James Wakely

Mad or Bad?: a Few Thumbnail Sketches James Wakely

I would crave the Court's indulgence and beg the consideration that my Client has been examined by Dr X, Consultant Psychiatrist, and has been diagnosed as suffering from an Impulsive Personality Disorder . . . pleads the Defence Barrister. The pencil held by the Magistrate whizzes intently across an A4 folder page in the process. The temptation to stand up and shout: - "But this is . . . [bovine excrement]! That's not a mental illness of any kind and should not . . . " has to be tempered with the knowledge that such behaviour is liable to deemed Contempt of Court - not exactly an ideal outcome for a Deputy Police Surgeon, after giving evidence as a Witness for the Court. You are allowed to stay and observe after giving evidence, but not to spark off like that! This book is an attempt to remedy this sort of thing, as it all too often results in Counselling (or similar) being recommended for a defendant (criminal) who has NO genuine intention of really co-operating with Psychiatric / Psychological services once his Custodial (i.e. prison) Sentence has been waived in this fashion . . . This book quotes many cases Dr Wakely has actually seen in his time as a General Practitioner, Psychiatrist and Police Surgeon and - in simple terms, that can be understood by lay people - spells out the kinds of mental illness that should perhaps (in certain circumstances) lead to defendants in Court being "let off" as well as those that emphatically should NOT be . . . Dr Wakely is unable to stick to stodgy text book prose very much, and writes exactly as he thinks. He apologises to those who hate humour, and might thus be offended, but uses readability, clarity and comprehensibility as feeble excuses for such honesty in his opinions . . .