The trial of Diego Costa Silva heard that he had come to believe that his wife Fabiole Camara De Campos was possessed by a serpent, and that she was going to kill him. Photograph: FacebookDiego Costa Silva killed his wife while in a state of cannabis-induced psychosis at their home in Finglas, Dublin on November 4th, 2021.
Psychosis can be described as someone “losing touch with reality”, according to Prof Des Crowley, assistant director of substance misuse at the Irish College of General Practitioners, speaking generally about the condition.Operation Kenova: ‘Michael was only a kid’, says brother of man killed by IRA“It can be in the form of a delusion – a patient or person misinterprets reality,” Prof Crowley says. “For example, they think that the television is talking to them, or people are talking about them.
Mr Costa Silva’s trial heard that he had come to believe that his wife was possessed by a serpent, and that she was going to kill him. Psychosis that is caused by cannabis can – and often does – extend beyond the period of intoxication, Prof Crowley said. “The presentation of the psychotic episode can actually present over a longer period of time.”
When Dr Joynt last spoke to Mr Costa Silva in November last year, he said he found no evidence of active psychotic symptoms. He said this was one of the reasons he did not diagnose Mr Costa Silva with a more persistent illness such as schizophrenia.
Source: Law Daily Report (lawdailyreport.net)