The Night Driver

Introducing The Night Driver

A young woman disappears into a rain-soaked night. A country town divides on rumour and speculation. And the relentless quest of a family to uncover the truth. The Walkley Award-winning investigative journalist behind The Teacher’s Pet, Hedley Thomas, is back with a brand new podcast, The Night Driver. Listeners should note that all episodes of The Night Driver will be only be available to subscribers of The Australian two weeks after publication. To hear each episode as soon as possible, download The Australian app on your mobile phone or tablet.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 1 - Sisters

Janine Vaughan was a young woman with many friends, a loving family and a good job. She lived in a country town famous for one of the world's great annual car races. She stepped into a red car in front of friends 19 years ago - and disappeared without a trace. Her sister Kylie has been on a relentless quest for the truth about Janine's murder in a community that has been keeping a wicked secret.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 2 - Stalking

The stalking of Janine Vaughan escalated when her boyfriend Phil Evans was away for work. A shadowy stalker would leave menacing handwritten notes on her car and send lacy panties to her. There were troubling telephone calls and a home break-in. These acts terrified Janine who sought help from police. She was increasingly anxious. Other women in the area had disappeared and been murdered around this time. Her friend Wonita tried to help.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 3 - Innuendo

Brad Hosemans was a top Bathurst cop and the town's deputy mayor. Some colleagues tipped him to rise to the top of the police force but when Janine Vaughan disappeared his life and standing began to crumble around him as rumours and gossip linked him to abduction and murder. Hosemans was popular with women but he repeatedly swore he had nothing to do with Janine and had never met or talked to her. Community suspicions were fuelled by evidence going missing from police custody. Homicide cops have found nothing to tie Hosemans to Janine and do not suspect him of foul play but nineteen years later he is still viewed by many locals with deep suspicion. They think it's been a police cover up.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 4 - The Dirty Tav

Lynette Boreland ran terrified and hid in the pre-dawn darkness as the mystery driver of a small red car stalked her. In the minutes before Janine took her fateful last steps, Lynette feared for her life. She saw the driver and the interior of the car. She wrote down the number plate. On the other side of Bathurst’s Machattie Park, Janine left The Metro Tavern, dubbed The Dirty Tav. A young student bar attendant reveals being stalked after her shift there, narrowly avoiding rape or worse. Years later, homicide cops looked into whether her stalker was the night driver who had tried to get Lynette and then lured Janine ten minutes later.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.