Criminal cases
Peter Hodgkinson's experience in forensic psychology in a variety of settings from 1981 involved him initially in provision of reports to the parole board on serious offenders. He continues to provide these risk assessments.
He then regularly began to provide reports on offenders (generally violent and sexual offences) for defence solicitors and directly for courts for use both at trial and for sentencing. He has given evidence in court in a number of cases.
An increasing number of cases involve assessment of intellectual ability and suggestibility.
Recent cases:
A young man stabbed another boy to death who broke into the house where he was spending the evening and attacked him. He could remember the first two stab wounds he made, but not the succeeding eight. Was there a psychological reason for this? What level of responsibility did he bear?
A young man of limited intellectual ability confessed to an arson attack. He later withdrew his confession. Had he demonstrated suggestibility in the police interview?
A young woman was involved in housing benefit fraud. Was she aware of what she was doing, or was she acting under duress?
A young Jamaican man was manipulated by "yardie" gangsters into demanding money from someone. Was his experience of "yardie" crime in Jamaica and the implied threat to his wife and family a sufficient reason for him to bow to pressure?
A young man ran down a flock of ducks at a village pond. Did this represent a violent, sadistic nature, or something more mundane?
A young man was charged with sexually interfering with his girlfriend's daughter. He denied the offence. He was thought to be of low intelligence. Was this related either to the offence or his denial?
Civil cases
Peter has also provided reports where appropriate in some civil matters, sometimes at the request of social services departments. These have often been where an offender's past behaviour impinges on current circumstances i.e. risk assessment.
