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Facing Courts

NAS38442

Hi all im new to your site im asking for some help / advice about my brother hes 47 diagnosed autistic and emotionally unstable personality disorder and very bad ocd and until two years ago he lived with our mum till she passed away we got him a nice little flat and we see him as often as possible and he has a social worker everything seemed to be going ok till a rather rough looking single mother with a 9yr old daughter mooved next door but 1 to my brother ... now my brother has never had a relationship hes really a harmless sweet natured guy who doesn't really grasp the norms of society he will talk to anyone especially children as he seems to be on their wavelength more probably because he's like a big kid himself  he loves cartoons and sweets and toys hes brilliant with my two kids who love him to bits and hes never done anything to cause concern but hes kind of befriended this neighbours daughter gives her some of his sweets etc ...but we were abruptly informed my brother had been arrested due to the mother accusing him of touching her daughter inappropriately the police confiscated his phone and pc and bailed him to court my brother is confused and frightened and has just withdrawn into himself hardly speaks and we don't know what's going to happen im pretty sure she's coerced her daughter to make the allegations as she really is a foul nasty type of woman the solicitor isn't much help so im wondering what's going to happen to my brother has anyone had any experience of how the courts deal with autistic people do they make allowances for the disability will he go to mainstream prison or are there other kinds of hospital type places if they find him guilty and will the local newspapers be allowed to reprt on it due to his mental situation im absolutely lost in all this and im deeply worried what's going to happen to my brother

  • Your brother does need a solicitor but he might also benefit from having a Court Intermediary.  These are people who have skills and training in dealing with vulnerable people in the Criminal Justice System including those diagnosed with ASD.  This is a relatively new role particularly for those people who are charged with criminal offences and your solicitor might not be aware of it.

  • in reply to Cassandro

    Thank you Cassandro i will read through that now... to be honest his social worker is a bit of a wet lettuce not much use at all you have certainly given me some good advice thank you i love my my brother but it's not easy juggling job home and family as well as taking care of him was so much easier when mum was here but i try my best

  • Hello and welcome to the forum. By the way, you may want to change your nickname or alias from NAS3xxxx to something more recognisable: to do that, click the round button up the top right of the screen, then choose 'Profile' and then 'Edit my Profile'. I seem to be telling all the newbies this.

    NAS38442 said:
    has anyone had any experience of how the courts deal with autistic people

    I haven't, sorry, but maybe someone else here has. In particular, there's a user interested in autism and criminal justice.

    Here's an NAS page on criminal justice:

    https://www.autism.org.uk/professionals/others/criminal-justice.aspx

    (includes list of specialist solicitors etc; there's also this list). The NAS helpline is 0808 800 4104 (Monday to Thursday 10am to 4pm, Friday 9am to 3pm, usually busy). Someone else posted this list of expert witnesses:
    https://www.jspubs.com/expert-witness/si/a/autism/

    Try the Disability Law Service? More helplines: https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/getting-advice

    I can see why you would not want the newspapers reporting on any trial, even assuming he will be acquitted. Emphasising to the police and (if it gets that far) the CPS and courts that he is a vulnerable adult may help.

    It's good he's got you as his brother. Can the social worker help at all?