The accused, Abdu Mohamed, charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon, sought to introduce expert psychological evidence to support a defence of automatism.
The court conducted a voir dire to determine the admissibility and scope of the proposed expert testimony from Dr. George Stones.
Applying the Mohan criteria, the court found Dr. Stones qualified as an expert in psychology and dissociative states, and his evidence relevant and necessary.
However, the court imposed strict limitations on his testimony, prohibiting opinions on the accused's truthfulness, speculative theories about past trauma and immigration, and personal opinions lacking scientific support regarding the victim of aggression in a dissociative state.
The ruling on future risk evidence was deferred.
