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Violence in sleep: medico-legal issues and two case reports

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Christopher Howard  and
P. T. D'Orbán
Christopher Howard*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Royal Free Hospital, London
P. T. D'Orbán
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Royal Free Hospital, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr C. Howard, Academic Department of Psychiatry, Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, London NW3 2QG
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Synopsis

Reported cases of violence during sleep are reviewed. Two new cases are reported where the subjects were charged respectively with attempted murder and murder; both were acquitted on the grounds of non-insane automatism. Clinical features and aetiological factors are analysed. The legal concepts surrounding non-insane automatism are discussed and criticized.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 17 , Issue 4 , November 1987 , pp. 915 - 925
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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