THE LONG SHADOW is a ground breaking box set series inspired by the real-life Shankill Butchers, exploring their horrific reign of terror in Belfast, Northern Ireland through the lens of RUC Detective Jimmy Nesbitt, the man who ultimately brought them to justice, and his team of detectives at the height of 'The Troubles'.

Told with new perspectives and revelations and insider knowledge, this premium content unscripted series following the chilling cat-and-mouse game between a monstrous gang of cut throat killers and a determined investigator in late 1970s Belfast. 

Similar in tone to the best in British crime drama such as "The Red Riding Trilogy" this hard hitting, psychological thriller explores how sectarian violence during the Troubles was exploited to mask sadistic, psychopathic killing.

The time period covered in the Butchers’ killing spree coincided with that of the Yorkshire Ripper. It's fascinating to consider the social context and comparable resources, as just ten officers on the RUC murder squad dealt not only with The Butchers killings but also over 300 other murders in Belfast during The Troubles. 

The 1979 sentences for the Shankill Butchers' gang members is the longest combined prison sentence ever issued in UK legal history.The gang was sentenced to a total of 42 life sentences, reflecting the scale of their crimes. This amounted to more than 2,000 years in jail.