Dr Sohom Das (MBChB, BSc, MSc, MRCPsych) is a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist who lives and works in London. This niche specialism involves the crossroads of offending and severe mental illness. In his role, Sohom assesses and rehabilitates mentally disordered offenders in prisons, courts and in special secure psychiatric units, such as Broadmoor Hospital, that are reserved for the most dangerous and violent mentally ill patients. He is an experienced expert witness, who regularly provides evidence in Criminal Court, including the Old Bailey.
Category: POLICE
Q & A – What is Forensic Psychiatrist Expert Witness?
A forensic psychiatrist expert witness is a psychiatrist who is trained and qualified to provide expert testimony in legal cases that involve mental health issues. The term “forensic” refers to the application of scientific principles and knowledge to legal matters.
As an expert witness, a forensic psychiatrist may be called upon to provide opinions on a variety of mental health issues, including but not limited to:
- Competency to stand trial: Whether an individual is able to understand the nature of the legal proceedings against them and assist in their own defense.
- Criminal responsibility: Whether an individual had the mental capacity to understand the criminal nature of their actions and to appreciate the wrongfulness of their conduct at the time of the offense.
- Mitigating circumstances: Whether a defendant’s mental health history or other factors may be considered as mitigating circumstances that could influence the sentencing.
- Civil commitment: Whether an individual meets the legal criteria for involuntary hospitalization or other forms of civil commitment.
- Personal injury cases: Whether an individual’s mental health condition was a contributing factor in an accident or other injury.
In addition to providing expert testimony in court, forensic psychiatrists may also be involved in other aspects of legal proceedings, such as evaluating witnesses, assessing the mental health of defendants or plaintiffs, and consulting with attorneys on issues related to mental health and the law.
Q & A – How do the police deal with pathological liars?
Police officers are trained to identify and deal with individuals who may be pathological liars. When dealing with someone who is suspected of lying, police officers will typically approach the situation with caution and look for corroborating evidence before accepting their statements as true.
One technique that police officers may use when dealing with pathological liars is to ask open-ended questions that require the individual to provide more detailed and specific information. This can help to expose inconsistencies or contradictions in their story and make it easier to identify when they are lying.
In some cases, police officers may also use polygraph or lie detector tests to help determine if an individual is lying. However, it is important to note that the results of these tests are not always reliable and may not be admissible in court.
Ultimately, police officers will use their training and judgment to assess the credibility of an individual’s statements and gather as much evidence as possible to build a case. If there is evidence that the individual has committed a crime, they may be arrested and charged based on that evidence, regardless of whether or not they have been truthful in their statements.
Q & A – What happens when my child discovers the truth?
If you have made false accusations about your child’s father and your child finds out, it can be a very difficult and complex situation to navigate. It’s important to take responsibility for your actions and apologize to your child and their father if appropriate.
It’s also important to seek support from a therapist or counselor to work through any underlying issues that may have led you to make false accusations. This can help you understand your behavior and work towards making positive changes in your relationships with your child and their father.
It’s worth noting that making false accusations can have serious consequences, both for your child’s father and for you. Depending on the nature of the accusations and the legal system in your country, there may be legal repercussions such as defamation or perjury. It’s important to seek legal advice if you are facing such consequences.
Ultimately, being honest with your child and taking responsibility for your actions is the first step towards repairing any damage that may have been done to your relationship with your child and their father.
Q & A – I have been accused of date rape?
A false date rape accusation occurs when a person makes an allegation of date rape against someone, but the allegation is not true. Date rape refers to non-consensual sexual activity that occurs between two people who know each other, such as on a date or at a social gathering. False accusations of date rape can have serious consequences for the accused individual and can undermine the credibility of genuine victims of sexual assault.
There are many reasons why a person may make a false accusation of date rape. Some common reasons include seeking revenge or retribution against the accused individual, trying to cover up consensual sexual activity, or seeking attention or sympathy. False accusations of date rape can also be made for malicious reasons, such as to ruin someone’s reputation or to gain some sort of advantage.
It is important to note that false accusations of any kind of sexual assault, including date rape, are a serious offense and can have severe legal, social, and emotional consequences for both the accused individual and the accuser. Therefore, it is crucial to approach all allegations of sexual assault with sensitivity and care, while also ensuring that due process is followed and that the rights of both parties are protected.
Drink spiking and the drama queen
A false accusation of drink spiking occurs when a person falsely claims that their drink was spiked with drugs or alcohol, even though this did not occur. Drink spiking is a serious offense that can result in significant harm to the victim, and it is important to take all reports of drink spiking seriously. However, making a false accusation of drink spiking can also have serious consequences for the accused individual.
False accusations of drink spiking can be made for a variety of reasons. Some people may make false accusations as a way to explain their behavior or to avoid responsibility for their actions. Others may make false accusations out of a desire for attention or sympathy, or to seek revenge against someone they believe has wronged them. False accusations can also be made as a form of harassment or to damage someone’s reputation.
It is important to note that false accusations of drink spiking are a serious offense and can result in legal consequences for the accuser. Moreover, false accusations can undermine the credibility of genuine victims of drink spiking and may discourage people from reporting incidents of drink spiking in the future.
Therefore, it is important to take all allegations of drink spiking seriously, while also ensuring that due process is followed and that the rights of both parties are protected. It is also important to provide support and resources for genuine victims of drink spiking to encourage them to come forward and seek help.
Making false accusations of rape is like signing someones death warrant
False accusations of rape can have serious consequences for the accused individual, as well as for the broader society. While it is important to take allegations of sexual assault seriously and provide support to victims, making false accusations can harm the credibility of genuine victims and lead to wrongful convictions.
Accusations of rape can have a profound impact on the accused individual’s life, including damage to their reputation, emotional distress, loss of employment opportunities, and even imprisonment. In some cases, false accusations can result in wrongful convictions, which can be devastating for the accused and their families.
Moreover, false accusations of rape can undermine the efforts to combat sexual violence and create a culture of fear and mistrust between men and women. It can also discourage victims from coming forward and seeking help, for fear of being disbelieved or stigmatized.
Therefore, it is important to take all allegations of sexual assault seriously, while also ensuring that the accused individual’s rights are protected and that due process is followed. False accusations of rape should be condemned and punished appropriately to deter such behavior and safeguard justice for all involved.
Wasting police time and perverting the course of justice
In the UK, anyone can be charged with wasting police time and perverting the course of justice, regardless of gender. These are serious criminal offenses that can carry significant penalties upon conviction, including imprisonment.
Wasting police time involves making a false report or statement to the police with the intention of causing them to investigate a non-existent crime. This offense can be charged under Section 5 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 or Section 51 of the Police Act 1996.
Perverting the course of justice involves any action that obstructs, prevents or perverts the course of justice in a criminal investigation or legal proceedings. This can include giving false evidence, interfering with witnesses, or destroying or concealing evidence. This offense can be charged under Common Law or Section 1 of the Perjury Act 1911.
False Allegations and the CPS
The data that forms the basis of the annual tables is derived from the CPS Case Management System (CMS), CPS Witness Management System (WMS) and its associated Management Information System (MIS).
2. In those cases where it was determined that a victim lied or made a false allegation, how many of the female accusers were issued with a fixed penalty, how many were charged with “wasting police time” and how many were indicted for “perverting the course of justice”?
3. Of those indicted with “perverting the course of justice”, how many were convicted and how many of those convicted served a custodial sentence.
The CPS does not hold any records relating to Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) as these are issued by Police. We are therefore unable to provide data pertaining to the number of females who received FPNs in the circumstances described in part two. The Police may be able to provide this information.
In order to establish the number of females who were charged with wasting police time and perverting the course of justice, for the reasons outlined in part two, and the number convicted of perverting the course of justice as requested in part three, a manual examination of all cases involving these offences would be required.
As an indication of the work this would involve, our records indicate that in the two-year period ending December 2019 there was an equivalent of 1755 cases involving offences of attempting/conspiring/perverting the course of justice and an equivalent of 457 cases involving offences of wasting police time, in which a prosecution commenced.
|Publication, Sexual offences
Q & A -How to establish that a person’s signature is legitimate?
There are several ways to establish that a person’s signature is legitimate. Here are some common methods:
- Signature Comparison: One of the most common ways to establish the legitimacy of a signature is to compare it to a known sample. If you have a previous signature of the same person, you can compare it to the current signature to see if they match. If the signatures are similar, then it’s likely that the current signature is legitimate.
- Forensic Analysis: Forensic handwriting analysis can be used to determine the legitimacy of a signature. This involves examining the signature for characteristics such as stroke patterns, pressure, and overall appearance to determine if it was likely written by the person whose name it appears under.
- Witness Testimony: If someone witnessed the person signing the document, they can testify that the signature is legitimate. This is especially useful in legal settings, where witnesses can provide sworn statements about the signing of a document.
- Digital Signatures: In some cases, digital signatures may be used instead of physical signatures. These signatures use encryption technology to create a unique digital signature that can be verified by the recipient. In this case, the legitimacy of the signature can be established by verifying the digital signature using the appropriate encryption key.
- Notary Public: A notary public is a public official who can verify the identity of a person signing a document and witness the signature. A notary public can provide a certification that the signature is legitimate, which can be useful in legal and business
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