Our Team
Dr Michael Beech is an accomplished Forensic Psychiatrist consulting to, and preparing reports for, the courts in both criminal and civil matters.
Dr Karen Brown has worked extensively as a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist in London and Brisbane preparing reports for the Courts and civil matters, and is trained in expert witness skills. She is the former Clinical Director of Forensic Rehabilitation for The Park Centre for Mental Health in Brisbane.
Dr Michael Beech
Psychiatrist
Dr Beech graduated from the University of Queensland in 1979 with a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery. He worked in North Queensland and was the Medical Superintendent of the Ingham Hospital before he commenced training in psychiatry in 1990. He obtained Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists in 1995 together with Membership of the Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists in 1996. His RANZCP Fellowship dissertation was a comparison study of inpatient adolescents and incarcerated delinquents.
From 1996 to 2001 he was the Director of Child Psychiatry at the Mater Children’s Hospital and Director of the South Brisbane Child and Youth Mental Health Service. Since 2002 he has been in private practice and he was the Director of Medical Services at the Toowong Private Hospital, a 54-bed private adult mental health hospital until 2016. Since 2014 he has focussed on medico-legal work but he also maintains a clinical practice.
He is a foundation and accredited member of the Faculty of Forensic Psychiatry of the RANZCP and an accredited member of the Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He is also a member of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, and a member of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law.
Since 2002, he has regularly prepared reports on people referred by the Mental Health Court or by legal practitioners in relation to issues around criminal responsibility, unsoundness of mind, and fitness for trial. He also assesses people for the purpose of pre-sentence reports and bail applications. He has extensive experience in the preparation of reports for civil matters including civil compensation claims arising out of personal injuries and accidents and he has significant experience in the assessment of psychological injuries arising from institutional abuse. Since 2005, he has regularly prepared reports in relation to the Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003 matters. He has extensive experience in giving expert testimony in court.
Dr Beech has had training in the SVR-20, STATIC99-R, RSVP, HCR-20, STABLE-2007 and the ACUTE, the ARMIDILLO, the Violence Risk Scale, and the Hare Psychopathy Checklist, as well as the PIRS, GEPI and the GEPIC.
Dr Karen Brown
Forensic Psychiatrist
Dr Brown trained as a Forensic Psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital and Institute of Psychiatry in South London. She has a Master’s Degree in Forensic Psychiatry and holds Fellowship and Forensic Faculty Membership of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK).
Dr Brown has significant experience in the treatment and management of major mental disorder. From 2009-2012 she worked as a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist in London. She moved to Queensland in 2013 and was the Clinical Director of Baillie Henderson Hospital in Toowoomba. From 2015 to 2022, she was the Clinical Director of Forensic Rehabilitation at the Park Centre for Mental Health in Brisbane.
Dr Brown provides reports to Courts and legal practitioners to address fitness for trial, medical defences, risk and disposal including for Dangerous Prisoner (Sex Offender) matters. She also takes instructions for civil matters. Dr Brown has given expert evidence in Court on numerous occasions, including to the Supreme Court and the Mental Health Court in Brisbane.
Dr Brown is trained to use the HCR-20, the Static-99R, the RSVP the PCL-R, the SRP and the PIRS.
Dr Claire Wolfenden
Forensic Psychiatrist
Dr Wolfenden graduated from the University of Cambridge (UK) with a Bachelor of Arts honours degree in pre-clinical Medicine specialising in Psychology and Medical Ethics and Law in 2000 with conferral to MA in 2004. She later competed her primary medical qualification (MBBS) at Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ School of Medicine, University of London, graduating with Distinction in Special Study Modules in 2003. She worked as a medical officer at University Hospital Lewisham, London, before emigrating to Australia in 2004.
Dr Wolfenden achieved Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) in 2011 and attained the Advanced Training Certificate in Forensic Psychiatry later that year. In 2012 she was awarded the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Forensic Faculty Medlicott prize for achievements and excellence in research in Forensic Psychiatry for her research regarding mentally ill sex offenders.
Dr Wolfenden has significant professional experience in the assessment and treatment of mentally disordered offenders. She has been employed as a Staff Specialist Psychiatrist with the Queensland Prison Mental Health Service since 2011. She has experience in private civil and criminal medico-legal report writing and has given expert witness testimony to the Queensland Mental Health Court.
Dr Wolfenden is a foundation and accredited Member of the Forensic Faculty (RANZCP). She is trained in the use of range of specialist risk and impairment assessment tools including HCR-20v3, Static-99R, RSVP, Stable and Acute – 2007, PCL-R, SRP and the Queensland Guidelines for evaluation of permanent impairment, 2nd edition – PIRS.
Paula
Senior Medical Secretary
Paula is an integral member of the Benson Street Specialists Centre. She ensures the practice runs smoothly and effectively at every level. Her passion, dedication and commitment to patient care is paramount. Paula has an extensive background in the healthcare industry and she has worked in private practice for many years.
Richard
Medico-legal Secretary
Richard Xu is a dedicated and empathetic UQ psychology student with strong passion for mental health research. He is an experienced medical administrator in private specialist practice.