Curriculum Vitae
Membership of Professional Organisations:
British Psychological Society: Legal and
Criminological Section
Royal Society of Medicine: Clinical Forensic &
Legal Medicine Section
Qualifications:
MA and BA Hons in Psychology (Churchill College, Cambridge University)
Certificate of Qualification in Social Work
Post-Graduate Diploma in Social Work
(commended)
Post-Graduate Diploma in Personnel
Management (commended)
Recent training courses attended:
“Criminal Appeal Training Session 1”
Mark Newby, Jordan’s Solicitors,
Doncaster, 31 March 2008
“Psychiatry and crime”, The Royal Society of Medicine, 22 April 2008
“This won’t hurt at all!” – Forensic implications
of the mouth and face”,
The Royal Society of Medicine, 10 May 2008
“The Challenges of Historic Allegations of
Past Sexual Abuse”,
Garden Court North Chambers,16 February 2009
“Human Rights: A Tool for Advocates?”,
Action for Advocacy, London 27 March 2009
“Prison Law”, Andrew Keogh, Crimeline,
Manchester 9 July 2009
“Sleep, consciousness and the law”,
The Royal Society of Medicine,
21 September 2009
“Mental disorders, autonomy and mental capacity”,
The Royal Society of Medicine,
12 January 2010
Employment History:
August ’05 – present: Self-employed Legal
Caseworker
Feb. ’89 – July ‘05: National Probation Service:
Probation Officer
1981 – Feb. ‘89: Various Probation Officer and
Social Worker positions
Welcome
Wanting to appeal a conviction or sentence in England and Wales?
I am an independent appeal caseworker with expertise in criminal case
law, psychology, forensics and legal medicine. I have completed over 300 case reviews with more than half resulting in successful applications
for legal aid funding. I am Data Protection Act registered and able to
offer the following services:
- • Completion of competent and detailed preliminary reports
- • Access to current case law and statute (Westlaw)
- • Access to journals on forensic psychological research
- • Access to medical research databases
- • Secure collection and storage of case papers
I also work on the helpline for the False Allegations Support Organisation
(FASO) www.false-allegations.org.uk and am committed to assisting all
those who have been falsely accused.
Sylvia M Finch MA Cantab (Psychol)
Successful Appeals
Applications can take one to two years to be finally heard.
In the last year I
have been involved with the following successful ones:
R v Daura: appeal against sentence which prevented deportation
(Click here to view pdf)
R v Lawless: appeal against conviction on the basis of false confession
evidence
(Click here to view pdf)
R v Walsh: appeal against conviction on the basis of errors in the judge’s
summing up
(Click here to view pdf)
Pricing
I am unable to undertake legal aid work, but if you contact me I can direct you to a solicitor I work for that would be able to make the appropriate claim. Otherwise I can complete work privately for which I keep my charging reasonable whilst still offering an excellent service.
April 2010
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