Recognising & responding to defendants with intellectual disability in court settings

•Compares gender, ethnicity, mental health and index offences of defendants with and without ID attending court.•Is one of the largest studies to date on this group and covers five London Courts.•Identifies an over representation of black defendants.•Identifies high rates of comorbidity with mental illness for both groups.•Identifies an increased risk of self-reported self-harm or suicidal thoughts amongst ID defendants.