Ailbhe O’Loughlin, Senior Lecturer in Law, York Law School

Dr Ailbhe O’Loughlin is a Senior Lecturer in Law at York Law School. Before joining York in 2016, Ailbhe was a PhD student at LSE Law School and taught at LSE and King’s College London.

Her research focuses on the intersection between mental health and criminal justice. She co-founded an undergraduate module in Mental Health and Mental Capacity Law at York and also teaches criminal law with a focus on mental health.

email: ailbhe.oloughlin@york.ac.uk


Our 60-second interview with Ailbhe:

Could you please tell us what work you do in the field of mental health?

My published work examines how judges approach sentencing offenders with mental disorders and how offenders with personality disorders are managed by the criminal justice and mental health systems. I am currently co-leading a project with Dr Kate Leader of Queen Mary University of London entitled Defendants as Victims funded by the Vulnerability and Policing Futures Internal Faculty Fund at York. We aim to produce a scoping paper for the Law Commission that will examine whether law reform is required to address the difficulties faced by vulnerable defendants who are also victims of crime.

What do you find most rewarding and inspiring in this work?

I find it inspiring to work with other people to understand the complex challenges that face people with mental health difficulties who are in contact with the criminal justice system and to work out ways of addressing them.

What is the most challenging or complicated aspect of this work?

Mental health law and criminal law are both complex and technical areas of law, and it can take a lot of time and energy to understand the effects they have on the real world. It can also be challenging to explain these complexities to others, including students, policymakers and people working in the field of mental health and criminal justice. But meeting these challenges also motivates me.

What impact do you hope your work is having - or can potentially have?

My work has had a positive impact on the Sentencing Council for England and Wales’ Guideline on Sentencing offenders with mental disorders, developmental disorders, or neurological impairments, published in 2020. In 2022, I gave evidence to the Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill on how the Government’s proposals for reforming mental health law will affect people in contact with the criminal justice system. I was pleased to find that some of my recommendations made it into the Joint Committee’s report to the Government. I hope to continue to work towards influencing law and policy in this area through my research and engagement with public and third sector bodies.

Could you share with us one piece of advice that you follow for your own mental health?

I always try to make time for walking or cycling outdoors every day, even if it’s just walking around a local park in the rain. I find that this helps to calm my mind and helps me to sleep better.

Read Ailbhe's staff profile