WHAT IS AUTISM?
Joseph, who is autistic and faces challenges with communication, experiences difficulties in filtering important information when engaging in conversations. Unfortunately, this vulnerability was exploited and became a subject of mockery during his interactions with the police, court hearings, and even in media coverage of his case.
POLICE
Joseph, being autistic, was ignorant of the significance of maintaining a “No Comment” response during a police interview. What are the common indicators that police officers should be aware of when dealing with an individual who might have autism, which can interfere with a person’s ability to communicate independently, and would require a professional witness-intermediary present?
DEFENCE SOLICITOR
Despite the Defence solicitor being informed of Joseph’s autism, no action was taken to address this issue. Consequently, Joseph did not receive the necessary support throughout his criminal trial, which centred around his family life and relationship with his partner. The absence of specialist lawyers trained in autism criminal Defence is particularly disheartening, especially considering their public mockery made of Joseph’s communication deficit.
PROBATION
It was only after Joseph’s conviction and sentencing that he was added to the Probation Database. The probation officers then referred him to medical professionals to update his diagnosis and establish a support system. Unlike the police and Defence solicitors, the probation department fulfilled its duty of care towards Joseph, and we express our gratitude for their actions.
MEDIA ARTICLES
Regrettably, the truth of this case remained concealed from the media journalists. An autistic man with communication difficulties, let down by both the police and his Defence solicitors, was presented to the media as one of their regular conviction story. Taking someone out of context is one thing, but distorting their words and altering their meaning is entirely unacceptable. The media’s reporting of the case is entirely fallacious and untrue.