29 July Case Updates Extradition and suicide risk Psychology, Extradition, Suicide risk, Psychiatry, Turner proposition 4 This case is important for two reasons. It illustrates that having “no control over actions” and “not making a rational decision" to end his life can be construed as satisfying Turner proposition 4. It makes clear that Turner proposition (4) is not directed at the general background or lead-up to a suicide attempt but is focused on the moment in time when suicide is attempted. Hebda v District Court in Krakow, Poland [2025] EWHC 860 (Admin)
10 April Case Updates Evidentiary reliability and the meaning of words Extradition, 10. Records Assessments and Site Visits, Complex PSTD, Sexual Abuse, ECHR This case has a number of important features of general interest. It illustrates the importance of assessing the reliability of a subject’s account. This is not the same as advising the court as to the reliability of the subject. It is the reliability of the account that is being assessed, not the reliability of the person giving the account. This is why it is good practice to open the Opinion section of an expert report with an introductory section sometimes headed ‘Evaluation of evidence’ or sometimes ‘Clinical plausibility’. That there was no challenge to the reliability of the experts’ evidence is not surprising. They explained how they assessed the appellant and the duration of the assessments. ZA v Cornetu District Court, Romania [2025] EWHC 595 (Admin)
27 February Case Updates Krzysztof Lukasik v Circuit Court, Praga in Warsaw (A Polish Judicial Authority) [2025] EWHC 282 (Admin) Extradition, 16. Criticism and Complaints, Child Psychologist, 11. Report Writing While the Judge in this extradition appeal ultimately reached the same conclusion as the District Court Judge, and dismissed the appeal, he pointed out significant deficiencies in how the District Court Judge had treated the expert psychological evidence.
11 April Case Updates Dusko Knezevic v The Government of the Republic of Montenegro [2024] EWHC 761 (Admin) Extradition case, Extradition, Expert Report, Expertise, Extradition Act 2003, Montenegro, Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and, 16. Criticism and Complaints, 06. Rules and Regulations, 11. Report Writing The qualifications and experience of an expert in an extradition appeal did not demonstrate that he was an expert on the issues before the court.
7 August Case Updates Wyrebek v Circuit Court, Gliwice, Poland [2023] EWHC 951 (Admin) Psychology, Extradition, Psychiatry, Psychometric testing, Intellectual/learning disability, 10. Records Assessments and Site Visits, 11. Report Writing “The value of psychometric testing”
20 December Case Updates Modi v Government of India [2022] EWHC 2829 (Admin) Psychology, Extradition, Suicide risk, Psychiatry, 06. Rules and Regulations, 11. Report Writing “Anything new on the capacity to resist the impulse to commit suicide?”
23 August Case Updates Fletcher v Government of India [2021] EWHC 610 (Admin) Extradition, Suicide risk, Psychiatry, 11. Report Writing Relevance: Psychiatry Topics: Extradition Suicide risk
15 February Case Updates The Government of the United States of America v Assange (2020) Westminster Magistrates’ Court Impartiality, Autistic spectrum disorder, Extradition, Psychiatry, 10. Records Assessments and Site Visits, 11. Report Writing, 15. Giving Oral Evidence ‘Those bloody books’ Relevance: General Psychiatry Topics: Extradition Impartiality Duty to court Suicide risk Autistic spectrum disorder
11 January Case Updates Petrovics v Prosecutor Generals Office of Hungary [2020] EWHC 3145 (Admin), 2020 WL 06811869 Extradition, Medical expert, 11. Report Writing, 14. Changing your opinion Topics: Uncorroborated history Assumed facts
11 January Case Updates Farookh v Judge of the Saarbrucken Regional Court (Germany) [2020] EWHC 3143 (Admin), 2020 WL 06811821 Psychology, Extradition, Clinical psychology, 11. Report Writing Topic: Suicide risk The case: The Appellant was aged 21 and wanted for extradition to Germany. He was assessed by Dr Arthur Anderson, a Consultant Clinical Psychologist.