R v AN – Southwark Crown Court 28th to 31st August 2014
On the night of 8th December 2013 Mr. N attacked four women on Regent Street at about 5.00 am.
He was charged with two counts of attempted robbery.
The women reported being set upon by him and dragged from their route. He grabbed at their clothing and in both cases they reported he grabbed at their handbags. He threw one woman to the floor, another he tried to silence her cries for help by covering her mouth.
He was chased by a member of the public who spotted what was happening. He tried to flee but was tackled to the ground and detained before the police attended and arrested him.
When he was interviewed he had no recollection of the events.
Mr. N is a university student of good character. His defence was that he was suffering from an epileptic seizure and he was not in control of his actions.
Medical evidence from both a leading neuro-surgeon and a psychiatrist were called for the defence, both concurred in their diagnosis and gave evidence that his actions in attacking these women was due to complex partial epilepsy and automatism.
He was acquitted on both counts.
