Tom Rawstorne

A writing powerhouse, Tom Rawstorne has had a truly tremendous year, with his features among the highlights for Mail and MoS readers. His energy and instinctive feel for what our readers care about are all too evident in these three brilliant pieces which show his brilliant range: disturbing crime specials, exclusive investigations and real-life stories, delivered with a dollop of humour.

His utterly gripping piece examining the life and motivations of 15-year-old Scarlett Jenkinson, one of the murderers of Brianna Ghey, co-written with reporter Liz Hull, was published on the day of Jenkinson’s sentencing, when she could be named for the first time. The result of months of painstaking work, Rawstorne and Hull spoke to friends, family and officials to create this definitive piece, which offered new and exclusive insight into the mind of a teenage killer.

This superlative article was also the basis of a documentary Rawstorne presented and co-wrote about the murder (see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zq1g8PWd9A). Also published on the same day as the killers were convicted - beating traditional broadcasters to screen - it racked up almost a million views in its first week and has now been watched 1.4 million times. It’s all too clear that Rawstorne’s talents allowed him to connect with the Mail readership in this fresh, new way - and engage a new, digitally engaged audience.

Rawstorne’s skill at engaging our readership once more came to the fore again, albeit on a very different subject: the Devon village at war over ringing church bells. Exclusively identifying the two malcontents behind the complaints over the night-time bell ringing, Rawstorne’s interview with the pair was handled with his characteristic humour and insight - reflecting his broad range and innate flair.

Ten years ago the Mail on Sunday exposed the nefarious activities of the erstwhile Co-op chief Reverend Paul Flowers. This year he was back in court again and Rawstorne tracked down his latest victim - a good-hearted former headteacher, stricken with dementia - and revealed the full story behind his heinous crime: taking money she had intended for charity, and spending it on his own vices and wants. Redemption, Rawstorne discovered, remains far from certain for this particular man of god.