NOT GUILTY - The Craig McLachlan Case

This episode turns to allegations first aired publicly in the press against Craig McLachlan — allegations that would later become criminal charges, and headlines that shaped a public narrative long before the courtroom was heard.
In this instalment, Vanessa examines the final complainant in the matter, known as C1, and brings a central allegation and its surrounding story to a decisive end.
Through a forensic and uncompromising analysis, the events surrounding the Rocky Horror bed scene are laid out in full. Evidence, timelines and testimony are examined piece by piece, revealing a version of events that is confronting, unexpected, and at times deeply shocking.
But the episode goes further, asking questions that are rarely voiced aloud.
When a complainant is not a stranger but a friend — when contact, messages and communication continued right up until the moment allegations were made — does that carry evidentiary weight? If no indication was ever given that anything was wrong, what does continued friendship mean, and how should a court interpret it?
Vanessa also revisits commentary from the presiding Magistrate, questioning whether public remarks truly reflected what unfolded inside the courtroom, and whether the tone of those remarks shaped how the case was ultimately understood.
Episode 7 is confronting listening. It challenges assumptions, revisits evidence, and asks whether the story told to the public was the same story tested under oath.

Watch the accompanying Unfiltered episode in which Craig McLachlan is interviewed by Michael Cain: https://youtu.be/_Na2HPg9dHU?si=mvjKSG5qe62bPRMG
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 6, Vanessa turns to the charges Craig McLachlan faced in the criminal court concerning his Rocky Horror Show castmate known as C3. The episode examines key rulings and remarks made by the presiding Magistrate, asking whether some of those observations accurately reflected what had actually unfolded in the courtroom. It also continues the series’ central question: was there, in fact, sufficient evidence to justify the laying of charges?
Vanessa also explores a difficult question: why did the judgment appear reluctant to portray the complainants in an unflattering light, even where evidence suggested that elements of the backstage culture of the 2014 production were actively embraced by those involved? If certain behaviour was criticised in one direction, why did similar conduct seem to be viewed differently in another?
Another central question raised in this episode concerns the nature of truth itself. Is leaving out relevant evidence or context simply an oversight, or can omission be as misleading as an outright falsehood? In examining early interviews and reporting surrounding C3, Vanessa considers material she believes was not fully disclosed at the time, including accounts of persistent backstage bullying, and asks how the public narrative may have been shaped when some aspects were emphasised while others were left unexplored.

Watch the accompanying Unfiltered episode in which Craig McLachlan is interviewed by Micheal Cain: https://youtu.be/-kRunHGz_Lg?si=ARttRZ2sIxG0REbT
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 5, Vanessa examines the final charge laid against Craig McLachlan, relating to hisRocky Horror Showcolleague known as C2. This episode considers how questions ofreliability and credibility can arise in relation to a key witness, and how such issues areaddressed within the legal process. It explores whether inconsistencies or disputed accountscarry consequences, and reflects on the manner in which evidence was assessed in this case.The episode also examines why certain aspects of the complainant’s evidence receivedlimited scrutiny in public reporting, despite their relevance to the Magistrate’s ultimatefinding. Episode 5 offers a careful and detailed examination of allegations and charges that,upon closer inspection, may not be as straightforward as they first appeared.

Watch the accompanying Unfiltered episode in which Craig McLachlan is interviewed by Michael Cain: https://youtu.be/J5_6X-dLDH4?si=ukeIfIviMSVa9sNA
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Vanessa asks a confronting question: just how much can due process and an
acquittal — being found not guilty — be affected by the pressures and trends of social and
cultural movements in our society? How far have these movements, and the trending hashtags
associated with them, infiltrated the bastions of the law?
This episode focuses on the complainant known as C2 and the charges laid against Craig McLachlan in relation to her evidence. Vanessa takes listeners through allegations involving a
“hug” and an “onstage kiss,” and examines courtroom commentary from the Magistrate that
raises serious and troubling questions about how such matters are assessed.

Watch the accompanying Unfiltered interview with Craig McLachlan and Michael Cain: https://youtu.be/kLH12d7p8gE?si=D2EIic7wEP5UVmW8
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this compelling episode of Not Guilty - The Craig McLachlan case Vanessa examines the details of the criminal charges laid against Craig McLachlan for the first time. The discussion focuses on the evidence provided by the first understudy, including a charge referenced in court as the “ankle tickle,” and considers how such a charge could have been laid in the first place. The episode also closely examines key Magistrates’ rulings and asks how certain decisions could have been presented and sustained within the courtroom process.

Watch the accompanying Unfiltered episode in which Craig McLachlan is interviewed by Michael Cain: https://youtu.be/GHjLmXbrNlY?si=_TuzrSN6RjM-UtFW
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.