R v Lipman [1970] 1 QB 152

The appellant had taken some LSD. He was hallucinating and believed he was being attacked by snakes and descending to the centre of the earth. Whilst in this state he killed a girl by cramming bed sheets into her mouth.

Held:

His intoxication could be used to demonstrate that he lacked the mens rea for murder as murder is a crime of specific intent. His intoxication could not be a defence to manslaughter as it is a crime of basic intent.

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