CHAPTER II — GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY

PART 6 — CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH THERE IS NO CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY

Division 2 — Intoxication

Definition—self induced intoxication

29. for the purposes of this Chapter, intoxication is self induced unless it came about—

(a) involuntarily ; or
(b) as a result of fraud, sudden or extraordinary emergency, accident, reasonable mistake, duress or force.

Intoxication (offences involving basic intent)

30.— (1) Evidence of self induced intoxication cannot be considered in determining whether a fault element of basic intent existed.

(2) A fault element of basic intent is a fault element of intention for a physical element that consists only of conduct.

(3) This section does not prevent evidence of self induced intoxication being taken into consideration in determining whether conduct was accidental.

(4) This section does not prevent evidence of self induced intoxication being taken into consideration in determining whether a person had a mistaken belief about facts if the person had considered whether or not the facts existed.

(5) A person may be regarded as having considered whether or not facts existed if—

(a) he or she had considered, on a previous occasion, whether those facts existed in circumstances surrounding that occasion ; and
(b) he or she honestly and reasonably believed that the circumstances surrounding the present occasion were the same, or substantially the same, as those surrounding the previous occasion.

Intoxication (negligence as fault element)

31.— (1) If negligence is a fault element for a particular physical element of an offence, in determining whether that fault element existed in relation to a person who is intoxicated, regard must be had to the standard of a reasonable person who is not intoxicated.

(2) However, if intoxication is not self induced, regard must be had to the standard of a reasonable person intoxicated to the same extent as the person concerned.

Intoxication (relevance to defences)

32. — (1) If any part of a defence is based on actual knowledge or belief, evidence of intoxication may be considered in determining whether that knowledge or belief existed.

(2) If any part of a defence is based on reasonable belief, in determining whether that reasonable belief existed, regard must be had to the standard of a reasonable person who is not intoxicated.

(3) If a person’s intoxication is not self induced, in determining whether any part of a defence based on reasonable belief exists, regard must be had to the standard of a reasonable person intoxicated to the same extent as the person concerned.

(4) If, in relation to an offence—

(a) each physical element has a fault element of basic intent ; and
(b) any part of a defence is based on actual knowledge or belief—
evidence of self induced intoxication cannot be considered in determining whether that knowledge or belief existed.

(5) A fault element of basic intent is a fault element of intention for a physical element that consists only of conduct

Involuntary intoxication

33. A person is not criminally responsible for an offence if the person’s conduct constituting the offence was as a result of intoxication that was not self induced.