Courts / Dublin / Report
'Abrupt' withdrawal from cannabis dependency led to psychosis, court told
Summary
Ali El Taweel, 24, received a four‑year suspended sentence after a series of car crashes during an episode of psychosis linked to an abrupt withdrawal from cannabis. He left a car park without paying, drove against traffic, hit a motorcyclist, collided with two cars, a patrol car, a truck and a taxi, causing injuries to the taxi driver and passenger. He pleaded guilty to two counts of endangerment, driving without insurance, criminal damage and refusing to provide a urine or blood sample. The court noted psychiatric reports and a letter from his father detailing his cannabis dependency and sudden withdrawal. Judge Melanie Greally highlighted his subsequent engagement with mental‑health services, marriage, fatherhood, a law degree and a low risk of re‑offending, and imposed the suspended term on strict conditions, including continued medication compliance and a five‑year driving disqualification.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Abrupt' withdrawal from cannabis dependency led to psychosis, court told. Charges or matters: two counts of endangerment at locations in Dublin city centre on April 24, 2018; driving with no insurance, criminal damage and refusing to provide a specimen of urine or blood, also at locations in Dublin city centre on the same date. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- April 24, 2018 Other
- January 20 Adjournment
- 2021-12-21 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: two counts of endangerment at locations in Dublin city centre on April 24, 2018; driving with no insurance, criminal damage and refusing to provide a specimen of urine or blood, also at locations in Dublin city centre on the same date (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Passing sentence today, Judge Melanie Greally said El Taweel's "sequence of driving was prolonged and extremely dangerous and ultimately the inevitable occurred", referring to the fact that he collided with a taxi which was carrying a female passenger. The judge also accepted that El Taweel has since married and has a young son and a step-child, has completed a law degree and a probation report "has deemed him to be at a low risk of re-offending". "If he continues to be compliant with his medication and continues to abstain from use of cannabis, there is no reason to believe there would be a repetition of this kind of behaviour," Judge Greally said after noting that El Taweel has the full support of both his parents and his wife. "In normal circumstances the driving involved and the number of people exposed to danger and those who were in fa; Judge Greally acknowledged that El Taweel had €5,000 in court to offer as a token of remorse to the victims and adjourned the case to January 20 next to allow for this issue to be dealt with.
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