Forensic Cases

Recent cases

Recent cases where John Olsson appeared as an expert witness or where his evidence was used or referred to in court:

Intellectual Property case
December, 2008. Case Details for WIPO Case D2008-1493.
Complainant Oracle Corporation.
Respondent Contractors Network (Oracle Contractors)
Involvement The Forensic Linguistics Institute recently wrote a report on behalf of Oracle Contractors who were seeking to refute a claim by Oracle Corporation that their domain name should be terminated because it was 'confusingly similar' to that of the Oracle Corporation. We argued that there were strong linguistic reasons, related in turn to real world reasons, why the two names were not confusingly similar. WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) has agreed with our claim and Oracle Corporation's complaint has been denied.

The Forensic Linguistics Institute has carried out a number of successful intellectual property investigations where linguistics has been a factor.

R v A. P.
November, 2008. Birmingham Crown Court. Case No. T2008 0584. Charge of dangerous driving and racing.
Involvement Commissioned by Defence to examine possibility of abuse of process (method of collecting witness statements).
Outcome: Racing charge dropped.

R v Graham Speed
October 2008, Lincoln Magistrates’ Court
Charge of malicious communication (series of hate mail letters and emails to neighbours, police, hospitals, newspapers, government departments)
Involvement Commissioned by the prosecution
Verdict Guilty

R v Steven Dawes, Richard Eyre, Graham Manuel
September 2008, Gloucester Crown Court
Charge of blackmail, possession and production of cannabis, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice – voice identification and sound file enhancement
Involvement Commissioned by the prosecution
Verdict Guilty on all counts

R v Darryl Bennett, Richard McNamara, Shane Liddy, Nicholas Garland
May 2008, Luton Crown Court
Charge of murder, conspiracy to rob, perverting the course of justice – reconstruction of mobile phone text conversation
Involvement Commissioned by the prosecution
Verdict Guilty on all counts

R v Andrew Caveney and Daniel Roberts
March 2008, Wrexham Crown Court
Charge of aggravated burglary, threats, TWOC – voice identification
Involvement Commissioned by the prosecution
Verdict Guilty

R v Garry Weddell
March 2008, Luton Coroners’ Court
Charge of murder – identification of authorship of an alleged suicide note
Involvement Commissioned by the prosecution, continued as part of Coroner’s Inquest
Outcome: Case discontinued owing to death of suspect, finding of double murder and suicide

Her Majesty’s Advocate v David Martin
March 2008, High Court, Edinburgh
Charge of murder
Involvement Commissioned by the defence
Verdict Guilty

R v Tracey de Paulie
January 2008, Aylesbury Crown Court
Charge of conspiring to smuggle heroin into a prison – voice identification
Involvement Commissioned by the prosecution
Verdict Guilty

R v David Robertson
December 2007, Aylesbury Crown Court
Charge of conspiring to smuggle heroin into a prison – voice identification
Involvement Commissioned by the prosecution
Verdict Guilty

HMA v John McSween - Appeal
August 2007, High Court of Justiciary, Glasgow
Perjury case (Crown Appeal)
Involvement Commissioned by the defence
Verdict Guilty

R v John Hanmer
June 2007, Wrexham Magistrates’ Court
Charge of malicious communication, analysis of audio tapes for voice identification
Involvement Commissioned by the prosecution
Verdict Guilty

R v N.G.
May 2007, Oldham Magistrates’ Court
Charge of reckless driving, analysis of police statements
Involvement Commissioned by the defence
Outcome: Police statements not presented for evidence, case dismissed

Icarus College v MedEntry
April 2007, Supreme Court, Melbourne, Australia
Copyright infringement case
Involvement Commissioned by the respondent
Outcome: Judgment awarded to applicant

R v Rehan Asghar
February 2007, Central Criminal Court, London UK, Case No: T20050083
Charge of Murder
Involvement Commissioned by the prosecution
Verdict Guilty

Mr B K v Brampton Flying Club
February 2007, Superior Court of Justice Ontario
Case No: 02-BN-10544
Authorship of Internet journal
Involvement Commissioned by the claimant
Outcome: Claim upheld, damages agreed