First Conviction: 05 - 750 days

First Conviction: 05 - 750 days

Author: RTÉ October 29, 2025 Duration: 28:26

Having been found guilty and sentenced to 5 years in prison, Sayeed and Halawa are taken to separate jails in Ireland to serve out their sentences. Deprived of their freedom, and with their children now placed in the care of relatives, life in prison is hard beyond belief. But they cannot give up hope - and from inside their prison cells, they begin to fight back to get justice… If you have any information or knowledge about this story please email us documentaries@rte.ie or investigations@rte.ie or you can give us an anonymous tip via www.rte.ie/firstconviction

Credits: First Conviction is hosted by Ruth Negga. It's written and produced by Tim Desmond and Liam O’Brien working together with the RTÉ Investigates team of reporter Pam Fraher, producer Philip Gallagher, assistant editor Aoife Hegarty and Editor David Doran. Sound design by Ciarán Cullen. Sayeed’s words are given voice by Steve Hartland and Halawa’s by Esosa Ighodaro. Legal advice from Deirdre Ann Kelly & Eleanor Bleahene. Original music written by Mel Mercier & performed by Karl Nesbitt, Paul O’Donnell, Niwel Tsumbu, Clara Sanabras with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra conducted by Gavin Maloney. Orchestral String Arrangements by Áine Delaney. Music recording engineers, Donncha Moynihan and Ciarán Cullen. Studio voiceover recordings by Ronan Kelly. Readings are by Dawn Bradfield, Razib Chatterjee, Patrick Dunne, Gerry Gill and Louise Lewis. Production assistance from Shauna McGreevy and Nicoline Greer. Audio product support by Nigel Wheatley. Promo Producer, Fiona Savage. Marketing by Christopher Hayes and Maria Buckley. Design and creatives by Michael McKeon, Sean Malone, Scott Bryan, John Kilkenny and Darragh Treacy. Publicity by Laura Fitzgerald. Socials by James Hartigan & Kate Smyth. London recording engineer, Luke Nagy. Additional online editorial content by Anna Joyce. Publishing weekly.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


There's a particular kind of magic in a story told truthfully, and that's the space Documentary on One Podcast occupies. Produced by RTÉ, this isn't just a collection of audio pieces; it's a living archive of real life, capturing voices and moments from Ireland and across the globe. What you'll hear are deeply human narratives, sometimes quiet and personal, other times sweeping and historical, all crafted with a careful ear for the sounds that bring a place or a memory to life. With an astonishing library of over 1,800 documentaries stretching back to 1954, this podcast offers a unique auditory journey through decades of social change, cultural shifts, and raw human experience. It's no surprise it's garnered over 400 awards for its work. Beyond the vast archive, the team also produces compelling series like 'The Real Carrie Jade' and 'Finding Samantha', diving deep into single stories over multiple episodes. Tuning in means more than just listening; it's an immersion into the fabric of society, one meticulously recorded story at a time.
Author: Language: en-ie Episodes: 100

Documentary on One Podcast
Podcast Episodes
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First Conviction: Bonus - Behind the Scenes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:46
As a combined project of a podcast series and TV documentary, First Conviction was over 15 months in production. In this bonus episode - and in a first for RTÉ - we give an insight into how the entire production was made…
First Conviction: 06 - Limbo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:39
Having spent two years in jail, Sayeed and Halawa are relieved when the Court of Appeal make a ruling on their case. As they return home to their children, they hope life might begin to return to normal - but nothing abo…
First Conviction: Update [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:34
Just a quick message to say we’re pausing the release of the concluding episode of this series until this day next week - Wednesday November 12th, the same day on which our TV documentary from RTÉ Investigates airs on RT…