Murder at First Swipe

'Murder at First Swipe' is a powerful true‑crime documentary that reconstructs the horrific story of serial killer Stephen Port — a man who used dating apps to lure young men, drugged and raped them, then discarded their bodies on the streets of East London.

The film doesn’t just revisit the crimes: it pulls back the curtain on systemic failures — showing how repeated mistakes and negligence allowed Port to evade detection.

It was produced by Woodcut Media and released in 2024, and is available worldwide via streaming platform Amazon Prime Video, making the story accessible beyond the UK.

Critically, the response to Murder at First Swipe has been strong. With reviewers describing it as “a study in how police inaction and entrenched bigotry can enable those they’re supposed to protect the public from,” calling it a “gripping” and “haunting” documentary that pulls no punches.

On a personal note — as a Casting Producer on the project — my work was absolutely central to shaping the film’s narrative integrity and emotional truth. I sourced and contacted people directly involved in the case, gaining access to previously unused police‑force documents (including those from the Metropolitan Police Service) that had never before been reviewed for a documentary — documents that exposed failures in the initial investigations and triggered, ultimately, an IPOC review into investigative misconduct. I also located a former flatmate of Stephen Port — someone who shared his residence during the period of the murders — and secured an exclusive interview, giving rare insight into Port’s private life. I spoke with surviving victims of Port’s assaults: while some were too traumatised to revisit their experience, I carefully considered their welfare and only interviewed one who felt ready — offering anonymity and supporting them throughout with psychological and emotional care.

Beyond casting and interviews, I played a vital part in sourcing archival material, selecting UK locations for filming, writing and conducting interviews, and helping shape the story’s arc to ensure the documentary was both respectful to survivors and uncompromising in its portrayal of truth. Following release, many police forces reached out — using the documentary as a training tool to illustrate how not to conduct murder investigations and how to handle LGBTQIA+ cases with sensitivity, accountability and basic humanity.

🏆 WON - Highly Commended - True Crime Awards
🏆 NOMINATED - Impact For Change - True Crime Awards
🏆 NOMINATED - Outstanding Documentary - True Crime Awards