Services
Founded by Ian Ross, Criminal Psychologist, Tartan Forensic is a consultancy specialising in financial crime cases. Bringing a 'forensic investigation edge' addressing gaps to clinically support defence solicitors and barristers, and civil legal teams.
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Offering advanced critical forensic solutions to traditional justice problems. We:
• Diagnose ranges of bias, abuse of process and wayward investigations and prosecutorial decisions
• Dissect the 'tactical use of evidence' by enforcement authorities
• Astutely identify subtle (non)compliance with procedural law (CPIA disclosure violations)
• Dismantle 'Rule-bending' and Obfuscation by investigators and prosecutors
• Conduct evaluation interviews with clients to help assess the state of mind to prepare the forensic report
• Consolidate challenges to civil fraud cases​​
​Committed to clinical precision, Tartan Forensic is a trusted partner in the pursuit of justice.
FOCAL AREAS
Ian M. Ross, PhD, MSc, ACFS, PGCE
​ ​Forensic Criminal Psychologist
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National Expert Witness Agency (NEWA)
Member
Questionable and/or malicious fraud or theft allegations
Malicious or exaggerated accusations of theft or fraud can severely impact individuals, resulting in severe legal consequences, damaged reputations and employability problems.
The Post Office scandal is a notorious case study when innocent people went to prison. But such cases are a daily occurrence.
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Law enforcement commonly struggle to investigate fraud cases effectively which quickly lapses into corner-cutting and similar problems to the legal detriment of an accused.
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Equally, many HR and other managers lack understanding of financial crimes. This often leads to wrongful disciplinary sanctions. No less serious that one involving the police, the impact it has on innocent parties can be life-changing.
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Many organisations follow 'rules based' IT systems and tick-box policies.
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Recognising the seriousness of these actions and consequent impact is essential to protecting the innocent, falsely accused, or when evidence has been exaggerated.​
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Unlawful Asset Seizure (POCA. Pre-conviction)
The United Kingdom Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 is a wide-engaging statute that essentially gives enhanced powers to the courts and to law enforcement to seize assets or 'proceeds' or 'property' suspected to be or subject of, proceeds of crime, before and / or after conviction.
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The courts can make orders Post-conviction applying ´life-style´and other tests.
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Law enforcement may seize monies or properties before any court case (such as in random car searches)
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Abuse of process in that instance commonly occurs when the police seize cash or assets and arrest 'suspects' 'for' money laundering, exploiting criminal procedure but instantly ditch criminal procedure and switch to civil process. Respondents run out of money in trying to contest the civil process and the police get to keep the money. Along the legal journey police officers have been found to mislead courts to gain asset retention orders.​
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Arrests of respondents at first instance and are habitually unlawful and without 'reasonable grounds' per PACE 1984. Triggering the abuse of process to follow.
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This skewering of criminal and civil procedure occurs with a concerning regularity.
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Tartan Forensic has a good track record of supporting respondents and their legal representatives in securing restoration orders at the courts following an abuse of process.
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Abuse of Process
Abuse of legal process occurs in a range of ways:
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The POCA-seizure example above.
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Law enforcement violating Codes of Practice PACE 1984. (falsifying witness accounts, delaying or denying legal advice to arrested persons)
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Law enforcement violating Statutory Disclosure requirements (CPIA. 1996)
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The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) doing the same. Withholding or supressing exculpatory evidence.
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'Tribalistic Prosecutions'' when police and prosecutors cajole witnesses in sheer numbers to smear and intimidate a defendant (the 'Mike Lynch' fraud case is a notable example)
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Planting evidence (including remote altering of accounts systems to falsely accuse a person of fraud or false accounting)
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Other examples include witness manipulation, coercing expert witnesses to embellish their evidence, and ​
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Investigative malpractice by law enforcement authorities including dishonesty and fabrication.
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Dismantling 'Rule-bending' and Obfuscation
This is an area where Tartan Forensic leads success in exposing and presenting the 'gamesmanship' in investigations, cases and prosecutions.​
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The 'unwritten rules'' employed and in other examples:
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Investigators, police officers, and biased auditors, speaking and writing in coded and ambiguous language
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´Bad Duplicity' and falsified entries on custody records
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Officers 'signature swapping' on their witness statements
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Coaching and coercing other officers and lawyers in how to fabricate or embellish evidence and 'dodge' disclosure
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Other instances commonly referred to as 'spin' and obfuscation
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Question evasion and 'wrapping up´ lies in half-truths.​​​
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Allegations of Financial Abuse
Domestic disputes are never a pleasant experience, and it is right that after a long history of abuse against a partner or spouse weaponising financial issues that legislation is now in force to address it.
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However, as in our earlier example, in emotive and highly volatile situations malicious complaints of financial abuse are readily and spontaneously made.
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Meritless accusations of ´financial abuse´ can equally cause irreparable damage to an innocent (of fraud) party to a case. Often impacting employment and other issues.
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Tartan Forensic has a good track record of supporting respondents and their legal representatives in contesting malicious accusations of this kind.
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Investigation Interviews Analysis
The police or authority interview is the place in a criminal investigation where a client is most vulnerable. False confessions and investigative malpractice are key. Such conduct often interfaces with the other issues (abuse of process for example) described above.
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Tartan Forensic microscopically reviews all interview transcripts. Often revealing the following:​​​
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Disclosure violations (items suddenly produced in an interview that were not disclosed beforehand)
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Lies about the strength of the case
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Unethical trickery. Subtle 'prompt phrases' used by interviewers to undermine your client's LEGAL right not to answer questions.
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Oppressive questioning and 'confession-bludgeoning'
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Leading questions
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Interviewing officers 'filling in' gaps in evidence with their own opinions pitched as 'facts'
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Other misleading practices of ´presentation of evidence´
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Tartan Forensic has a good track record of supporting respondents in exposing unethical and unlawful interviewing practices. Supporting defence lawyers in their cross examination or challenges to such conduct.
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CASE EXAMPLES
March 2021: Order of restoration by the Court following the unlawful arrest of the client and legitimate assets unlawfully seized by a UK Police force. Abuse of POCA process and fabricated evidence (including officers forging signatures on court documents) presented to the court. 2025. Mitigation in false fraud allegation case alleging 200k fraud. Bias and fabricated evidence exposed. Client received much deserved lesser sentence.
TESTIMONIALS
"Really good job Ian, I found it engaging for the whole time. Staff I spoke to from both sessions said it the best external training they have had" CEO. Bentley Trust. Malta
"The N.E.B.U.L.A. Forensic Model is sheer genius"
Director. Tax Accounts Group. UK
"again I need to thank you for your deep level of understanding as to the challenging unjust legal issues detailed within your report."
Client. Northern Ireland
PREVIOUS CLIENTS
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH IAN ROSS
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​- Listed expert’ Cour pénale internationale, (‘ICC’) The Hague. (2021)
- Registered National Expert Witness (NEWA)
- Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist (ACFS)
- American Psychological Association
- British Psychological Society
- International Bar Association
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