Cannabis psychosis blamed for 'possessed' Leeds man's frenzied stabbing of seven-year-old brother
Doctors say that heavy cannabis use led a young Leeds man to become “possessed” and try to kill his seven-year-old brother with a pair of scissors.
The 21-year-old frantically attacked the boy who was laid asleep in bed, shouting “die, die, die” at him before their parents were able to intervene. The boy suffered 10 puncture wounds to his neck, shoulder, cheek and chest, but luckily none were serious.
The defendant, who cannot be named to protect his brother’s identity, was arrested and detained but continued to ramble about conspiracies concerning the Illuminati and Freemasons.
He was given a hospital order at Leeds Crown Court today, to be detained under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act after doctors confirmed he was suffering from psychosis and said he was a danger to the public. One suggested it could lead to schizophrenia, with another concluding that he possibly already had the illness which has been exacerbated by his drug use.
Passing the order, Judge Richard Mansell KC said: “It’s a salutary reminder of the dangers of skunk cannabis, particularly in adolescent males. It can cause serious psychotic illness to develop.
“You have suffered from poor mental health for quite a few years. Unfortunately you have taken cannabis for a significant period of time that either caused or triggered a psychotic illness. Your family sought help but there’s no been no consistent treatment or counselling for you.”
The court heard that the defendant’s mental health deteriorated rapidly in the days leading up to the stabbing at the family home in north Leeds on June 1 last year.
His family had been “fighting to get help” after he kept telling them that he felt unsafe and was not sleeping. On the day of the attack, he had appeared “calmer” although was still agitated.
At around 11.20pm his mother went to bed but her bedroom door was “flung open” and saw him stood there, stripped to the waist. With the scissors in his hand, she later said he “looked possessed” and he shouted: “You know who I am.”
He then turned around and quickly walked away, but then his younger brother was heard screaming: “Why are you doing this to me?”
His parents came running in and found him wildly swinging at the boy in his bed and shouting for him to die. The mother grabbed him by the neck and pushed him out of the way, with the father then restraining him. The defendant struggled, was “chanting” numbers and talking about the Illuminati.
The police were so concerned about him, he was handcuffed to the bed when he was taken to hospital, but continued to ramble about the officers being robots and the birds being drones sent to spy on him.
He was initially detrained and charged with attempted murder, but was convicted of GBH with intent. Held at the secure hospital, Newton Lodge, in Wakefield, the court heard he had responded well to treatment so far.
Judge Mansell said that under the hospital order, there is also a Section 41 restriction order in place, meaning he can only be discharged if the Secretary of State for Justice agrees it is safe.