Citation

Gudjonsson GH. Leg. Crim. Psychol. 1999; 4(1): 45-50.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, British Psychological Society, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1348/135532599167770

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Purpose. The aim of this study was to discuss the case of PK, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1990 for involvement in the murder of two British soldiers who were attacked by a crowd of people attending a funeral procession. The main evidence against him at trial was a confession elicited in 1988 during a custodial interrogation.Methods. The case was referred to the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland in May 1997 to consider the admissibility and weight of a psychologist's report which raised doubts about the reliability of the confession. The psychologist testified before the Court of Appeal after his testimony was held admissible. The appellant's psychological vulnerabilities during the police interrogation were presented and it was shown how they cast doubt on the reliability of the confession PK had made to the police.Results. After hearing the expert psychological evidence, the conviction was overturned and the appellant was released from custody. This was the first major criminal case in Northern Ireland where psychological evidence carried sufficient weight for a confession to be deemed unreliable.Conclusions. The judgment shows the influence of expert psychological testimony in a case of disputed confession. Psychologists have a valuable contribution to make to criminal proceedings and it is likely that there will be an increasing demand for their services in the future.

Language: en