Head of Chambers Oliver Woolhouse has achieved success before a jury in raising the rare defence of insanity for his client accused of attempting to murder his terminally ill mother. In a harrowing case involving complex psychiatric issues, the jury unanimously accepted that the defendant’s schizophrenia caused the delusional belief that his mother’s cancer was caused by demonic possession and that the only way to save her life was to try and release the demon from her body by stabbing her to the neck. As a result of the jury’s verdict, the trial judge imposed a hospital order with restrictions, ensuring that both the defendant and the public are appropriately protected.
The defence of insanity is rarely raised and, when raised, is very rarely successful. Oliver Woolhouse has vast experience of the prosecution and defence of serious criminal cases involving complex psychiatric evidence, witness/client personality disorders, and vulnerable persons. He is available for instruction through our criminal clerking team, via crime@cornwallstreet.co.uk.