Liverpool father appears in court over death of four-year-old son
A father has appeared in court charged with killing his four-year-old son.Mehmet Tufan, of Dovecot Place, Dovecot, Liverpool, is accused of the manslaughter of Leo Tufan, who died in 2022.The 30-year-old appeared at Liverpool Magistrates Court on Wednesday.He is due to appear next at Liverpool Crown Court on 16 July when he is expected to enter a plea.
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The Guardian
38 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Psychologist who misled court about qualifications may have gone beyond remit in seven other cases
A psychologist who was found to have misled the family court about his qualifications had previously given expert evidence in at least seven other cases in which he may have been acting outside his remit. Graham Flatman, an educational psychologist based in Kent, was suspended for six months by the regulator for taking work as a 'clinical psychologist' and carrying out an assessment he was not qualified to make. Now an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) has identified a string of further cases in which he may have acted beyond his remit. Flatman is only trained to assess the educational needs of children and young people up to the age of 25 who have learning difficulties – whereas clinical psychologists can examine people of all ages for a wide range of disorders. In 2018 he wrote a wide-ranging report on a vulnerable mother as part of family court proceedings. She later complained to the regulator. The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) said Flatman 'misled [the woman] and the court' and that his 'misconduct brought the profession into disrepute and had the potential to harm [the mother]'. At a disciplinary hearing in April last year, Flatman said he had been instructed as a psychologist with relevant experience. He said he had never been specifically instructed as an educational psychologist in the family courts despite having provided expert evidence in 'around 1,680' family cases. Now TBIJ has examined seven further cases in which he gave expert evidence between 2013 and 2024 and found that in all those cases he may have acted outside his professional remit by assessing people for a range of non-educational issues. The consultant clinical psychologist Miriam Silver, who co-authored the guidance on the use of psychologists in the family courts, said: 'It is deeply concerning that someone who may have been acting outside of their field of competence was able to give evidence in such a potentially huge number of court cases. 'The role of the psychologist as an expert witness is very influential in the family courts, and whilst the judge will weigh up all the evidence to inform their decision and may sometimes disregard our recommendations, generally they give a lot of weight to our opinions.' In one case, Flatman's conclusions led to him being criticised by two court of appeal judges after he failed to conduct the proper legal test to establish if a vulnerable mother could understand proceedings about the future care of her daughter – although they noted the case would have had the same outcome. Flatman's six-month suspension was lifted in October. The panel noted he was no longer working in the courts. However, he remains registered with the HCPC and the watchdog cannot prevent him from making court assessments in the future. In a statement, Flatman said he had worked as an expert witness in family courts since 1997. He did not respond when asked how many assessments he had undertaken on adults in total. 'I have never presented myself as a clinical psychologist,' he said. 'With every report, I accurately included my professional qualifications and experience as an educational psychologist.' Flatman added that he immediately stopped his family court work after the HCPC's findings and took the suspension 'very seriously'. In the case that led to his disciplinary action, Flatman conducted tests on the woman that the panel said went beyond the limits of his skills, knowledge and experience. Flatman told the panel he had been acting as an expert in the family courts since about 1997. It did not examine how many other adults he had assessed during this time but warned that his actions could discredit his evidence in other cases. None of the published judgments of the seven cases identified by TBIJ correctly refer to Flatman as an educational psychologist. Judges instead describe him as a 'very experienced psychologist', 'a child and family psychologist' and a 'psychologist'. Silver said: 'It is incumbent on the expert to be very clear about their qualifications and areas of expertise, and to correct any errors made about their title or scope of knowledge.' The cases uncovered by TBIJ show that Flatman's opinions informed decisions that had a profound impact on the lives of those involved. He produced psychological reports on the ability of three mothers to care for their children, who were all subsequently removed from their care. The HCPC took no further action after his suspension expired as he had taken steps to address his misconduct, which included no longer undertaking expert witness work. Flatman told the regulator he 'fully acknowledged the risk of harm associated with his misconduct' and promised to stay within the traditional scope of an educational psychologist. The HCPC said Flatman had demonstrated a high level of insight and it was 'highly unlikely his conduct would be repeated'.
Sky News
38 minutes ago
- Sky News
Harry Dunn's family file complaint against former police chief after report
The family of Harry Dunn, who died in a collision with US spy Anne Sacoolas, have submitted a formal complaint over the conduct of a former chief constable. The 19-year-old motor-biker died after he was hit in a head-on collision by Sacoolas in 2019, who was exiting the American intelligence base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire. On Wednesday, an independent report found that officers prioritised the welfare of Sacoolas, who was able to leave the country claiming diplomatic immunity, after officers did not arrest her. Harry's mum, Charlotte Charles, who received an MBE for services to road safety, said the family had been let down "really, really badly." The family have now written to the office of the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Danielle Stone, to ask whether the contents of the report will be referred to the police watchdog, the IOPC. 2:48 The report criticised former chief constable Nick Adderley for multiple failures, including giving inaccurate public statements about Sacoolas's immunity, claiming she could waive it when in fact only the US government could do so. Mr Adderley, who was sacked last year after lying about his military record, was found to have caused a breakdown in relations with Mr Dunn's family due to his "erroneous" public statements. In the email, seen by Sky News, Radd Seiger, spokesperson for Harry's family, wrote: "Although Mr Adderley has already been dismissed for gross misconduct in relation to unrelated matters, this report provides damning evidence of multiple leadership failures and misconduct directly attributable to him in the handling of this case. "These failures have caused lasting harm to the Dunn family, undermined public trust, and compromised the integrity of the investigation. "Justice was ultimately done despite him, not because of him, and due to the skill and perseverance of the investigation team and the CPS. The story is scarcely believable". Following a long fight for justice by Mr Dunn's family, Sacoolas eventually pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving via video link at the Old Bailey in December 2022. She later received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. The family is now calling on the government to conduct an inquiry into the case.
BBC News
39 minutes ago
- BBC News
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan plead not guilty to defaming Akpabio, Bello as court grant her N50 million bail
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan wey be di lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District for di National Assembly don plead not guilty to di three-count charge of defamation, wey di office of di Attorney General of di Federation sama her. Di lawmaker bin appear bifor Justice Chizoba Orji of di Federal Capital Territory High Court for di Maitama area of Abuja on Thursday. Dis three-count charge accuse Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan of making false claims say di President of di Nigeria Senate, Godswill Akpabio, bin make plans wit di former Govnor of Kogi State, Yahyah Bello, to kill her. Di AGF say Akpoti-Uduaghan know say di claims na false but she make am to discredit Akpabio and Bello, and to tarnish dia image. As di matter come up for court, di court registrar read out di charges to di lawmaker and she plead not guilty to each of dem. Afta dat, counsel to di Federal Goment, David Kaswe, ask di court to remand di defendant in prison pending wen di trial go commence. Kaswe claim say im reason be say dem wey be di prosecution bin find am very difficult bifor dem fit serve di defendant wit di charges. However, di defence counsel Roland Otaru, ask di trial judge to use her discretion and grant im client bail based on di fact say she no be flight risk, she no go fit interfere wit police investigation or wit di witnesses for di case, and di law presume her innocent until proven guilty. Afta listening to di arguments, Justice Orji agree wit di defence counsel and say she go grant di defendant bail in di sum of 50 million naira and one surety. Di surety must to get landed property within di jurisdiction of di court, and e must be a pesin of integrity. She den adjourn di matter to September 23, 2025 for di trial to start. Some popular rights activists bin follow Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan come court to show am solidarity. Dem include former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili, Aisha Yesufu and others. Emmanuel Uduaghan, di husband of di embattled lawmaker also follow her come court on Thursday. BBC Pidgin bin don report say dis na di fourth court case wey involve Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan since late March dis year wen she get public quarrel against di Senate President Dis particular three-count charge na majorly about libel, two counts against Akpabio and one count against Yahaya Bello. According to di charges, Akpoti-Uduaghan allege for interview say Akpabio and Yahaya Bello bin meet for a hotel on March 14, 2025, wia dem emphasis say dem go kill her, but e no go be for Abuja rather e go be for her state Kogi. "Dat na one of di reason why I bin no go home on time. I bin delay to go home bicos I get to put some measures on ground," di charge sheet quote Akpoti-Uduaghan. Also, di senator allege, according to di charge sheet, say Akpabio and Yahaya Bello bin hold three discussions day. "Di first one na my recall, di second one na to eliminate me, and di third one na to put somebody wey go take di ticket from me if I wan contest for 2027." According to di AGF, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan know or she get reason to believe say "dis imputations go harm di reputation of Senator Godswill Akpabio, President of di 10th senate of di Federal Republic of Nigeria", and di reputation of Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Govnor of Kogi State. Di third allegation for di charge sheet na during a two-way phone interview wey Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan allegedly do with one Sandra Duru for Abuja, wia di senator bin claim say Akpabio bin use di internal organs of one girl wey her name na Umoren Iniubong, for im wife who bin dey sick for three years. Akpabio, Bello, and one oda Senator - Asuquo Ekpenyong - na some of di witnesses wey di AGF say dem go call for di matter.
