Voluntary consumption of drugs or alcohol before offending may be treated as an aggravating factor where the offender is aware of the disinhibiting effects of substances on them, even if the particular combination of drugs differs from that taken on previous occasions of violent offending. For Verdins principles to apply, there must be sufficient evidence linking the mental condition to the offending; expert reports that diagnose a personality disorder without explaining its connection to the offences are insufficient.
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