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Dr Tim Grant

Director, Centre for Forensic Linguistics
 
Senior Lecturer in Forensic Linguistics

Membership of Centre for Forensic Linguistics
Room: MB740a
Phone: 0121 204 3799
Email: t.d.grant@aston.ac.uk 
Fax: 0121 204 3766
Tim Grant

My main research interests are within the area of forensic linguistics. I have particular interest and expertise in forensic authorship analysis focusing on short form messages such as SMS text messages, Twitter posts and Internet Relay Chat.  Recent publications in this area include publication in the Journal of Law and Policy and the Journal of Speech Language and the Law.

In addition to this interest in authorship analysis I also am interested I the linguistics of the police interview and how linguists can advise and train police officers to be better interviewers. Chat. Recent publications in this area include publication in the Journal of Speech Language and the Law and the Journal of Policing.

My consultancy has largely involved the analysis of abusive and threatening communications in many different contexts including investigations into sexual assault, stalking, murder and terrorism. I’ve extensive experience of providing expert investigative assistance, including a media appeal through the BBC Crimewatch program, and in providing evidence for both prosecution and defence. For more information see the Centre for Forensic Linguistics website.

I have significant experience of working with press, TV and radio and my work has appeared in newspaper feature articles, on the BBC 1 OneShow and on the BBC Radio 4 Programme Word of Mouth.  I regularly speak to wider adult and schools audiences at events such as Café Scientifique and the British Festival of Science.

Qualifications & Education

  • BA Philosophy 
  • MSc Cognitive Science 
  • PhD Linguistics - Authorship attribution in a forensic context

Teaching 2013-14

 

Undergraduate 
LE1012 - Language in Society
LE2030 - Psychology of language and communication
LE3005 - Language as Evidence
Postgraduate 
LEM029 - Introduction to Forensic Linguistics
LEM031 - Spoken Language in the Legal System (DL)
LEM043 - Research Methods (DL)
LEM032 - Linguistic investigation and Evidence
LEM059 - Language as evidence
LEM012 - Linguistics in legal contexts
LEM060 - Practical Applications in Forensic Linguistics 

Research Interests 

  • Forensic linguistics 
  • Forensic psychology 
  • Authorship analysis 
  • Sexual crime 
  • Crime analysis and case linkage work 

Coming soon...

Selected recent publications

  • Grant, T. (2010). TXT 4N6: Idiolect free authorship analysis? In M. Coulthard & A. Johnson (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Forensic Linguistics (pp. 508-522). London: Routledge. 
  • Oxburgh, G.E., Myklebust, T. & Grant, T. (2010) The question of question types in police interviews: a review of the literature from a psychological and linguistic perspective.  The International Journal of Speech Language and Law 17, 1, 45–66  doi:10.1558/ijsll.v17i1.45 
  • Christine J. Hammond, C.J., Bond, J.W. Grant, T.D. (2009) The Effects of Substance Use on Offender Crime Scene Behavior Journal of Forensic Sciences , 54, 2, 376-381  doi: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2008.00974.x 
  • Grant, T. D. (2008). Approaching questions in forensic authorship analysis. In J. Gibbons & M. T. Turell (Eds.), Dimensions of Forensic Linguistics. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 
  • Norton, R., & Grant, T. 2008 Rape myth in true and false rape allegations Psychology, Crime & Law 14, 4, 275-285 DOI: 10.1080/10683160701770286 
  • Woodhams, J., Grant, T.D. & Price, A.R.G. (2007) From marine ecology to crime analysis: Improving the detection of serial sexual offences using a taxonomic similarity measure. Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling, 4, 2. 
  • Sheridan, DLP & T Grant, T (2007) Is cyberstalking different? Psychology, Crime & Law 13 (6), 627-640 

For other publications click here. 

Membership of professional bodies

  • International Association of Forensic Linguists
  • International Association of Forensic Linguists
    • Member Ethics and Professional Practise Committee
  • International Investigative Interviewing Research Group (iIIRG)
    • Treasurer Member of Scientific Committee

Selected cases 

  • 2013 - R v Jamie Starbuck [Nottinghamshire Police]

Jamie Starbuck was suspected of having murdered his wife, Debbie Starbuck, and then, on a round the world trip, sending emails home in her name.

I provided an evidential report identifying the date on which emails from Debbie Starbuck’s account shifted to be consistent with his written style.  The report was initially intended to be used to apply for an international arrest warrant but Jamie Starbuck was arrested on arrival home and pleaded guilty.

  • 2012 - Child sexual assault case [West Mercia Police]

In an interview with a child in a sexual assault case the child used sexual slang unfamiliar to her parents.  The defence tried to have the interview not admitted on the grounds that the terms were unclear.  I provided evidence that the slang terms were well established within a particular social community and had clear and specific meanings.  The defence accepted my evidence and allowed the interview to be admitted.

  •  2010 - Race Hate Letter campaign  [Hampshire Police Enquiry with involvement from National Domestic Extremism Team]

I provided a profile of a writer of around 60 racially and sexually abusive letters.  I also gave advice on and appeared as part of a media appeal through the BBC Crimewatch programme.  The media appeal led to a successful detection and the offender matched my profile.

  • 2009 - R v Christopher Birks [Staffordshire police: Murder enquiry]

Christopher Birks was suspected of having murdered his wife Amanda Birks, who’s body was recovered from a house fire on late in the evening of 17 January 2009.  My evidence showed that SMS text messages sent from Amanda’s phone during the day of the 17th were written in a style consistent with that of Christopher Birks and inconsistent with Amanda Birks’ previous texting style. Christopher Birks pleaded guilty on morning of trial and received 19 years imprisonment.

  • 2009 -  R v Ogundele [Metropolitan Police: Conspiracy to murder]

Ogundele and his co-conspirator Jolie planned to attack and kill Jolie’s previous girlfriend. The conspiracy was carried out on internet relay chat and used a high degree of East London street slang combined with internet abbreviations and slang.  I provided a ‘translation’ into standard English for use in the Court case held at the Old Bailey. Ogundlee and Jolie were both convicted and received 18 and 14 years respectively.

Click here to read an article featured in the Independent about the case and the evidence assembled by Dr Tim Grant. 

Coming soon...

Selected media and talks

  • 16th April 2013 – appearance on BBC 1 the One Show about text messaging forensics 
  • 11 th April 2013 –  Invited talk to Lichfield Science Society – Investigative linguistics as forensic Science 
  • 1 st Feb 2013 – Invited University of Lund, Sweden -  Forensic linguistic analysis and synthesis 
  • 3 rd July 2012 – Talk to SOCA’s Specialist Operations Centre  - Forensic linguistics as an investigative tool 
  • 11 th  October 2012 – Invited talk to Brooklyn Law School’s Symposium on Forensic Authorship Attribution 
  • 6 th March 2012 – Talk to eMagzine 6 th form conference – Forensic applications of language analysis 
  • 25 th October 2010 – Talk to CEPOL (European Union College of policing) – Using forensic linguistics in investigations 
  • 15 th April 2010 – Interview on Election manifesto language on BBC1 The Heckler 
  • 27th January 2010 – Article on slang case in Independent newspaper  
  • 15 th December 2009 – Interview on BBC Radio 4 Word of Mouth on Forensic linguistics and cases 
  • 2nd February  2009 – Article on forensic linguistics Haaretz newspaper Israel  
  • 8 th September 2008 – British Science Association Joseph Lister Prize Lecture – Txt crimes, sex crimes and murder.