Daisy in Chains(35)

‘Come again?’

‘Long story. Look, you’re getting very faint. Ley lines must be getting in the way. I’ll see you later.’





Chapter 26


PSYCHIATRIC REPORT INTO HAMISH WOLFE

PREPARED BY RICHARD RIDELL





Introduction


I was appointed to carry out a psychiatric assessment on Hamish Wolfe in August 2014, some three weeks before his trial was due to start. To say I felt a little underprepared would be an understatement – I’d barely had a chance to read the case file – but I had confidence in my ability to judge whether or not Hamish Wolfe was fit to stand trial.





Appearance and demeanour


Having heard a great deal about Hamish Wolfe’s good looks, I was curious to see if the man in real life lived up to the legend that was rapidly growing up around him in the traditional and social media. My first impression was that being remanded in custody for several months hasn’t improved his appearance. He is a tall man, but he had the look of someone who’d lost a lot of weight, quite quickly. His skin had a pallor that would have concerned me, had I been his GP; his eyes were bloodshot and his hands were showing a propensity to shake when he wasn’t actively controlling them. There was a swelling under his right eye and around his mouth, and he moved very carefully, as though in some pain.

I began, as is customary, by explaining the parameters and purpose of the interview. He made no verbal response, but immediately began work on his new origami shape (I’d been prepared for this by reading Dr Okonjo’s report). Again following the normal practice, I began by asking him questions about his family situation and early years. Much to my surprise (I was mentally preparing myself for the same silent treatment that Dr Okonjo had been subjected to) he spoke immediately, if not courteously. He told me that I could acquire all the information I needed from the files and that he had no intention of talking about his childhood.

(At this point, I’d like to borrow a trick from Dr Okonjo and insert an extract of the transcript.)





Start of transcript:


HAMISH WOLFE: I’d like you to apologize to Dr Okonjo for me, would you mind doing that?

DR RIDELL: Of course. But might I ask why you feel the need to apologize to Dr Okonjo?

HAMISH WOLFE: I was very rude to her. She didn’t deserve that. Tell her I regret it, please.

DR RIDELL: Why do you think you were rude to her?

HAMISH WOLFE: I was angry. I took it out on her. I shouldn’t have done.

DR RIDELL: Why were you angry?

HAMISH WOLFE: Have a look at my situation, Dick. I’m sure you can work it out.

(For the record, I had not given Hamish Wolfe permission to address me by my Christian name, nor a derivative of it, but I chose to let that pass.)

DR RIDELL: Do you often lash out, verbally, when you’re angry?

HAMISH WOLFE: Don’t we all?

DR RIDELL: Have you ever hurt someone physically, when you’ve been angry?

HAMISH WOLFE: (grinning) How do you think I got these bruises?

DR RIDELL: What makes you angry?

HAMISH WOLFE: Twats. Stupid questions.

DR RIDELL: Are you angry now?

HAMISH WOLFE: (lifting his wrists to show me the chains tethering him to the table) Don’t worry, Dick. I can’t reach you from here. And the muppets outside will come charging in if I so much as flutter my eyelashes too vigorously.

DR RIDELL: What is that you’re making? (By this time, the origami figure was taking shape, but it was difficult to see what it was supposed to depict.)

HAMISH WOLFE: A weasel.

DR RIDELL: Have you ever hurt anyone who didn’t deserve it?

HAMISH WOLFE: Yes.

(I think it worth pointing out that Wolfe’s demeanour changed at this point. I saw what appeared to be genuine regret on his face.)

DR RIDELL: Can you tell me about it?

HAMISH WOLFE: No.

DR RIDELL: How do you feel when people ask you about the four victims? Do you think they deserve what happened to them?

HAMISH WOLFE: Apart from the fact that they led to my being here, I don’t think about them at all. They don’t come on to my radar screen.

DR RIDELL: You’re saying you don’t think of them as people?

HAMISH WOLFE: I’m saying I only think of them in terms of how they affect me. And, yes, I do appreciate that I’ve just described a classic symptom of psychopathy.

DR RIDELL: Would you describe yourself as a psychopath?

HAMISH WOLFE: Dick, I’m going to save you some time. I am not, at this moment in time, nor have I ever in the past, suffered from any form of mental illness. I’m sure you’ve checked my medical records already. If you haven’t, f*cking shame on you, you don’t deserve the grossly overinflated fee that you guys charge for the pieces of piss you call psychiatric assessments. Nor am I psychotic. I don’t hear voices. There is no chip in my head. I have never been abducted by aliens. I was not sexually abused as a child, nor did I torture small animals. I fully understand the concepts of right and wrong and know only too well that if I f*ck around with the law of the land, the law of the land is likely to jump up and bite me on the arse. Now, take your weasel, and f*ck off out of here.

End of transcript.





Conclusion


It would be dishonest of me to say that I was satisfied with the outcome of my interview with Hamish Wolfe. I found him uncooperative, angry and aggressive. What I can say with some confidence is that he understands well the concept of being fit to stand trial and has, in his own words, declared himself to be so. I have nothing to add.