PTSD and self-defence

Summary

This summary, and the learning points it sets out, will be of interest to any healthcare provider. It deal with psychiatrists and psychologists preparing reports where PTSD may be relevant when considering the state of mind at the time of an alleged offence, particularly an offence of violence. The expert in this case was a psychologist but it might have been a psychiatrist. 

I will be using this case to expand the section on self defence (pp. 127 – 128) in my book which refers to two of the cited cases, R v Press and Thompson [2013] EWCA Crim 1849 and R v B (MA) [2013] 1 Cr App R 36 and I will also be including R v BRM [2022] EWCA Crim 385 (which I summarised in the 2021-2022 compendium), a case not of PTSD but ASD, and from which one of the learning points was this:

     Expert evidence that does not engage with the evidence in the case and does not tether any opinions expressed to the evidence is likely to be inadmissible.

I will also be referring to the other cited case of R v Jacobs [2023] EWCA Crim 1503 which is summarised in this compendium.

Learning points

To continue reading you must be an EWI member, become a member and access exclusive content. 

Already a member? Login