diminished responsibility

• Steps for diminished responsibility

  1. Abnormality of mental functioning

  2. Substantially impaired D's ability to understand the nature of their conduct or form a rational judgement or exercise self control

  3. Abnormality provides an explanation for D's conduct
• R v Byrne


  D's state of mind must be so different from ordinary that a reasonable man would consider it abnormal
• R v Lloyd


  'Substantial' means that the impairment is more than trivial
• R v Wood


  Alcohol dependency syndrome is a recognised medical condition
• R v Dowds


  Voluntary intoxication cannot be used for diminished responsibility