Posted on 10/09/2006 1:08:07 PM PDT by aculeus
A soldier who killed the father of a life-long friend in a frenzied attack after suffering a psychotic reaction to home grown cannabis has been jailed for 10 years.
Paratrooper Laurie Draper, 31, bludgeoned 53-year-old schoolteacher Paul Butterworth with a pair of garden shears after smoking the drug at his victim's home on March 7 this year.
Draper was jailed at St Alban's Crown Court today after admitting manslaughter on the grounds that his mental state had been affected by Mr Butterworth's home grown, high strength drug.
advertisementThe court heard that the Iraq War veteran, originally from Leicester but based at the Colchester Garrison was suffering from a cannabis-induced psychotic mental state when he smashed the three foot tree loppers into Mr Butterworth's head and body.
Jailing Draper, a lance corporal with more than eight years "exemplary" service, Judge Findlay Baker QC told him: "Your conduct became at first strange, then alarming, then delusional.
"Resisting attempts to calm you down, you attacked Paul Butterworth."
Draper, the judge added, also tried to attack Mr Butterworth's son Ashley when he tried to drag his now dead father's body away from the vicious onslaught.
Ashley was forced to flee to save his own life.
The judge added: "He did what he could to protect his father, no-one could have expected him to do more.
"Some of the blows landed on him and fearing for his life he desisted, leaving you to beat the brains out of his unfortunate father and eventually to drag his body, mutilated and barely recognisable to the living room sofa.
"This was an appalling attack of extreme and persistent violence. And I have no doubt it would not have happened if you had not consumed cannabis.
"Anyone who unlawfully takes a dangerous mind-altering controlled drug and who then finds that his mind is altered in unexpected and undesired ways must take responsibility for his subsequent actions."
Mr Butterworth, who would have celebrated his 54th birthday this week was described in court as a laid back man who loved animals and children and who smoked his home grown cannabis to relax.
In a statement read to the court Ashley Butterworth said telling his two children about their grandfather's death was "the hardest thing he had ever had to do."
That's because pot makes you mellow.
Must have been some really killer weed! (sorry couldn't resist)
I'm not trying to be cute here (and I'm no expert), perhaps he smoked salvia divinorum or even jimson weed by accident? This is a pretty extreme reaction.
Wow! The judge certainly knocked down the possibility of an insanity defense. I don't often hear of strong words from US judges.
What a horrible thing to have happen.
Riiiiiight.
Isn't this the stuff what Kinky wants to legalize?
My friends tell me this is doubtful.
what=that
Sounds to me like somebody told the court what they wanted to hear (Reefer madness story) in a bid for leniency.
That would have become known in the forensic tests before trial, I think.
Is salvia legal in the UK?
This is complete BS.
You do realize that if somebody posted every instance of violence caused by a drunk, it would crash the FR server?
Exactly!!!
He probably went nuts because his parents named him "Laurie".
Riiiiiight.
Yes - I recall that every time I smoked a doobie - I had an uncontrollable desire to run out and grab some gardening shears and stab the first person I saw.
My God - what would this guy have done if he had belted down a fifth of Bourbon???
BS unless it was laced with something.
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