http://uk.news.yahoo.com/06022006/35...ed-attack.html
Family friend jailed for 'cannabis induced' attack
A cannabis user has been jailed indefinitely after a brutal attack on his girlfriend's multimillionaire mother.
Peter Thomas, 21, received an indeterminate sentence from Judge Roger Chapple at London's Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court.
The judge jailed him for a minimum of three years but said he could not be released until the parole board considered it safe to the public for him to be freed.
The judge said he accepted Thomas would not have attacked his victim, music producer Lisa Voice, 52, had he not been suffering from mental illness, which was exacerbated by his use of cannabis.
The court heard he had been using the drug since the age of 15 and more recently was taking the stronger "skunk" strain.
The judge said: "I accept that at the time of this offence you had a mental disorder, namely schizophrenia, which may have been precipitated by and exacerbated by a dependent use of cannabis.
"I accept that this offence was attributable to your mental illness.
"If you had not been mentally ill at the time you would not have committed this offence."
He said Thomas had carried out a "sustained and horrifically violent attack" leaving Ms Voice with "devastating" injuries.
Frank Winslett, defending, said: "He started using cannabis when he was aged 15. more recently he has been using the stronger form known as skunk.
"That brought about what's occurred, it would appear.
"There is no direct evidence but I think one has to say there must be a connection between his drug addiction and what occurred."
Outside court Ms Voice, who underwent a series of operations to rebuild her face after the attack, condemned the sentence.
