True Crime

The Surgeon Of St Helena

by Always True Crime

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United Kingdom · True Crime

#81

Pulse 11

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About the show

What happens when a dangerous surgeon arrives on one of the world’s most remote islands? How much damage can he do before he is stopped? St Helena is a small British island in the South Atlantic, over 1000 miles from the nearest landmass. It is famous for hosting Napoleon in exile, and boasts the world's oldest living land animal, Jonathan the tortoise, as one of its residents. But this tiny British Overseas Territory has been gripped with scandal. When orthopedic surgeon Dr Sergio Villatoro Bran arrived in 2015 he was supposed to revolutionise care on the island. Instead he caused unimaginable harm. Was it incompetence? Or was he deliberately causing harm? And is the government of St Helena trying to block the residents' fight for justice? Following on from the critically acclaimed The Pitcairn Trials, Luke Jones investigates another scandal unfolding in one of Britain’s most isolated territories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latest episodes

What Next?

July 20, 2026 · 42 min

Following the release of The Surgeon of St Helena, Luke has updates. Producer Louisa Adams joins him in the studio to ask some of your questions. This episode is also available as video - to watch, and see some of the footage from Luke's…
Hostile

July 13, 2026 · 29 min

Back in the UK, Ruth and co take their fight against the St Helena government to court. But there is another twist. Luke also tries to find out where Dr Sergio is now. Got questions for Luke? Email luke.jones@alwaystruecrime.com To…
Lawfare

July 6, 2026 · 33 min

Luke is on the island, but getting a meeting with those in charge is proving almost impossible. With Ruth, he digs into how the bureaucracy of St Helena works, and why it appears the government is trying to block Sergio’s victims from…
Courtroom Drama

July 6, 2026 · 31 min

Solicitor Ruth travelled to the island to see Sergio sentenced, but nothing went the way she expected. Luke meets The Peters, one of the families Ruth is representing on St Helena, and learns of the profound impact Dr Sergio has had on…
Landing

June 29, 2026 · 27 min

Luke plans to travel to St Helena to meet Dr Sergio Villatoro Bran’s victims, but unexpectedly the airport closes. Leaving the population of the island stranded. He takes us back to 2023, when the criminal charges against Sergio were…
Driftwood

June 29, 2026 · 26 min

Could Dr Sergio be part of a bigger picture? Why are some of the doctors who came before him on the island also dogged by horrible stories of malpractice? Luke hears the story of two women on St Helena who suffered badly at the hands of a…
Good Company

June 27, 2026 · 28 min

Dr Sergio Villatoro Bran was arrested, but someone seemed intent on helping him get off the island. Meanwhile, Bernard and Sandra started speaking to Sergio’s patients, and a troubling pattern emerged. Why would some hospital staff not…
The Bone Man

June 27, 2026 · 31 min

After the release of The Pitcairn Trials, Luke received emails about another British Overseas Territory - St Helena. They told a shocking story of medical negligence, criminality and social divide. Luke meets retired Met police officers…