Martin Brunt, Veteran Sky Crime Correspondent and Author of No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason
Martin Brunt has spent decades reporting on Britain’s darkest and most compelling crimes as Sky News’ Crime Correspondent. With a career that spans from war zones to the witness box, his book, No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason, is part memoir and part exploration of society’s deep fascination with true crime. Sussex Exclusive sat down with him to reflect on the highs, the lows and the unexpected moments of his extraordinary career.
“Even in the grimmest stories, there’s light and shade”
Brunt’s career has taken him to some of the UK’s most notorious crime scenes, from the Fred and Rose West investigation in Gloucester to the Hatton Garden heist.
“In a word—it’s been transformative,” he says. “Even in the darkest cases, there are odd moments of humour or humanity. For example, Hatton Garden gang, Danny Jones, wrote me hilarious letters from prison about what life was like inside. He described the gang as ‘Dad’s Army’ rather than criminal masterminds.”
That blend of grim reality and levity is something Brunt seems uniquely attuned to. He recalls a surreal moment during the Fred West investigation when he bumped into the poet Laurie Lee in a local pub. “Lee was just as fascinated as we were. That contrast between literary gentleness and grotesque crime always stuck with me as something remarkable.”
The criminals behind the headlines
Brunt has built rare relationships with some of the UK’s most infamous criminals—including Charles Bronson, often dubbed Britain’s most violent prisoner.
“He’s not the monster people think,” Brunt explains. “He’s articulate, funny, and creative. He draws cartoons and jokes about his own reputation. But it’s always important to remember: however charismatic these figures may seem, their crimes have victims. That balance has to be maintained.”
Another encounter, with Italian jewel thief Valerio Viccei, veered into the cinematic. “He was charming and intelligent. We ended up dining in Pescara while he was technically still serving a sentence. But two years later, he was shot dead by police. So, the lifestyle he led ultimately caught up with him.”
The cost of crime reporting
Despite the remarkable stories, the job has taken an emotional toll. Brunt’s coverage of Brenda Leyland, a woman accused of online trolling the McCanns, ended in tragedy when she took her own life days after being confronted on camera.
“The enormity of that will always stay with me,” he says quietly. “As a journalist, you learn to compartmentalise, but some stories catch up with you.”
The changing relationship with the police
A major theme in Brunt’s book is the shifting relationship between crime reporters and the police.
“Pre-Leveson, there was trust and cooperation. We had contacts who would give us background so that stories could be told responsibly and in context. But the phone-hacking scandal and the subsequent inquiry made police scared to talk. Two officers even lost their jobs for speaking to journalists.”
A reporter in the digital age
Social media, Brunt says, has completely reshaped crime reporting, for better and worse.
“It’s a goldmine for early clues: photos, connections, witness insights. But it’s also a breeding ground for misinformation. The police find it maddening, but for journalists, it’s a powerful tool if used carefully.”
What scares the crime correspondent?
You might think that after years of reporting on the criminal underworld, not much would faze Brunt. But a courtroom encounter in Amsterdam with a notorious London gangster did leave him rattled.
“Patrick Adams stood up in court and pointed me out, accusing me of ruining his children’s lives. That stayed with me. I did wonder for a time if there was going to be retribution.”
The book, the job and why crime fascinates us
Brunt’s book offers a rare look behind the scenes of crime reporting, revealing not just what happened but how journalists uncover the truth as well as the ethical balancing act they perform.
“People are obsessed with crime,” he says. “It’s a survival instinct. We slow down for car crashes not just out of curiosity, but to understand: what went wrong? Could that happen to me?”
He was insistent on writing the book himself. “It’s deeply personal. I couldn’t hand that over to a ghostwriter. I wanted to show people what the job is really like, warts and all.”
Life in Sussex
Now based in West Sussex, Brunt has embraced the slower pace. “I love the walking trails, the coast, the woods around St Leonards Forest where I go mountain biking. And particularly the country pubs. If I ever moved away, that’s what I’d miss most.”
What next?
At 70, Brunt is considering stepping back from daily news work, though he has no plans to fully retire. He hosts a podcast and contributes to documentaries, often revisiting cases he covered decades ago. “I feel the role of the crime correspondent is shrinking. The news cycle is dominated by politics and global conflict. But there’s still a place for stories about real people, real crimes and the human cost of both.”
You can buy No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason online at Amazon.
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