LEGAL

There are eyes on us almost everywhere we go, thanks to thousands of CCTV cameras recording our every move. Britain has a total of 51,600 CCTV cameras installed, making up about 20% of such surveillance devices in the world. And according to reports, a Londoner is likely caught on security camera over 300 times a day. There has also been a huge increase in private HD video surveillance in homes and businesses. All of this footage can be used as evidence in court, as long the surveillance system used complies with strict regulations.

In almost all cases, you are not allowed to record any audio outside your property on CCTV. This means that conversations between members of the public captured on CCTV cannot be used as evidence in court. However, any video recording could be used in court, as long as it complies with the above regulations and is clear enough to identify the suspect. In more serious cases, an expert witness lip reader might be called upon to lip-read evidence and the courts can decide whether that evidence is admissible.

Jeremy has been requested by solicitors to look at evidence for the defence or the prosecution in cases such as matrimonial, employment, criminal and civil matters. Jeremy will prepare a report including transcripts with a conclusion whether the evidence is strong enough for defence or prosecution. Jeremy is able to attend court in his capacity as an expert witness.

SECURITY & SURVEILLANCE

Jeremy has worked with security and surveillance companies in particular for licensed premises. CCTV is very prominent in those areas inside and outside to protect their customers, staff and the general public. Quite often, violence happens as a result of provocation from threatening, insulting or racist language being used. This footage is handed over to us to decide if there is any admissible evidence that can be used in the courts.

One of the cases that Jeremy looked at back in 2010, was an alleged drug deal between two men outside a club. Jeremy advised that the footage was not reliable to be used in court.

ARCHIVED FILM FOOTAGE

The earliest films were in black and white, under a minute long and without recorded sound. During the 1890s films became several minutes long and started to consist of several shots. The first film studios were built in 1897. The era of silent films lasted until 1927 when the first film was made with sound.

Jeremy has been previously commissioned by film archivists , museums and galleries to transcribe silent footage - not only from the silent film era, but also newly discovered footage including newsreels from the 1940s and 1950s.

MEDIA

“A shout out to lip-readers, unsung heroes of the week”
”What unites Jean-Claude Juncker and an abusive football fan? Their sins being laid bare by a now vital trade.” Sophie Heawood, The Guardian

December 2018 was a month during which lip readers were very much in demand in the worlds of politics and sport. Our transcripts even made the front page of The Times and became leading news items on all international news networks.

Jeremy is always willing to accommodate same-day or even same-hour turn-around requests, if at all possible.

SPORT

Jeremy has been called upon to give our expert witness opinion on the unheard words of players and officials in the world of sport. Examples include cases of dissent or allegations of insulting or racist language used on the pitch.

He has also been asked by surveillance companies to review footage showing fans who are alleged to have used racist, homophobic or insulting language.

home movies

Many home movies previously recorded on film reels and tapes were transferred over to newer formats, such as DVD. This has sometimes resulted in the loss or distortion of sound.

One of Jeremy’s favourite and most poignant jobs was for a young woman who had lost her father when she was a small child. She gave us some home movie footage showing her having conversations with her father, but without sound, she was unable to hear what he had said. We were able to transcribe their conversation and provide her with a transcript. She was overwhelmed to hear her father’s wise words.

HEALTH

Jeremy offers a lipreading service to both the public and private health sectors, working with tracheotomy patients and those who have voice / larynx cancer or any other condition that inhibits the ability to use the voice intelligibly when speaking. He works very closely with the health professionals and patients' families in deciphering the patient’s needs and wishes at this very difficult time.

PUBLIC EVENTS

Jeremy is often asked to accompany the media to big public events such as the Royal Wedding, the Oscars, the Grammys and other red carpet events. It has been a pleasure to work at both William's and Harry’s weddings as an expert lip reader for newspapers. 

The best moment for Jeremy was when he caught William joking to Michael Middleton: "We're supposed to have just a small family affair."

SECOND OPINION / ADVICE

Reading lips as a communication tool is one of the most challenging concepts for the hearing population to understand. One lip reading misconception is that it is a skill practised by every D/deaf and Hard of Hearing person. People think it’s innate - that you were born with the ability or learned it at a young age.

In December 2018, in Parliament, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said what some thought to be the words “stupid woman”, and in an instant the whole country became lip readers.

The difference between a qualified forensic expert witness lip reader and am amateur lip reader is that we are trained to look at all the homophenes - when more than one sound shares the same viseme or mouth shape. A forensic expert lip reader can determine the intended meaning of a speaker by utilising all visual clues including lip movements, body language, facial expressions and context.

Jeremy Freeman is privileged to be part of a small group of qualified expert witness lip readers that can be called upon to seek their opinion and advice. Where, the opinion is divided, Jeremy would recommend that the evidence is not admissible.