As Frank McCann goes on trial twice for the murder of his wife and child, two families fear the worst.

Has the jury heard enough to put him away?

Hear how Esther’s mum Bridget O’Brien made history by taking half of McCann’s assets in the first civil case of its kind in Ireland.

And how the disgraced former swim coach continues to haunt the families, more than three decades after the murders of Esther and Jessica.

With contributions from Bernard McCann, Marian Leonard, Gardaí Martin Walker and Michael Campbell, and Irish Sun crime editor Stephen Breen.

This series was hosted by Nicola Bardon, and post-production for the series was by Lochlainn Harte.

To contact the team, email podcasts@the-sun.ie

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is immediately clear that the brutal deaths of Esther and Jessica in a fire at their home was no accident.

Frank McCann, the man with the reputation to uphold, quickly becomes the chief suspect.

His behaviour in the aftermath veers from manic to creepy as he tries to keep on top of the garda investigation.

He jets off to the US and UK on holidays, leaving his wife’s family to pick up the funeral tab.

Hear what the grieving husband says to Gardaí, and the desperate lengths he goes to to throw cops off the scent.

As the O’Brien family faces even more personal heartache, Gardaí swoop in on the suspect.

But will he tell them what really happened?

With contributions from Bernard McCann, Marian Leonard, and gardai Martin Walker and Michael Campbell.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the summer of 1992, Esther McCann seems to be the victim of a series of bizarre, life-threatening events in her home.

Is someone trying to kill her, and her 18-month-old daughter Jessica?

Esther endures her share of grief before meeting a man few would place her with- respected swim coach and publican Frank McCann.

But Frank, who begins pulling away from his wife as soon as they tied the knot in 1987, is hiding a dark secret.

Just months after their wedding, a teenage swim student with special needs gives birth to his son.

By 1992, that secret is about to come to light.

Is the McCanns’ bid to adopt their daughter behind the attempts on Esther and Jessica’s lives?

With contributions from Esther’s sister Marian Leonard and Frank’s brother Bernard McCann.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.