“(7) The court will give permission to proceed only if it considers— (a) that there is an arguable case, which has a reasonable prospect of success, that both the decision of the Upper Tribunal refusing permission to appeal and the decision of the First Tier Tribunal against which permission to appeal was sought are wrong in law; and (b) that either— (i) the claim raises an important point of principle or practice; or (ii) there is some other compelling reason to hear it. …”
“[F]requently I was left with the impression that [the Appellant] tried hard to understand and to appear to understand the more complex questions put to him, but his responses showed that he had not understood the question properly.” “From time to time his speech would be a little incoherent and somewhat idiosyncratic… I was left with the impression that this is likely to perpetuated by a difficulty in his mentalizing and cognitive capacities… I also noted an element of perseveration where he would return to the same set of ideas and responses, and displayed poverty of thinking.” “[F]requently I was left with the impression that [the Appellant] tried hard to understand and to appear to understand the more complex questions put to him, but his responses showed that he had not understood the question properly.” “From time to time his speech would be a little incoherent and somewhat idiosyncratic… I was left with the impression that this is likely to perpetuated by a difficulty in his mentalizing and cognitive capacities… I also noted an element of perseveration where he would return to the same set of ideas and responses, and displayed poverty of thinking.”
“[The Appellant’s] cognitive functioning appears clinically mildly impaired… references in the file frequently describe him as ‘unsophisticated’ and ‘suggestible’. These terms can be euphemisms for describing people with mild learning disabilities particularly in cultures where [the Appellant] comes from. Mild mental impairment which can be without a clear aetiology would make the person vulnerable in managing more complex human interactions such as understanding intentionality both in themselves and others… I found him somewhat suggestible under pressure and he appears to try and guess the answer that he thinks is required of him… These gaps in understanding of the other person, or indeed possible remote memory gaps make him prone to exaggeration or the tendency to contradict himself.” “[The Appellant’s] insight into his difficulties is limited by his limited cognitive and mentalizing capacities. Although he is able to explain his life story as a broadly personal narrative, the depth and detail of his personal narrative is impoverished. This can at times make him appear inauthentic when, internally, he may be struggling with making sense of people’s intentions and their requirements of him.”
“The appointment lasted 36 minutes, I was able to check this from our appointment system. I did not administer a test of cognitive functioning. Having seen the psychologist’s report, I did try to get an impression of cognitive functioning by taking a thorough history and he seemed to have no problems with recall, he did not hesitate and had no difficulties with comprehension or with expressing himself. I had planned to review [the Appellant] a week later in order to gain a better impression of his mental state however. I would not always wish to make a diagnosis of PTSD or depression after the first consultation, and this was one reason for asking him to return. As you will have seen from the notes, he had presented with some symptoms suggestive of mental health problems and I was hoping to evaluate these further. Unfortunately he did not attend for his screening tests with our refugee nurse nor did he come back to see me. I am sorry if I have not been of much help. If you are in contact with [the Appellant] and he has ongoing health problems could you please encourage him to come back to see us.”
“I have considered [the Appellant]’s GP records provided by the Pavillion Medical Centre on 20 August 203 and an email from Dr Judith Eling to Kay Foxall dated29 September 2012 . I understand the consultation with Dr Eling took place on the13th March 2013 , and lasted for 36 minutes, and it was a one off interview. The patient had not met the doctor before. The comments regarding the client’s mental state presentation i.e. “Does not appear depressed”, relate to his presentation six months previous to my examination of him, and reflect the clinician’s impression at the time. It is possible that he was not presenting with clinical depression at the time, and that his mental state has deteriorated further in the last six months. As regards the impression of Learning Disability: Mild learning disability is difficult to diagnose, and requires an extended assessment of the patient in different settings, and with corroborative histories from other sources. I have referred to this in my report. In my opinion it is possible that the GP mayhave been looking for gross signs of learning disability, whichthe patient did not exhibit. More subtle learning disability orany impaired mental functioning requires an in-depth, repeatedand multi-disciplinary assessment of the patient.”
“It may only become apparent that an individual is vulnerable at the commencement of or during the substantive hearing. Many difficulties are ‘hidden’ and become apparent during questioning…”
“7. As stated in the skeleton argument, those issues are:- (a) whether the appellant has a well-founded fear of persecution in Iran (or, my comment – a well-founded fear of serious ill-treatment) as a result of political/imputed political opinion, as a smuggler involved in illegal activity; (b) whether the appellant was at risk as a result of race/ethnicity as a Kurd and/or who has contravened Iranian law; or (c) evasion of military service; or (d) illegal exit from Iran and/or with an enhanced risk of questioning on arrival on account of his previous illegal activities.”
“(My comment – the issues of risk, based on him being a smuggler or involved in illegal activity in Iran, is subject to the issue as to whether I should depart from the adverse credibility findings made by an Immigration Judge in the earlier determination of the appellant’s asylum appeal).”
“37. … The experts’ evidence certainly suggests very severemalfunctioning – his reasoning being compared to a 7 or8 year old child – and someone who is easily confused and subject to memory loss, as well as suffering from a degree of depression.” “45. It follows from my above analysis that we have apparently cogent and consistent expert evidence, as to the severecognitive malfunctioning of this appellant, which it is difficult to reconcile with is sophisticated appeal statement, notwithstanding the explanation given, and almost impossible to reconcile with the evidence of Dr Eling.” (Emphasis added)
“46. … I am not persuaded that the appellant has the degree of cognitive impairment asserted by the experts, relied on by him, in this case. 47. In light of my above findings, I take the view that there is no sufficient evidence before me to justify my setting aside, in terms, the original adverse credibility findings against this appellant. The evidence put before me is not sufficiently “new and compelling” and I consider myself not merely entitled to consider the original asylum findings but to treat it as determinative as to the appellant’s core credibility.” not merely entitled to consider the original asylum findings but to treat it as determinative as to the appellant’s core credibility.”
“39. …[I]f the appellant’s mental problems were so obvious, that they were not picked up, either by his original legal representatives, or the interviewer at the asylum interview, or the social worker present at the interview and appeal, or by the Immigration Judge when the appellant was giving evidence. … No problems were picked up which, on the face of it, appears strange.” [Emphasis added]
“41. …[I]f the appellant had such a low IQ and the severecognitive difficulties diagnosed by the experts, then it seems at odds with that condition that the appellant was able to make several witness statements, finally consolidated into a very long 30 page appeal statement…” [Emphasis added]
“42. … If the appellant is so obviously suffering from cognitivemalfunction and low IQ and, according to his friend, has the reasoning and ability of a 7 or 8 year old, then it is impossible, in my view, to ignore the clear view expressed by Dr Eling that the appellant “seemed to have no problems with recall, he did not hesitate and no difficulties with comprehension or with expressing himself. Unless Dr Eling is totally inefficient, her evidence stands in stark contrast with the evidence put forward on the appellant’s behalf as to his mental problems.” [Emphasis added]
“45. It follows from my above analysis that we have apparently cogent and consistent expert evidence, as to the severe cognitive malfunctioning of thisappellant, which it is difficult to reconcile with is sophisticated appeal statement, notwithstanding the explanation given, and almost impossible to reconcile with the evidence of Dr Eling.” [Emphasis added]
“45. ….In my view, the appellant, notwithstanding a degree of cognitive and IQ problems, has shown that he is tactically astute. He has attacked his original lawyers and the original interpreters, being sufficiently aware of dialect problems in relation to his speaking Sorani, but has deliberately chosen not to call witnesses from his many friends who could, on the fact of it, clearly testify to his having problems. He has apparently deliberately avoided seeking medical help for his serious condition, as distinct from being content to obtain a diagnosis as to that condition”. 46. Whatever the degree of IQ and cognitive problems the appellant has, I do not accept that they are anything like to the degree stated in the experts’ reports. He is, in my view, a person who is tactically astute and who can, albeit with a degree of difficulty, not simply give a basic account but, as he has clearly shown, can give detailed evidence as to his core history. Discrepancies were clearly found in that account and, so far as the Devaseelan principles are concerned, it is not a matter of whether I, or any other Judge, would have taken a different view but, rather, whether the original Immigration Judge was entitled to form the view he did take. There were discrepancies which cannotbe explained, on my findings, by any problems in relation to the appellant’scognitive functioning. …” “55. The appellant is now an adult and, notwithstanding the medical evidence, I have found him to be tactically astute and capable of giving a fairly detailedaccount of whatever he considers it necessary to speak about.” [Emphasis added]