Court reports
Psychologist expert witness for criminal proceedings
Independent psychological assessments in criminal proceedings, from fitness to plead through to sentencing. Criminal work is one of our most experienced areas.
Fitness to plead and effective participation assessments
Whether a defendant can understand the charges, instruct their lawyers, follow proceedings and give evidence, assessed against the Pritchard criteria, with recommendations for special measures or an intermediary where they would help.
Suggestibility, vulnerability and cognitive assessment
- Suggestibility and interrogative vulnerability, including the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scales where clinically appropriate
- Consideration of National Referral Mechanism (NRM) referrals: where a young adult has been recognised as a victim of criminal exploitation as a child, assessment of vulnerability and suggestibility in that context
- Cognitive functioning and IQ assessment
- Vulnerability and support needs
- Mental health and trauma
- Screening for autism and ADHD
Risk assessment: HCR-20, RSVP and offending behaviour
- Violence risk assessment, including the HCR-20 risk assessment
- Sexual violence risk assessment, including the RSVP
- Understanding offending behaviour
- Specialist forensic assessment, including personality, psychopathy, firesetting and sexual risk
Pre-sentence psychological reports
Reports to assist the court at sentencing, setting out relevant mental health, cognitive and risk factors and the evidence behind our opinion.
We assess adults, and have some availability for children and young people.
From a barrister who instructs us
“I first instructed Mareike in a case where I represented a vulnerable pregnant woman facing a sentence of immediate custody for conveying drugs into prison. Her evidence was instrumental in securing a rare suspended sentence in that case. Since then, she has become my go-to […] psychologist for any case involving a vulnerable defendant. Her reports are always extremely thorough and have been indispensable in court on many occasions.”
Criminal court psychological reports across London, the South East, the East of England and the Midlands
We are based in Cambridgeshire and take instructions from solicitors and barristers across London, the South East, the East of England and up to the Midlands. We assess in prisons, secure hospitals and solicitors’ offices, and remotely where that is appropriate.
For legally aided cases, travel is charged as public transport costs at Legal Aid Agency rates. For privately funded instructions it is included in the quote. How instruction works.
Questions about psychological reports in criminal cases
Can you assess a defendant in prison or a secure hospital?
Yes. We assess in prisons, secure hospitals and solicitors’ offices, and remotely where that is appropriate.
What are the criteria for fitness to plead?
Fitness to plead in England and Wales follows the Pritchard criteria: whether the defendant can understand the charges, decide whether to plead guilty, exercise the right to challenge jurors, instruct solicitors and counsel, follow the course of proceedings and give evidence in their own defence. Our assessment addresses each of these and sets out the evidence for our opinion.
Do you accept legal aid for criminal reports?
Yes. We accept legal aid rates, and travel is quoted in line with legal aid guidelines.
Can the assessment be done with an interpreter?
Yes. Assessments can be carried out with an interpreter.
Instruct us
Tell us the type of case, the court, your deadline and how the matter is funded.