Autism and the UK legal system, my experience.

I have been to court facing changes for dangerous driving and causing serious injury, for this I was found guilty and received a 2 year suspended sentence, two year driving disqualification, 150 hours of community service and an ankle tag curfew between 19:00-05:00. This ankle tag is causing a lot of anxiety, not only was it fitted on the hottest day of the year, but the person doing it suggested that if the skin around it became sore to put a sock on over and under it to stop movement - seriously, in these temperatures!?

I must state here that I in no way am expecting legal advice or support, I just feel it necessary to put my side of the story across to individuals who are likely to understand.

• I am an epileptic and I first received a diagnosis and started on medication in 2015. At the time I surrendered my driving licence and having been seizure free for a period of 12 months my driving licence was reissued.
• In August 2018 I suffered a seizure when at home having been seizure free since July 2015, because of the way epilepsy changes over time and the timescale I did not understand that it was a seizure and believed that it was a panic attack nightmare. Because of this seizure however paramedics were called, as I woke in a post aura state I was faced with sensors attached to me and two paramedics closely watching me who were reluctant to listen to my view of events.
• They learned that I was a driver and began demanding to see my driving licence, which at the time was in my wallet in my bedroom. Whilst I have nothing to hide I did not want someone who I had never met before going into my bedroom and looking through my wallet. They were reluctant to let me go and get it, however they finally let me go and get it. Their report stated that I "Stormed out of the room", something I disagree with, however I became frustrated as the two of them were closely following me into my bedroom, probably allowing less than 30cm between them and I.
• Because of how close they were it further heightened my frustration level and in order to get them to back away I punched the wall and threw my driving licence out of the window before running out of the room, grabbing my car keys and driving off for 5 minutes.
• Because of my actions the paramedics called for police support, by the time the police arrived I had returned home and was once again using the computer. I had planned to go to the Woodstock Live Festival which was annoyingly cancelled the previous day due to excessive rain and I wanted to see if it was still going ahead (it was).
• What the police told me had largely turned into a lecture that I largely blocked out and did not respond to, by that point I had given up trying to say that it wasn't a seizure.
• Had the paramedics not acted in the way that they did, or even had they not attended I would have been able to comprehend what had happened and would have surrendered my driving licence.

Now we have the point that became my involvement with the legal system and the failngs within.

• In December 2018 I suffered a seizure when driving home, this caused serious injury to two others and also to myself.
• I attended a voluntary police interview in January 2019, ultimately to try and establish what had happened with an aggressive police officer who shouted at me to stop lying to him. I did not seek legal representation for this as firstly I had no experience with the legal system, and secondly because the police offcer attended my home address told me that it would take longer to arrange and would delay things significantly. I actually complained to his superior officer who came back to me to explain it is how they encourage their officers to act in an interview. During the interview the officer seemed to not understand what a seizure was, and seemed confused thay (in his own words) "aren't all seizures someone flapping around on the floor like you see on TV". That further made me panic and increased my anxiety and frustration levels significantly, further impacting on some of the answers I gave to his questions.

The evidence went to the CPS who took until July 2020 to decide that I would be charged with two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. It was at this point I got legal support at a considerable cost to myself.

There were numerous delays throughout the case, one time in particular the judge told the prosecution to "get their skates on". It finally made it to the Crown Court in March 2022 where the verdict from the jury came back as guilty. It was only on the Thursday of the 5 day trial that I began to realise that I was guilty, however at that point I did not understand if I could change my plea. I think that had there not been the 3+ year delay in making it to court that I would have been able to read all the evidence in one folder and pleaded guilty to start with.

• I spoke with my GP who suggested that the incident in August 2018 sounded like ADHD or autism, and I privately went to a local ADHD clinic where the Dr. suggested that whilst there were signs of ADHD it seemed more likely to be autism.
• I went back to my GP and after filling in several questionnaires referred me for autism assessment, which I am still waiting for. He also prescribed medication for anxiety due to the stress and delays of the case.
• Anxiety was also caused by my name, address and charges published in my local paper, I now don't dare leave the house or discuss anything with my neighbours as I don't know what they know.

Sentencing was scheduled for May 2022, however due to an "administrative error" at the court the judge failed to attend, and so sentencing was postponed until July 2022. The report from my GP and the ADHD Dr. was seemingly ignored by the judge, however he did agree with the pre-sentence report that there was a significant chance of rehabilitation. My solicitor did point out to me that the judge should have ordered for an autism assessment before passing sentence as both doctors suggested it sounded much like an autistic meltdown, especially the part where I was not able to comprehend what had happened or what I was being told in August 2018 and simply had to get out of the house to calm down.

An autistic meltdown at the time was something I was completely unaware of and upon researching I found a number of points that I can relate to throughout my entire life.

My solicitor also pointed out to me after sentencing that there were significant mitigating factors that were wrongly considered.

Anyway, here we are, 19 months of the driving disqualification to go (extended driving test afterwards), 23 months of the suspended sentence to go, 138 hours of community service still to complete and 9.5 weeks of a curfew to endure. Then there is also the factor of the £8,400 to pay as compensation and court costs by January 2023. I fail to understand how this sentence will either prevent a further seizure, I think the trial educated me sufficiently to seek medical advice from my neurologist if told to do so by paramedics, because I did not understand it to be a seizure I did not see my neurologist - as I put it, it would be like going to the doctor to tell them that I hadn't had the flu!

If you made it this far, thank you for reading my story, and I made so many changes throughout I hope it still makes sense. I'm not expecting any advice or support for any of this, I just would like to make others aware of the failings within the UK legal system, ultimately as my neurologist also agreed that had I realised in August 2018 that it was a seizure, based on my previous licence surrender, I would not hesitate to surrender it again. I'd never understood or known symptoms of autism and previously had no need, nor reason to seek medical advice, it was only once my GP suggested that's what it could be that I looked into it, I always thought it was something identified at a primary school level and so at the age of 37 never thought it could be me.