Our Team
Academic & Development
Dr Laura Farrugia
Assistant Professor at Northumbria University
Laura Farrugia is an Assistant Professor at Northumbria University and a Registered Intermediary. Laura’s research focuses on vulnerability in the Criminal Justice System (CJS) with a strong emphasis on interviewing vulnerable victims, witnesses, and suspects. She has published extensively in this area and her research drives her practice as a Registered Intermediary where she advises police officers and Courts on the most appropriate manner to interview or cross-examine vulnerable victims and witnesses. Laura regularly delivers training to national and international bodies on how best to communicate effectively with vulnerable individuals.
Prof Gavin Oxburgh
Professor at Northumbria University
Gavin Oxburgh is a Registered Forensic Psychology ,Professor of Policing and Head of Department for Social Sciences at Northumbria University. He is a 22-year veteran of the Royal Air Force Police and is a recognised expert in communication, non-coercive interviewing, and human rights. He is the Assistant Director of the Northern Hub for Veterans and Military Families Research and was the Co-founder of the International Investigative Interviewing Research Group, (a group he chaired from 2007-2019. In 2022, he founded ETICA (Global), a not-for-profit social enterprise dedicated to the delivery of capacity-building through training, professional advisory services, knowledge exchange, and innovation for ethical investigative practice across the globe. He works closely with international bodies and was a key member of the UN-led International Steering Committee that developed The Mendez Principles on effective interviewing for investigations and information gathering.
Prof Fiona Gabbert
Professor at Goldsmiths University of London
Fiona Gabbert is a Professor of Applied Psychology, and Director of the Forensic Psychology Unit at Goldsmiths University of London. Fiona’s research in the fields of memory suggestibility and investigative interviewing has a strong focus on improving the usability, credibility, and reliability of evidence from victims and eyewitnesses. Her work has had an international impact on operational procedure and policy including the introduction of new evidence-based investigative interview tools and training resources to the field such as the Self-Administered Interview, the Structured Interview Protocol, and the Timeline Technique.