to save them all.Details of organisations offering information and support with mental health or feelings of despair are available at https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionlineReporter: Datshiane Navanayagam Producer: Fergus Hewison Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Production Team: Tim Fernley and Jordan King Editor: Carl Johnston

A British woman tells File on 4 about her relationship with controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate, claiming that he pressurised her to work for his webcam company and that he was controlling and violent towards her. Tate is currently in detention in Bucharest along with his brother, Tristan, facing allegations of people trafficking and rape, which both men deny. Prosecutors allege that Andrew Tate recruited victims by seducing them and falsely claiming he wanted a relationship or marriage. 'Sophie' tells File on 4 what happened to her and other women who worked in Romania as webcam girls for Tate. The programme also interrogates Tate's claims that he's a self-made 'trillionaire' and asks whether his boasts around his vast wealth are all that they seem.Image credit: EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockProducer: Hayley Mortimer Reporters: Georgia Coan and Paul Kenyon Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Production team: Tim Fernley and Jordan King Editor: Carl Johnston*Since this episode of File on 4 was originally broadcast, lawyers acting for Andrew Tate have said that he denies all the allegations made against him in the programme.

This episode tells the story of a primary school on the frontline of the cost of living crisis, a school doing more than most to make sure children are fed, warm and have somewhere safe to go home to at night.File on 4 spent several months recording at Ingol Community Primary in Preston. It’s in one of the most deprived areas in England; more than half of their pupils are on pupil premium - additional state funding aimed at closing the attainment gap between poorer pupils and their peers - but that’s not their only challenge.This school is going to exceptional lengths to make sure families survive the cost of living crisis this winter, all while battling unprecedented pressure on the school’s own finances. Will they be able to make ends meet and still provide all this extra help for families?Reporter: Alys Harte Producer: Ben Robinson Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston

File on 4 investigates events that led to the death of two people at London's Brixton O2 Academy in December. The venue was shut down after the fatal crowd crush ahead of a concert by the Nigerian artist Asake. Security guard Gaby Hutchinson, 23, and Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, died in hospital after the incident at the south London venue on 15 December. Some said ticketless fans tried to force there way into the venue. But File on 4 has heard compelling evidence that suggests there were other reasons the venue became overcrowded. Producer: Anna Meisel Reporter: Greg McKenzie Assistant Producer: Patrick Kiteley Digital Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Carl Johnston

18 months after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, File on 4 hears from people still stuck in hiding; their names blacklisted because of the work they did for the British.Following the fall of the country and the frantic evacuation, the UK Government made a series of promises not to leave behind those who'd helped the UK. The programme investigates the failures of these schemes, which have seen tiny numbers getting to safety in the UK. Thousands more left living in fear, facing torture and kidnap have been left languishing for months without contact or support. Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Kate West and Vicky Carter Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston

The death of a child causes parents’ unimaginable grief, but this is being exacerbated by long delays to post mortem reports due to a shortage of pathologists in the UK. The number of paediatric pathologists means that children and babies are having to be moved around to other parts of the country in order for post mortems to be undertaken, causing even further distress for families. When a child dies suddenly, sometimes post-mortems may need the input of specialist pathologists. But these even fewer in number meaning bereaved parents are waiting months, sometimes years to discover why their child died. But these shortages can have even more devastating consequences. File on 4 has uncovered cases where parents suspected of harming their child have waited months for post-mortem reports to be completed, only to be exonerated of any wrongdoing once the findings are back. During which they’ve had other children taken into care and faced months under wrongful suspicion. The head of the family courts in England and Wales says long waits for post-mortem reports in suspected child homicides cases is “unacceptable”. But it’s not just the courts raising concerns. Senior police chiefs say a shortage of specialists is also causing delays to police investigations and the criminal process. Adrian Goldberg investigates the crisis which has been years in the making, with The Royal College of Pathologists warning that the situation is “critical”.Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Producer: Emma Forde Technical Producer: Mitch Goodall Editor: Carl Johnston Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley Production Manager: Sarah Payton

The cost of living crisis is placing huge pressure on families across the country, many of whom were already living in poverty and struggling to make ends meet. Now social services say the pressure on parents is causing a significant increase in family breakdowns and the number of children being taken into care. Reporter Paul Connolly speaks to parents who fear the cost of living crisis could see them lose their children and investigates whether enough is being done to prevent families breaking down. File on 4 hears from social workers on the frontline who say more and more children are falling into extreme poverty and face a daily battle to help their parents keep them safe. The programme uncovers new data which reveals the increasing pressure the cost of living crisis is placing on children's social care and asks what the future holds for a service already struggling to meet demand.Reporter: Paul Connolly Producer: Ben Robinson Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston

Their country is not at war and it's not ruled by an authoritarian regime, yet thousands of young Albanians are making the dangerous journey across the channel to live and work in the UK. File on 4 travels across Albania to discover the truth behind the biggest migration controversy to hit Britain for years, visiting towns where most young men have already left and the rest are planning to leave as soon as possible.In Has, a small town in Northern Albania, 80 per cent of families rely on funds being sent back by relatives living in the UK. A red phone box can be found outside a pub called Britain Lounge - a mark of respect to the country providing work to the majority of the town's youth. While in neighbouring Kukes, men who've made their fortune and returned home, drive around the city in cars with GB number plates.With wages low and youth unemployment high, File on 4 hears from young people who say there are no prospects for them in their home country.They're lured to the promised lands of England by slick social media campaigns led by people smugglers and by Albanians who show off their wealth online.But the exodus of skilled workers and the country's labour force is having a huge impact on the population of Albania, which has still yet to fully recover from its brutalist communist rule.Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producers: Hayley Mortimer and Fjori Sinoruka in Albania, Kate West and Annabel Deas Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Carl Johnston

They’re cheap – but they’re also deadly. Illegal pills costing as little as 50p each are contributing to the deaths of hundreds of people each year in Scotland. Now an expert is warning benzodiazepines, or street Valium, could pose a growing threat elsewhere.Jane Deith talks to those whose lives have been destroyed by benzodiazepines, a category of drugs usually used to treat anxiety that can be prescribed, but which have become a major feature of the illegal drugs market in Scotland and now elsewhere in the UK.The so called “street benzos” are a class C drug manufactured in huge quantities in illegal factories and sold for as little as 50p each, less than a bar of chocolate. But in combination with other drugs benzodiazepines can be fatal, significantly increasing the risk of an overdose. In recent years the number of people dying has risen sharply. Last year in Scotland more than 800 people died with illegal street benzos in their system. In England and Wales the death toll was over 500, with 171 of those who died having used benzodiazepine analogues, fake versions that can vary widely – and dangerously - in strength. From the Clyde to Cornwall, File on 4 hears the stories of those dealing with the fallout from the trade in the drugs, including people who have been addicted to them; a mother in North East England who lost her daughter to a fatal overdose; a teenager who bought them on social media, and an expert who believes their influence is spreading, with potentially dangerous consequences.Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Fergus Hewison Research: George Crafer Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Production Manager: Sarah Payton Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Carl Johnston

Before Covid the US gaming platform Roblox was one of many online games children played. Following lockdown and millions of children isolating at home, the company now has a market value of $22bn and is the most popular gaming platform for British children. But is the platform doing all it can to protect them? Concerns have been raised about financial exploitation, grooming, gambling and access to inappropriate content. Reporter: Hayley Hassall Producer: Jim Booth Editor: Carl Johnston

From the harrowing 999 calls of people waiting for an ambulance to the paramedics stretched to breaking point, File on 4 goes on the frontline of the ambulance crisis. Rachel Stonehouse speaks to the family of one man who died after waiting nearly 11 hours for an ambulance and the wife who desperately tried to keep her husband alive after an ambulance failed to turn up on time. She goes out on shift with hard pressed paramedics and sees the steps which are being taken to try to reduce delays in handing over patients at hospital - blamed as one of the main factors behind poor response times. In August alone, 138,000 hours were lost to handover delays in England. That equates to nearly 150 patients who could not be attended by an ambulance every hour of every day in that month. The government says it is committed to easing pressure on the ambulance service - by discharging more patients in hospitals, increasing the number of 999 call handlers and creating more beds.Reporter: Rachel Stonehouse Producer: Paul Grant Research: Scott Hesketh Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Carl Johnston

Paul Kenyon investigates the ‘brain drain’ of doctors from developing countries to work in the UK. The large scale recruitment of foreign doctors from nations with the greatest need to retain their medical personnel is increasing on a massive scale. What’s more, thousands of doctors are being targeted despite guidance which says recruitment from developing countries should not happen. It is though - because the UK trains too few doctors and nurses and needs these staff to plug the gaps. There are also big concerns about how many of the doctors flown into the UK are expected to work extremely long hours which they say is putting patient safety at risk.Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Anna Meisel Research: Matthew Lynch Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Production Manager: Sarah Payton Editor: Carl Johnston

Leicester is one of the most diverse cities in England – often presented as a shining example multi-cultural Britain. But tensions between some factions have been brewing in the city for months and boiled over recently when there were violent clashes which led to dozens of arrests. File on 4 investigates why sections of the Muslim and Hindu communities that once lived together in harmony are now divided.Reporter: Datshiane Navanayagam Producer: Hayley Mortimer Research: Sajid Iqbal and Ben Robinson Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston

There are concerns that British victims of trafficking are less likely than foreign nationals to receive Home Office support to escape exploitation. More and more British victims of organised sexual abuse are being referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) – the government’s support pathway for victims of trafficking – following high profile sexual exploitation cases in Rochdale, Rotherham and Telford. But charities are warning that British victims are less likely to be given access to safehouses, legal aid and counselling. File on 4 hears the story of a young woman who has been raped hundreds of times since she was schoolgirl - and is still being abused despite going to the police and the Home Office for help. 'Isobel' says she has been consistently let down by the police and the Home Office who have failed to give her the support she needs to escape her abusers - causing her to be re-trafficked in recent weeks. The Human Trafficking Foundation says victims like Isobel are being failed by the NRM and that it was designed for foreign victims of trafficking seeking asylum and has not adapted to cater for the growing number of British victims.Producer: Hayley Mortimer Reporter: Annabel Deas Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Carl Johnston

It was to be one of the most ambitious just reform programmes in the world – a ‘common platform’ that would share information between the courts, lawyers and police, from arrest to court. But the quarter-of-a-billion pound IT project now stands accused of causing wrongful arrests and unlawful detentions. File on 4 has spoken with whistle-blowers from within the court service who say the system is unsafe, unfinished and beset with bugs, errors and glitches. Sources say early warnings were ignored and worry that the software continues to be rolled out to courts across England and Wales despite serious concerns about the risk it poses.Producer: Ben Robinson Reporter: Alys Harte Editor: Carl Johnston

The massage industry has bounced back since covid, but File on 4 investigates the darker side of this industry. Hannah Price speaks to women who were sexually assaulted by massage therapists. In some cases, the therapist went on to assault other women even after they’d been arrested.The programme reveals how the industry is largely unregulated - with no licensing of practitioners. It means anyone, even without qualifications or with a criminal conviction, could practice as a massage therapist.Sexual assault victims and professional bodies in the sector are calling for more regulation to be introduced to protect both clients and therapists from sexual violence and harm.Reporter: Hannah Price Producers: Paul Grant and Eleanor Layhe Editor: Carl Johnston