Bratty v Attorney-General for Northern Ireland
1963 · AC 386
Posted By lanbuk.com
- Facts
- Bratty strangled a girl. He said he had a blackness and did not know what he was doing. He relied on and, in the alternative, on insanity. There was evidence of psychomotor epilepsy.
- Issue
- When is an act involuntary?
- Held
- Lord Denning said no act is punishable if it is done involuntarily. Automatism is a muscular act without any control by the mind, such as a spasm, a reflex, concussion, or an act done while sleepwalking. Failure of memory, and an irresistible impulse, are not automatism.
- Principle
- Involuntary conduct is a complete defence. Where the cause is an internal disease of the mind, the defence is insanity, not automatism.
- Why it matters
- It is the definition of automatism used alongside Sullivan and Quick.
Words and Latin in this note
- Automatism
- An act done by the muscles without control by the mind, such as a spasm, a reflex, or a blackout. An external cause can be a complete defence. An internal cause, such as epilepsy, is treated as insanity. Open the note.
Also on Lanbuk
- Bratty v Attorney-General for Northern Ireland in Lanbuk on the Law of Evidence
For study only. By lanbuk.com. Always check current sources and consult a qualified professional.