[VA.SSIUADES, P.. TuiANTArYLLIDES, JOSEPHIDFS, STAVRTNIDKS 1^67 AND Lo.ZOU, JJ.] ΐίΓίχΆ Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU, Appellant, v. o. THE REPUBLIC THE REPUBLIC, Respondent. (Criminal Appeal No. 2865) C

tent to kill—Premeditation— Concept of—Restatement of the law of premeditated murder— Article 7.2 of the Constitution—Sections 203 and 204 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 154, as amended by section 5 of the Criminal Code (Amendment) Law, 1962 (Law No. 3 of 1962)— Premeditation—Definition of premeditation

section 204— Notion of premeditation

Article 7

.2 of the Constitution, as

terpreted

the Loftis cases (

fra) and thereafter—

terpretation of section 204 and its position vis-a-vis the concept ofpremeditation

Article 7

.2—

tent to kill—

ference of

tent to kill should he the only reasonable one that can be drawn from the established facts—It is not sufficient that such

ference is a reasonable nference on the evidence—Premedi­ tation is not a presumption of law but a question of fact—Test applicable—Formation of

tent to cause death prior to the act—Time to reflect and desist—Between the formation of such

tent andits execution there must be sufficient opportunity Jor the person concerned to reflect upon his decision and relinquish it. \j he so desired—This is not merely a question of length of time alone—All the relevant circumstances

each case must be taken

to account—

cluding the condition of suchpersonat the time, his calmness of mind,or the reverse— // follows, therefore, that

the present case due regard ought, also, to have been Ladto the actual condition of the appellant at the material times—Who was then under the

fluence of drink and strong passion—Notwithstanding that such

toxi­ cation had been held, and rightly so, under section 13

fra), not to have impaired the appellant's capacity to form the specific

tent to cause death requiredby section 204of the Code—See, also, under the following headings. Criminal Law—

toxication—Criminal Code, Cap. 154 section 13— Specific

tent—

toxication as affecting • capacity to form 43 GEOHCHIOS ARISTIDOU 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13,16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU T H B REPUBLIC a specific

tent—Section 13

toxication

a given casehas affected such capacity, should be resolved

favour of the accused—

toxication and premeditated murder—

toxication is always a materialfactor whichhasto be taken

to account

considering theissue of premeditation, even though the state of

toxication isnot such astoaffect the capacity of theperson concerned toform an

tent to cause death within section 204 of theCriminal Code—See, also, underCriminal Law—Preme­ ditated murder, above. Evidence

Criminal Cases—Burden and standard of proofPremeditation

cases of premeditated murder has tobe proved by the prosecution beyond reasonable doubt—Any doubt

that respect must be resolved

favour of the accused—Same principles applicable to all other constituent elements of the crime of premeditated murder, such as

tent to kill—The

ference of

tent to kill must not only be a reasonable one on the evidence—//must be theonly reasonable

ference that can be drawn from the facts—

toxication—-As affecting capacity to form a specific

tent—Burden and standard of proof—See, also, under the two preceding headings. Constitutional Law—Premeditated murder—Article 7.2 of the Constitution—Concept of premeditation

that Article—See under the first heading Criminal Law—Premeditated murder, above ; and under Constitutional Law herebelow. Constitutional Law—

terpretation of statutes—It is a principle of constitutional law governing the

terpretation of statutes, that where the Constitution andastatute

volvea constitutional right they must be construed as one Law—And the statute must be

terpreted, if possible, so as to make it consistent with the Constitution—Application of this principle to the question of the

terpretation of section 204 of the Criminal Code(asamended,supra) defining theconcept of premeditation—

view of the

terpretation of the concept of premeditation

Article 7

.2,as

terpreted by the Supreme Constitutional Court and bytheHigh Court

theLoftis cases (

fra). Statutes—

terpretation of statutes—See under Constitutional Law, immediately above. Criminal Law—Homicide—Section 205 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 154, as amended by the Criminal Code (Amendment) Law, 1962(Law No. 3 of 1962)—Sentence. 44 • 1 γ; Homicide—See immediately above.

toxication—See above. 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 Premeditated Murder—See above. Premeditation—See above. The appellant was convicted on the 11th November, 1966, by the Assize Court of Limassol of the premeditated murder at Limassol on the 5th May, 1966,of his mistress and sentenced to death. He appeals against his said conviction. The case, both at the trial and

the appeal, was fought on the issue of premeditation ; and the appeal turns solely on that issue. The appellant, a taxi-driver of the age of forty-six years admitted havingcaused the death of the victim, a married woman,of twenty-eight years of age,at her own home,by shot-gun fire. He admitted,

effect, firing no less than eleven shots but he alleged that he did so, while under the

fluence of drink, with the object of frightening the husband of the deceased. His version was rejected by the trial Court as being

cosistent with the evidence as a whole. His defence wasbriefly that (a) having regard to the totality of the evidence,

cluding

toxication, the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that at the material time he had an

tention to kill, and/or (b) that having regard to the evidence as a whole, the prosecution failed to establish premeditation. This appeal is grounded on alleged misdirections of law and of fact. The facts of the case are fully set out

the judgment of His Honour the President of this Court. They may be summarized as follows : The appellant, a taxi-driver, killed on the night of the 5th May, 1966, the deceased, Despina Prodromou. He fired repeatedly eleven shots, with a shot-gun,

to, and

, a basement flat at Limassol, where, at the time, the said deceased was residing with her husband and young daughter. There was a past history of amorous relations, between the appellant and the deceased, of which the husband of the deceased must have been aware, because, earlier on

1966, the deceased had been co-habiting

the aforesaid flat with the appellant to theexclusion of.her-husband. Later on, however,the deceased was reconciled with her husband and the appellant left the flat. 45 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOO V. THE REPUBLIC Jan. 10, 11, 12; 13, 16. 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU V. THE REPUBLIC It appears that the deceased kept up her relations with the appellant even after the reconciliation with her husband. But,

the course of such relations, friction arose, as a result of which, on the day previous to her death, the deceased broke off relations with the appellanr. After being told by the deceased on the phone, on the 4th May, 1966, that he should leave her alone, the appellant went and found the deceased at a hairdresser's shop, dragged her out by the hair and beat her up. The deceased reported the matter to the police. Shortly before midnight, on the 5th May, 1966,the appellant, who was at the time under the

fluence of drink to some appreciable extent, drove

his taxi outside the flat of the deceased, where, apparently, at the time, she was

bed with her husband and child. He then started annoying them by sounding the horn of his taxi, by playing music on a record-player

his car and by using

sulting language. As found by the trial Court his

tention at that stage was only an

tention to annoy the

mates of the flat. There can be little doubt that the appellant's state of mind then must have been one of strong passion and irate feelings. which were made worse by the

fluence of th; drink which he had consumed shortly before. After trying to annoy the

mates of the flat at that tim^ of the night, seeing that he failed to get any response, and probably annoyed and

furiated for that reason, under the

fluence of drink, as he was at that stage, the appellant decided to go and get his brother-

-law's gun and cartridge^ with which he returned to the street just outside the flat of the deceased

about twenty minutes. To do that, he drove his taxi a distance of about four miles (there and back) alone

the car. Armed with a gun now and carrying a bandolier containing twenty three cartridges, which he obtained from his brother-

-law. the appellant went to the front door of the flat and called the woman's husband, again making a lot of noise, banging and shouting. Still getting no response from

side, he went down the steps to the entrance-door of the basement flat and, having broken a glass-pane of the door, started firing shots through that front door

to the flat a number of times. Pulling the curtain down he fired more shots

the dark house,

the direction where he knew the woman and her husband may have been lying

bed. He fired four shots through this door. 46 Still failing to get any response from the

mates, at the front door, the appellant went to the back door where he again fired

the dark fiat several shots. The neighbours heard screaming which must have been an occurrenceat this stage ; but still, there was no sign of the husband. The appellant then getting down the flight of steps at the back door, opened it, entered the flat and switched the light on. According to the findings of the trial Court,while

side the flat, the appellant fired at the deceased " at least" the fatal shot from close quarters. And left before the Police arrived. He then went on foot to his son-

-law's house and from there he drove to his brother-

-law's and to another friend's admitting all along to several persons that he had shot his mistress (the deceased). It is common ground that during the whole material time, both before and after the crime, the appellant was under the

fluence of drink ; and obviously under the

fluence of passion. The appellant began firing

to the flat at about 11.40 p.m. and the victim was already dead when the police arrived at the spot at about 11.45 p.m. viz five minutes thereafter. As stated before the appellant left the place before the arrival of the police. On the other hand, on the deceased's husband's evidence, the time which

tervened between the arrival of the appellant by the deceased's house with the gun and cartridges, and the start of firing, would be a minute or two. Apart from the deceased, her little girl of twelve years was also

jured from the firing and died subsequently

hospital. The trial Court found that, notwithstanding the obvious effect of drink on appellant's mind, he was, still, capable of forming

tent, (

the present case

tent to kill),

the legal sense and that he,

fact, did form such an

tent to cause death within section 204 of the Criminal Code (

fra). The trial Court approached the matter through the provisions of section 13 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 154 and the Court of Appeal did not think that this part of the trial Court's judgment could be challenged on the evidence on record. Section 13 of the Criminal Code reads as follows: " 13.—

toxication, be deemed to have done any act or made any omission «

voluntarily. or be exempt from criminal responsibility for any act or omission. 47 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORCHIOS ARISTIDOU Ό. THE REPUBUC Jan. 10, 11, 12; 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU V. T H E REPUBLIC

such a state of

toxication that he is

capable of understanding what he is doing, or controlling his action, or knowing that he ought not to do the act or make the omission, provided that the thing which

toxicated him was administered to him without his knowledge or against his will.

tent is a constituent element of an offence,

toxication, whether complete or partial, and whether

tentional or unintentional, shall be taken

to account for the purpose of ascertaining whether such an

tent

fact existed." The Constitution of the Republic by Article 7.2 limited the imposition of the death penalty to " premeditated murder " (

fra), so that sections 203 to 207 of our Criminal Code, Cap. 154 were repealed and substituted, about one and a half year after the coming

to operation of the Constitution, by the Criminal Code (Amendment) Law, 1962 (Law No. 3 of 1962), section 5,

order that the law should be brought

to conformity with the Constitution. Section 203 of the Criminal Code as amended by.the said Law No. 3 of 1962 provides for the felony of murder " with premeditation " which is punishable with death ; and section 205 (as amended) provides for the felony of homicide by an unlawful act (or omission) which is punishable with imprisonment for life. " Premeditation " is defined by the new section 204 as follows : " 204. Premeditation is established by evidence proving whether expressly or by implication an

tention to cause the death of any person, whether such person is the person actually killed or not, formed before the act or omission causing the death is committed and existing at the time of its commission." Paragraph 2 of Article 7 of the Constitution directs that a law may provide for the death penalty " only

cases of premeditated murder, high treason, piracy Jure gentium and capital offences under military law ". The term "premeditated murder"

that paragraph has been

terpreted by the Supreme Constitutional Court

the case of The Republic and Loftis (1 R.S.C.C. 30, at p. 33). It was held therein that " premeditated murder "

Article 7

.2 conveys the notion 48 of premeditated murder " as understood by Continental legal systems and

particular by the French Code Penal from which the above notion was adopted by the Ottoman Penal -Code which applied

Cyprus until the enactment of the Criminal Code Order

Council, 1928". The Supreme Constitutional Court adopted the exposition of premeditation as laid down

1908in thecaseR. v. Shaban

that case which reads as follows : " The question of premeditation is a question of fact. A test often applicable

such cases is whether

all the circumstances a man has had sufficient opportunity after forming his

tention to reflect upon it and relinquish it. Much must depend on the condition of the person at the time—his calmness of mind, or the reverse. There might be a case

which a man has an appreciable time between the formation of his

tention and the carrying of it

to execution, but he might not be

such a condition of mind as to be able to consider it. On the other hand, a man might be

such a calm and deliberate condition of mind that a very slight

terval between the formation of the

tention and its execution might be sufficient for premeditation". On the facts and on the law, summary of which is set out hereabove, the trial Court convicted the appellant (and sentenced him to death) ofthecrime of" premeditated murder " as provided

the new sections 203 and 204 of the Criminal Code (supra). The appeal, as already stated, is grounded on alleged misdirections both on fact and of law, the case for the appellant being that he committed the lesser crime of homicide under section 205 of the Criminal Code (supra) ; and not the crime

section 203. Apart from the killing of the deceased by the appellant, which was never disputed, the main findings of fact on which the verdict of the trial Court was based are as follows :

toxication was not such as to prevent him from forming

tent

the legal sense,

the present

stance an

tent to kill (supra).

fact form such an

tent to cause death within section 204 of the Criminal Code (supra).

side the said fiat after he had got

from the back-door and switched the light on (supra). 49 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEOKCHH» AKISTIDOU b. THB REPOBLIO Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEOBGHIOS ARISTIDOU V. THB REPUBLIC

tent to kill the deceased.

tention to kill the deceased or any ofthe

mates of the said flat from the moment he left the street outside the deceased's said flat and started driving his taxi to go to the house of his brother-

-law to get the latter's shot-gun with the bandolier ofcartridges i.e, about twenty minutes before he fired the first shot (supra).

tervened between the forming by the appellant of the

tention to kill—when he left the street outside the flat of the deceased to go and fetch the gun from his brother-

-law's—and the carrying of such

tention

to evecution as aforesaid. The trial Court found that such time, fifteen to twenty minutes—was sufficient for the appellant to reflect on his decision to kill and to desist, if he so desired. The Supreme Court

allowing the appeal (Josephides, J. dissenting on a question of fact), quashed the conviction for premeditated murder under section 203 of the Criminal Code (supra), and substituted therefor a conviction of the iesser offence of homicide under section 205 (supra), imposing a sentence of 25 years' imprisonment. Held, (I):

that respect should be resolved

favour of the appellant.

tent to kill can be

ferred as a fact from the sorrounding circumstances, it is not sufficient that such

ference is a reasonable one ;it should be the only reasonable

ference that can be drawn from the facts ; and the burden of proving

tention to cause death always rests upon the prosecution. The above principles apply equally to any other

gredient of the offence.

Article 7

.2 of the Constitution (supra) have been

terpreted by the Supreme Constitutional Court

the case of The Republic and Loftis (1 ,R.S.C.C. 30,at p. 33). It was held therein that " premeditated murder "

Article 7

SO conveys the notion of premeditated murder " as understood by continental legal systems and

particular by the French Code Penal from which the above notion was adopted by the Ottoman Penal Code which applied

Cyprus until the enactment of the Criminal Code Order

Council, 1928". The Supreme Constitutional Court adopted the exposition on the concept of premeditation as laid down

1908

the case R. v. Shaban

Shaban's case (supra) regarding premeditation was also adopted by the High Court (shortly after the said judgment of the Supreme Constitutional Court)

it<= judgment Loftis v. The Republic ,1961 C.L.R. 108.

terval of time between the formation of the

tention to cause death and the actual killing afforded the person concerned (the killer) sufficient opportunity to reflect upon, or desist from, his decision to kill, if he so desired, much depends on the particular circum­ stances

each case,

cluding the condition of such person at the time, his calmness of mind, or the reverse. It follows, therefore, that

the present case due regard ought, also, to have been had to the actual condition of the appellant at the material times i.e. to his being then under the

fluence of drink and strong passion, notwithstanding that such

toxication had been held, and rightly so, not to have affected the appellant's capacity to form an

tention to cause death.

toxication is a factor to be taken

to account

considering the issue whether a person, after forming an

tention to kill, has had sufficient opportunity to reflect upon his said decision and relinquish it, notwithstanding that such

toxication, considered under the provisions of section 13

tent to cause death as required by section 204 of the Code (supra).

toxication had affected the capacity of the person concerned to form a specific

tent under section !3

favour οΐ the accused. Held. (I!) regardingthe

terpretation andeffect of sectionlQA of the Criminal Code as amended (supra) as well as its position vis-u-vis the notion of "premeditation" and "premeditated 51 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU V. THE REPUBLIC Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU T H B REPUBLIC murder "'

paragraph 2 of Article 7 of the Constitution as

terpreted both by the Supreme Constitutional Court and the High Court

the Loftis cases (supra) :

the Loftis cases (supra) the position stated

Shabans case (supra) regarding premeditation as understood by the Constitution

Article 7.2.

And

amending, few months after those judgments, the relevant part of the Criminal Code by Law No. 3 of 1962 (supra), the legislature did not attempt to give a definition to premeditation, affecting

any way the ordinary meaning of the word ; and make it a technical term for the purposes of the statute. Section 204 of the Criminal Code as amended (supra) merely provides that premeditation is established (not deemed to exist) by evidence proving " expressly or by implication, an

tention to cause the death of any person formed before the act or omission causing the death is committed, and existing at the time of its commission ".

other words, proving " animus necandi " not only at the time of the act causing death but also proving that such animus had been formed earlier. That the homicide is the result, not only of an

tended act,but also theexecution of an earlier meditated decision.

the absence of that earlier meditation leading to the decision to kill, and

the absence of sufficient time to reflect upon such decision, the

tentional unlawful act causing death constitutes the crime of homicide under section 205 (supra), punishable with imprisonment for life ; but not the aggravated crime of premeditated murder under section 203 (supra) which is punishable with death.

terpretation of statutes, that where the Constitution and a statute

volve a constitutional right they must be construed as one Law ; and the statute must be

terpreted, if possible, so as to make it consistent with the Constitution (see Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific R. R. Company v. Commonwealth of Kentucky, 115 U.S. 321). (b) So, once the Supreme Constitutional Court has adopted the exposition of premeditation, set out

R. v. Shaban (supra), as conveying the notion of premeditation embodied

Article 7

.2 of the Constitution (supra), the definition of premeditation

the new section 204 of the Criminal Code (supra) 52 must be read

that light and as

tended to convey the same notion ; it cannot be construed or applied as conveying a different notion of premeditation : and it is quite possible to construe and apply constitutionally section 204,as it stands today.

tent to kill and does not stipulate any

terval of time, however short, between the formation of the

tention and its execution. (b) Considering that every

tentional act or omission is preceded, by however short a time, by the formation of the

tent to do the act or make the omission, that section, if taken literally, would bring every unlawful and

tentional killing within the ambit of premeditated murder, for which by the last preceding section of the Code (i.e. section 203, supra) the death penalty is provided. (c) However, the power of the legislature to provide the death penalty is limited by Article 7.2 of the Constitution to case> of " premeditated murder, high treason ", (supra). Accordingly, if and so far as section 204 of the Code, read without reference to the Constitution, could have the effect of attaching to the expression " murder with premeditation "

section 203 a meaning wider than that possessed by the expression " premeditated murder"

Article 7

, paragraph 2,of the Constitution, the result would be to make the latter section unconstitutional. (d) Thequestion is : What isthemeaning ofthe expression as used

Article 7.2 of the Constitution ? Held, (III) icgarding the basic findings made by the trial Court

clusive, set out

the penultimate part of the head-note (supra), that is to sav:

toxication was not such as to impairhiscapacityto jorm the specific

tent to kill;

fact form such an

tent to cause death within section 204 of the Criminal Code ;

from the back door and switched the light on;

tent to kill the deceased:

tention to kill thedeceased or any of the

mates of the flat from the moment he startedfrom outside the said flat to go andfetch the gun and ammunition from his brother-

-law's i.e. about twenty minutes before he began firing.

terval, which

tervened between the formation of this

tention and its execution as aforesaid, had afforded the appellant sufficient opportunity to reflect upon his decision to kill and relinquish it, if he so desired :

tent to terrorize and domineer as it is with an

tent to kill the deceased or any of the

mates of the flat. (b) I say " at least", because I am rather

clined to the view that the way

which the appellant obtained the gun ; the noise he made with his car when he returned with it ; his behaviour at the front door before firing ; and all the shooting

the dark from outside the front and the back doors, is more consistent with an

tent on the part of a person

appellant's condition to terrorise and domineer his mistress. And I draw my

ference from such conduct, accordingly (see Hji Costa (No. 2) v. The Republic

tent to kill the deceased having been formed

the disturbed mind of the appellant, when he saw the deceased after he (the appellant) entered the flat from the back door and after switching the light on. This possibility cannot bj safely excluded. (d) The trial Court having found that the appellant formed the

tention to kill when he left to fetch the gun (supra), went on and found that the time between the formation of such

tent and the shooting (viz. about 20 minutes) was sufficient time for the appellant to reflect upon his decision or desist therefrom, if he so desired. Without th; finding on the point of time when the

tent to kill was formed, the trial Court would, apparently, not have convicted the appellant of the premeditated murder of the deceased. 54 it-) Taking the view that that finding cannot be sustained, I am of the opinion that the conviction must be set aside ; and be replaced by a conviction for homicide under section 205 of the Code (supra). 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16; 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS

tention of killing either the deceased or her husband or both ; moreover I agree with the trial Court that such

tention was formed when appellant's annoying tactics failed to bring forth a satisfying, for him, result, and went off to fetch the shotgun. These aspects of the case have raised not even a doubt

my mind

favour of the appellant. (b) What has given me some difficulty is the issue of whether or not the killing of the deceased was,

the circumstances, a premeditated murder, as held by the trial Court, or only a homicide under section 205 of the Code (supra) as argued by counsel for the appellant.

my opinion it is only a homicide for (he following reasons. (c) I am well aware that it docs not necessarily follow that an abnormal state of mind affords no opportunity for premeditation ; even a state of mental disease may not be

consistent with it(see/Won v. The Republic, 1964C.L.R. 97). Nor I am prepared to hoid that

fluence of drink or strong passion would

every case be

consistent with premeditation. But the existence of premeditation is a matter to be examined

the light of the particular circumstances of each case, and

the present case 1 cannot, with respect, agree with the trial Court that it could be safely

ferred that the appellant has had sufficient opportunity,

the short time that elapsed (fifteen to twenty minutes) and

the condition

which he was, to reflect and desist. (d) As correctly stated by the trial Court, premeditation is an element the existence of which has to be established by the prosecution ; and any doubt

that respect has to be resolved

favour of the appellant (see Koliandris v. Tne Republic

tention and relinquish it is not only a matter of pure space of time but a composite notion of the relevant space of time coupled with the actual condition of the person concerned. The trial Court,

reaching the conclusion that there has been premedi.Ό ARISTIDOU V. THE REPUBUC 1967 Jan. ΙΟ, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS AKISTIDOU V. THB REPUBLIC tation on the part of the appellant, appears to have based itself only on the space of time which

tervened between the formation of his

tention to kill and the carrying out of it

to execution. Nothing has been said about the actual condition of the appellant during such space of time ; namely, his being under the

fluence of drink and strong passion. This failure amounts to a misdirection of law sufficiently serious to make it necessary to quash the conviction. (/) If on the other hand, it must be presumed that this trial Court had the appellant's said condition

mind—though

dealing with premeditation it has said nothing about such condition—then I find myself unable to agree with the

ference of the trial Court that the short space of time, which

tervened between the formation by him of theintention to kill and the actual killing (i.e. about twenty minutes), afforded the appellant,

the condition

which he was, under the

fluence of drink and strong passion, sufficient opportunity to reflect on his

tention and relinquish it. And that being largely a matter of

ference, this Court is

as good a position to draw such

ference from the established facts of the case as was the trial Court. (g) I am, therefore, of the opinion that the verdict of preme­ ditated murder was not a reasonable one—

the sense of section 145

tention to kill the deceased or any of the

mates of the flat from the tim? he left the flat to go to the house of Yerakis (his brother-

-law)

order to get the gun. (b) From the moment he left until the moment he returned by the deceased's flat and began shooting from the front door it is estimated that about twenty minutes elapsed.

the course of that time the appellant drove his own car two miles to go and two miles to return, within the built up area of Limassol. On arriving at-his brother-

-law's (Yerakis's) house he had opportunity of talking with an outsider, that is, Troodia (Yerakis's wife), who was altogether unconnected with the appellant's affair and differences with the deceased and her husband. There, he put forward a false story, that 56 he wanted the gun of Troodia's husband to go shooting hares on a trip to Nicosia, whi:h shows calculating, clear and cool mind. On returning to the flat, armed with the gun. he called out to the deceased's husband " come out we two have something to say "'. But the husband did not reply and he left to go and

form the Police by telephone. The appellant then broke the glass-pane of the front door and started shooting'

to the room. After firing four shots

the front he went to the rear of the flat where he fired another seven shots, and at least the fatal shot was fired by him at the deceased woman while he (appellant) was

side the flat. He left as the police were arriving and went to the house of his sonin-law on foot where he told him that he (appellant) had " killed them ", adding that he had killed his " mistress " as she was slandering his wife and daughter that they were prostitutes. From there he drove two miles to Troodia's house to whom he returned the gun dismantled and said that he went and killed the " prostitute ". The appellant began firing at 11.40 p.m. and the victim was dead by 11.45 when the policearrived at the spot. Between8.30 and 9.30p.m. on that night the appelant had more than half a bottle of V.O. brandy and a brandy with coca-cola, and he was under the

fluence of drink ; but the trial Court rightly found that this did not affect his mental faculties nor his capacity to form an

tent to kill. (c)

these circumstances 1 do not think that the finding of the trial Court, that the appellant had sufficient opportunity, after forming his

tention, to reflect upon it and relinquish it. is not warranted by the evidence as a whole. (d) 1 am, further, of the view that the criticism that the trial Court confined its finding on the time element alone, without taking

to account all the relevant circumstances,

cluding

toxication,

determining the appellant's calmness of mind and his capacity to reflect on his decision, is not well founded. (c) It is true that

the final part of their Judgment the trial Court did not expressly mention the question of

toxication, but it should be borne

mind that the Court had

the forefront of their consideration of the casethe appellant's state of

toxication. They had already decided that drink had not affected his mental faculties and his capacity to form the

tent, that is, to think and take a decision. I do not think that it was necessary for them to repeat it

the part 57 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTUKTO V. THB REPUBUC 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 1 GEORGHIOS of their judgment to show that,

determining the appellant's calmness of mind and capacity to reflect on his decision and relinquish it. they had taken

to account the appellant's state of

toxicatio.i along with the other circumstances of the case. ARISTIDOU V. T H E REPUBLIC (/) I hold the view that on the evidence,

cluding the appellant's state of

toxication, the trial Court rightly reached the conclusion that the appellant had sufficient opportunity, after forming his

tention, to reflect upon it and relinquish it (g) On the whole I am satisfied that, having regard to the evidence, the conviction of premeditated murder under section 203 of the Code (supra) was not unreasonable, that there was no wrong decision on a question of law and that there was no miscarriage of justice. For these reasons I would dismiss the appeal.

tent to kill some time between his stop by the deceased's flat preceding the fetching of the gun and cartridges and his setting out to bring these things, the possibility that his

tention

setting out to do so was merely to frighten the deceased's husband, which is the version he put forward at the trial, cannot be excluded as being merely fanciful. (b)

deed it is impossible to say with anydegree of certainty that the

tent was formed before his arrival by the deceased's house with the gun and cartridges. On the other hand it is,

my view, clear that the

tent existed when the first shot

to the duelling was fired. (c) It follows that as regards time the issue of premeditation must be decided on the footing that the

tent to kill was formed some time between such arrival and the start of the firing, which, on the evidence of the deceased's husband, would be a minute or two after the arrival. On the other hand, clearly, by the time he started firing, the appellant was

a state of great excitement ; he was under the

fluence of passion exacerbated by dunk. (d) Having

mind the principles that this Court is

as good a position as the trial Court to draw

ferences from established facts (see Kalalos v. R 19 C.L.R. 121, at p. 125) and the admirable statement analysing the concept of preme5.S ditation

S/uibanνcase (s tnra), 1 am of the opinion that t^e conviction for prenieduued mu der under section 203 ol the Code must be set aside and a conviction foi homictue under sec'ion 205 \wpta) be substituted foi it 1967 Jan 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU

my viev\ it was open to the trial Court, on the evidence, to come to the conclusion that the appellant formed the

tent to kill when ne left the v.ene

order to go and fetch the gun from the house of his brother-

-law (b) The

tendl b c t v ^ n the time he formed this

tent and the lime he put it

to execution is the time that it took him to drive the two miles to the house of his brother-

-law, get the gun, and then drive back to the flat, which may well have been

the region of 15 to 20 minutes (c) The question of premeditalion ca.

ot b? decided on the length of time alone for quite obv,otij!y what may be sufficient time

one

stance may not be sufficient m another, depending on the mental condition of the oerson

volved and therefore his capaci!\ to meditate (ίΛ On the evid-.icc accepted by the t n j Court it cannot be t'oubted that the appellant at the matenal time was labouring, under the

fluence of strong passion Similarly it is equally clear thai tiu. menta' faculties of the appellant both as a result of his state of

toxication (even though his condition was not such a·, to affect his capacity to foi m aι

tent) and of the passion under which he was labounn.. must have been affected to a certain degree and that

view of this his capacity to reflect on his decision to kill and desist from it must have also been affected (ί) Reading the Judgment of the Court it is,

m> view. to say the least, open to doubt whether

considering the question of premeditation, as oistinjuished from the foimation of theintent to kill,theComtcons.Jered or made an> allowance for the state of the appellants mind as an element affcenng his capacity to reflect on his decision and desist from it within the period from the formation of the

tent and the carrying of U

to execution (/) This,

m\ opinion, amounts· to a misdirection sufficiently serious to wairant the setting aside of the conviction 59 V T H E REPUBLIC 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 for premeditated murder under section 203 and the substitution therefor of a conviction for homicide under section 205 of the Criminal Code (supra). Appeal allowed. Conviction for premeditated murder set aside ; convictionfor homicide substituted therefor. Appellant sentenced to twenty-five years imprisonment as from today. GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU o. T H E REPUBLIC Cases referred to : Ali v. The Republic,

this part at p. 1 ante) ; R. v. Shaban

Θέμις ΜΓ Γ.202 : Α.Π. 546/1938

Άρχ. Π.Ε.Τ.γ. Γ.26 ; Α.Π. 65/1931

Θέμις MB σ.211. Appeal against conviction. Appeal against conviction by the appellant who was con­ victed on the 11th November, 1966, at the Assize Court of Limassol (Criminal Case No. 6785/66) on one count of the offence of premeditated murder contrary to section 203 of the Criminal Code Cap. 154, as amended by-section 5 of Law 3 of 1962 and was sentenced by Malachtos, Ag. P.D.C., Vassiliades and Lorris, D J J . , to death. G. Cacoyiannis, for the appellant. L. Loucaides, Counsel of the Republic, for the respon­ dent. Cur. adv vult. The following judgments were read by : VASSILIADES, P.: This is an appeal against conviction for premeditated murder, of which the appellant was charged, tried, and convicted by the Assize Court of Limassol, on November, 11, 1966, after a strongly contested trial, lasting for a number of days. The case, both at the trial and

the appeal, was fought on the issue of premeditation, and the appeal turnssolely on that issue. It is,

this case, a mixed issue of fact and law as it

volves both questions of fact, and questions of law. The appellant, a taxi-driver of the age of 46 (p. 177, C, of the record) caused the death of the victim named

the charge, a woman of 28 (p. 177, B) at her own home, by shot-gun fire,

circumstances which could well be des­ cribed as a horrible crime. 61 v. T H E REPUBLIC 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC Vassiliiules, P. The deceased was a married woman of low morals, living with her second husband, and her child, a girl of about 12,

a basement flat at Limassol. The husband is not fully described

the record. He is prosecution witness 34, Prodromos Georghiou (p. 70) ; the type of

dividual who, knowing that the appellant was the lover of his wife, was prepared to receive frequently, money and other favours from him ; and to accept the appellant regularly

his house. According to the evidence, this love affair between the appellant and the wife

question, had been going on for over four years (p. 140), the husband pretending

gorance, until the lovers made arrangements to have the husband brought by a " friend " to Nicosia to " catch them "

a hotel bedroom (P.W. 27 : p. 5) and so enable him to have, they said, " a ground for divorce ". The scene at the hotel is characteristic of the principal actors, and their relations. The " friend " led the husband to the bedroom door (as arranged between him and the lovers) where the appellant answering the husband's knock requested him to wait until " they got dressed " (p. 58, A). And when, after a while, the couple came out of the room, the wife said to the husband : " Go away. I do not want you because you beat my child ". The husband thereupon " spat at her face " (p." 58, B, C) ; and "

sulted " her lover (the appellant) by saying : " Den ndrepese, palianthrope, tosa chronia fili, ekames mou emenan etsi praman " (Are you not ashamed ? After being friends for so many years, you did to me such a thing) (p. 70, G). And that was all at that stage. , On returning to Limassol—the husband said

evidence (p. 71, B)—he took his belongings and went to live with his brother. And on the following day he

stituted divorce proceedings, he said. The appellant and the wife returned to Limassol together, and

stalled themselves at the flat, where thev co-habited for some two or three weeks (p. 178, F). But after that, the deceased and the husband reconciled ; and the husband returned to his flat to replace the other man ; while the appellant returned to his own home and family. As already stated, he is a married man of 46, with a wife and five grown up children ; the eldest a son of 24, and the youngest a girl of 16 years of age (p. 102, G). The affair, however, between the appellant and the deceased, apparently continued much as before. "

spite f-2 of the reconciliation with her husband—the trial Court found—the accused never stopped loving her, and it is clear from the evidence that the deceased responded " (see judgment at p. 179, B). This is clear, the trial Court add, from the fact that the appellant and the wife went together to Larnaca on the 4th February, 1966 ; and when detected by the Police and brought back to Limassol, the wife stated " that she had gone with the accused on her own free will " (P- 179, C). That wasonly very few days after the wife had reconciled with her husband ; and only five days after she had made a complaint to the Police, together with him, on the 29th January, against the appellant for annoying them ; and after the appellant had promised to the policeman who warned him

consequence of the complaint that he would " stop annoying her, and stop passing by her house ". (Judgment p. 178, G). Nevertheless, matters went on same as before, the evidence describing the deceased as the appellant's mistress. These are the characters

volved

this case ; and they seem to have continued

this way,for the next two months, when we come to the time of the murder ; late April—early May. On April 29,the appellant speaks of an outing to the open country, where he and the deceased spent their morning near a river-side for a love picnic (p. 146, B-D). On the 30th April, the appellant was seen coming out of the house of the deceased, by a policeman (P.W. 7) who remarked to h i m : "Pale pais"? (Doyoustillgo ?) (Judgment p.179,C). A couple of days later, the appellant happened to be seen by the deceased driving his young daughter and another girl

his car. The deceased apparently took objection to that ; and made a scene ofjealousy to the appellant by ringing up to his taxi-office and

sulting him. This was on Wednesday, May4, the day before the murder. The appellant, obvioulsy not prepared to have his " mistress " behave towards him

that manner, went to put matters right. After another telephone conversation which seems to have made things worse, he went to find her at a hairdresser's(P.W.18p.35)wheretheappellant calledherout, and gave her a beating there and then. The trial Court describe this scene

their judgment (p. 179,D) as follows : " .... the accused opened the door, seized her by the hair, dragged heroutside andassaulted herand gaveher 63 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS AKISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC Vassili.tdes, P- 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU V. T H B REPUBLIC a black eye. This was the result of a conversation over the 'phone' where the deceased had said to him : ' You go with your prostitute daughter and wife and leave me alone ' (Na pighenis me to poutanaki tin kori sou ke tin yineka sou ke mena na mafisis isihi) ; this makes it clear—the trial Court say—that the deceased wanted to bring her relations with the accused to an end. This

cident was reported to the Police by the deceased herself on the same day." Vassiliades,P. Placed

the background of the history of the relations between the deceased and her lover, however, the

ference drawn by the trial Court that she " wanted to bring her relations with the accused to an end " is, at least, I think, doubtful. Be that as it may, the following day, May 5, the deceased remained

bed with her black eye and swollen nose (P.W.34, p. 73, G). That was the day of the crime. At about six

the evening, the appellant passed again outside her house, and signalled his presence there, by sounding his horn, which seems to have been his habit to do. Some time later, the husband went to the Police and complained about this (p. 112, Β and 179, G). Later that same evening, May 5, at about 8.30 p.m., the appellant together with four other persons,

cluding a Police

spector (P.W. 44) went to a bar-restaurant for drinks and food. On their way to the restaurant, the

spector mentioned to the appellant, the husband's com­ plaint (P.W. 44 p. 112, D). But apparently the matter was given very little importance ; and the group of friends proceeded to the place

question, where they were together, eating and drinking until about 10 o'clock. The appellant here seems to have consumed more than half a bottle of strong brandy, which he was drinking with another man ; while the

spector and two of the others consumed a bottle of whisky (p. 180, B). From the restaurant the party, with the exception of the

spector, proceeded to a cabaret where the appellant had one more brandy with coca-cola this time, which seems to have made his condition worse. Here, they found appel­ lant's brother-

-law, Yerakis (P.W. 24) whose gun and cartridges the appellant used later that night,

the com­ mission of the murder. From the cabaret the appellant and his friends went to the former's taxi-office to collect their cars. That was i:-l shortly before 11 o'clock (P.W. 37 p. 86, B). The appellant was apparently under the

fluence of drink (p. 87, G).—But well enough to get his Mercedes taxi and drive some passengers to a cabaret (p. 150, B). From there he drove to the street where the deceased woman's house was ; and stopped somewhere near, playing a record on the car's pick up (p. 150, C) ; and making noises with his car and voice (P.W. 5 ; p. 23, B) apparently to make again his presence felt by his angry " mistress " and her miserable husband. The trial Court found as a fact, that the appellant was doing all this with the

tention to annoy them. (Judgment at p. 179, G and p. 180, E.).

fact he did annoy and disturb, notonlythewoman and her husband (P.W. 34, B-D); but also the neighbours

the street (P.W. 5, p. 23). The

mates of the flat, however, chose to keep quiet. They had already gone to bed, and had their lights out (P.W. 34, p. 74, E). They kept the house dark, and made no reply (P.W. 34, p. 74, G). The version of the appellant is that the husband

sulted him from

side (p. 150, E) ; but this was not accepted by the trial Court. The Court found that from there the appellant drove to his brother-

-law's house a couple of miles away (p. 180, E) where, pretending that he was to go shooting hares at night, he (appellant) persuaded his sister-

law (P.W. 23) to give him her husband's sporting gun and bandolier with 23 live cartridges (p. 180, F) with which he returned to the place where, about twenty minutes, earlier, he had been " to annoy ". What happened at this stage, according to the trial Court, is described

thejudgment (at p. 180, F—181, A) : " He parked his taxi outside the flat, on the left hand side of the road facing towards the sea, he left the ignition keys on, and through the gate came to the entrance door of the flat. He then broke the glass pane of the right middle leaf of the front door, tore down and threw out the corresponding curtain, and fired 4 shots

to the flat. After that, he proceeded to the rear of the flat where he must have fired another 7 shots

to the said flat. At a point of time, he entered the flat through the rear door which was not locked, and switched the light on, as it was dark. He then came out and proceeded on foot through the back yard of the flat, towards the house of his son-

-law, Nicos D. Aniftos, P.W. 29, at Golgon Street, which is at a distance of about 600 ft. from the flat. He left the gun and the bandolier 65 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mr.r. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU v. T H B REPUBLIC Vassiliades, P. 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, MAT. 3 GEORGHIOS outside and rang the bell. His son-

-law opened the door. There and then he confessed to him what he had done, and added : ' Ε kalo na katigoroun tin yineka mou ke tin korin mou os poutanes ?' (Was I to let them accuse my wife and my daughter as prostitutes ?." ARISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC Vassiliades, P. From there the appellant took the taxi-car of his son-

law, and went to his brother-

-law's house, where he returned the gun and bandolier with 11 live cartridges (p. 180, B-C). He then drove to the house of one of the employees of the taxi-office, Kambouris (P.W. 43) to whom he said : " Friend, I have made the greatest mistake

my life ; I shot my mistress. I shot them both, mother and daughter", (p. 181, D)—From there he drove away

to the country where he was arrested

a field, next morning. Dealing with the firing, later

their judgment, the trial Court say (at p. 182, G) :— " It is obvious that 4 shots were fired

to the flat from the direction of the front door. The one shot went through the first armchair and hit the pillows and one of -the sheets on the double bed. The other one hit the middle of the mattress as a result of which cotton was forced out of it. About one foot away from the said shot to the direction of the foot of this bed, there was another shot which corresponded to the shot that hit the arm of the second armchair. The last one was on the foot of the bed, on the wooden part of it. This shot was the one that damaged the blanket. By the side of the foot of the double bed, there was a pool of blood. The table-cloth of the dining table was also perforated by pellets. On this table there were two empty bottles which were smashed by pellets." Dealing with the

juries found on the dead body of the woman, the trial Court say (p. 184, D) :— " The fatal wound was the one on the right base of the thorax which was surrounded by dense blackening." As described earlier

the judgment (p. 184, A) this was a gunshot wound 2" χ 1" surrounded by blackening " w i t h about nine grazing superficial pellet wounds on the outer aspect of the thorax. Through this wound the liver, right dome of the diaphragm and the right lung were lacerated. A wad and--6 pellets were extracted from-the liver and right lung " . The shot that caused this wound, according to the findings of the trial Court, was fired " at the victim while 66 the accused was

side the flat. This is clear—the Court add—from the size and nature of the wound, the blackening round it and the presence of the empty cartridges within the flat " . (p. 186, G). But this finding is qualified with the words " at least this fatal shot . . . " which

dicate that the trial Court found themselves unable to say with certainty whether any other shots, excepting this one, were fired

side the flat. 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Μjr. 3 GEORGHIOS ABISTIDOU v. T H E REPCBLIC Vassiliades, P. The defence strongly contested this finding. Learned counsel for the appellant argued extensively to the effect that the circumstantial evidence on which the trial Court

ferred that the fatal wound was fired while the appellant was

side the flat, was equally consistent with firing the fatal shot from outside the back door, near which the victim may have taken refuge, after the firing from the front door. The evidence does not necessarily exclude the possibility, counsel submitted, of this shot having been fired from out­ side the back door. Especially so,

the face of the evidence of the appellant (the only direct evidence on the point) that he did not fire at all after entering the flat. Appellant's evidence

chief

this connection, is that after firing repeatedly from outside the back door, he went down the steps and opened the door, which he found un­ locked, to see what had happened

side. While

the doorway, he switched on the light and saw the deceased wounded on the floor, under the single bed. The shocking sight brought him to his senses, he said. The victim was still alive and said : " Have pity on my daughter. What has happened to you tonight ? What have you done to us ?". He then saw the girl wounded on the double bed, and hearing a noise outside, which he took to be a police car, he got afraid and left. (P. 152 F-153 A, B, F).

cross examination, the appellant

sisted that he went

side the room from the back door

order to see what had happened

the house. On witching the light on, he saw the wounded woman underneath the single bed which brought him to his senses, he said, especially when she spoke to him. He fired no shot after that. (p. 165). The trial Court, however, did not accept the evidence of the appellant ; and reached the conclusion, on the totality of the evidence before them, that the fatal shot was fired " at the victim while the accused was

side the flat " (p. 186, G). To disturb this finding, the defence must show that it 67 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU could not have been made on the evidence on record. (Kiamil Ali v. The Republic,

mates of the fiat (which was his

tention to do

going there) with the noises he made with his car (P.W. 5, p. 23, D) at that time of the night, and with the

sulting language he had used, seeing that he failed to get the expected response, and probably annoyed and

furiated for that reason, under the

fluence of drink as he was at that stage, the appellant decided to go and get his brother-

-law's gun and cartridges, with which he returned

about 20 minutes. To do that, he drove his taxi a distance of about four miles (there and back) alone

the car. Armed with a gun now, he went to the front door of the flat and called the woman's husband out, again making a lot of noise ; banging and shouting (P.W. 5, p. 23, F). Still getting no response from

side, he started firing through the front door, of which he broke the glass. Pulling the curtain down (P. W. 44, p. I l l , B) he fired more shots

the dark house,

the direction where he knew the woman and her husband may have been lying

bed. He fired four shots through this door (p. 180, G). Still failing to get any response from the

mates, at the front door, the appellant went to the back door where he again fired

the dark flat several shots. The neighbours (P.W. 2, p. 11, D) heard screaming which must have been an occurrence at this stage; but still, there was no sign of the husband. The appellant then getting down the flight of steps at the back door, opened it, and switched the light on (p. 152, F). According to the findings of the trial Court, while

side the flat, the appellant fired at the deceased, " at least " the fatal shot (p. 186, G) from close quarters. And left before the Police arrived. He then went on foot to his son-

-law's house (p. 180, G) and from there he drove to his brother-

law's and to another friend's (p. 181, B-D) admitting all along to several persons, scared and horrified, that he had shot his mistress. It is common ground that during the whole of the material time, both before and after the crime, the appellant was under 68 the

fluence of drink ; and obviously under the

fluence of passion, which I need not attempt to analyse for the purposes of this judgment. 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. .! On these facts two important questions arise for determination : the question of

tent ; and the question of premeditation. Both mixed questions of fact and law which compose,

this case, the issue of premeditation upon which the appeal turns. GEOKCHIOS ARISTIDOU V. T H E REPUBLIC Vassiliades, P. The trial Court found that, notwithstanding the obvious effect of drink on appellant's mind, he was capable of forming

tent,

the legal sense of the term. The Court approached the matter through ^the provisions of section 13 of the Criminal Code (Cap. 154) ; and I do not think that this part of the trial Court's judgment can be challenged, on the evidence

this case. Nor, can I think, be doubted (although not expressly found by the trial Court) that the appellant was also labouring at the material time, under the

fluence of passion. Arrogance, pride, love, jealousy and anger, may have all played their part. It is not for us to say what mixture of feelings, and

what proportion they were

fluencing the appellant at the time of the crime ; but there can be no doubt, I think, that his mind, at all material time, was affected by this dangerous combination of drink and passion. The trial Court found that the fatal shot was fired with

tent to kill. We do not think that this finding can be legally questioned. But the point of time at which this

tent to kill was formed is a crucial issue of fact

this case. The trial Court say,

the last part of their judgment (p. 188, C) that on the evidence before them, they took " The view that the accused formed the

tention to kill the deceased or any of the

mates of the flat. . . from the time he left the flat to go to the house of Yerakis

order to get his gun ".' But one of the

mates of the flat at that time was the little girl of 12, whom, on the evidence, the appellant would have no cause or reason whatsoever, to kill. The girl was

fact

jured, from the firing

the dark house ; and the unfortunate creature, subsequently died

hospital. But, there is no suggestion that after entering the house and switching the light on, the appellant fired at the girl. Can it,

such circumstances, besaid that the appellant had at any time fired deliberately with

tent to kill the girl ? I am of the opinion that such a finding cannot be sustained on the evidence

this case. 69 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEOKGHIO.S AKISTIDOIJ V. T H E REPUBLIC Vassiliades, P. Let me now test the other part of the alternative finding of the trial Court regarding appellant's

tention to kill the husband ; the type of husband described earlier

this judgment. After firing

the dark, at the front and at the back of the house, the appellant entered the flat, the trial Court found, and seeing the woman, he fired at her the fatal shot with

tent to kill her. Is there any evidence whatsoever, that on entering the flat he looked for the husband ? If his

tention was to kill him as well, would he not have done so ? And would he not have made some reference to the husband, when he spoke to the persons he went to, after the crime ? He made none. The trial Court's finding, therefore, that the appellant had at any time formed the specific

tent to kill the deceased " or anyone of the

mates of the flat " cannot,

my opinion , be sustained

its present alternative form. It has to be confined, I think, to a finding that the appellant, on getting no response from the

mates of the flat to all the noise he had made to annoy them, he now formed the

tent to kill his mistress. The trial Court found this change of

tent—obviously a very grave change, to a completely different

tent—by

ference from appellant's conduct from the moment he went to fetch the gun, to the time of his arrest, after the commission of the crime. Particularly from the fact that he went to fetch a lethal weapon with the necessary ammunition ; that he used it

firing eleven shots dangerous to life ; one of which, a fatal shot from close quarters, fired at the

tended victim. The defence, however,

this connection, is that the conduct of the appellant from the moment he went to fetch the gun is, at least, equally consistent with an

tent to terrorise

furtherance of the original

tent to annoy. To terrorise

the dangerous and reckless manner of a drunken and

furiated lover, who accidentally—the defence s a y killed his mistress while firing

her dark house from outside. But at this stage, the defence, regarding

tent, has to be considered on the relevant facts as established by the evidence ; and as found by the trial Court.. The

tent to kill the deceased at the time of the firing of the fatal shot, from close range, with the light on, as found by the trial Court, cannot be questioned at.this stage. There is, however, undoubtedly, the possibility of the

tent to kill the deceased having been formed'

the dis7ii turbed mind of the appellant, when he saw the deceased after switching the light on. Can this possibility be, safely excluded ? It may be said that the appellant did not put his case on this footing. But if his

tent is to be found by

ference from his conduct, this must, I think, be the conduct found by the trial Court ; not the conduct

the rejected version of the appellant. Taking the conduct of the appellant from the moment he went to fetch the gun till the moment he entered the flat from the back door and switched the light on (and exclud­

g for a moment, for the purposes of this test, what hap­ pened thereafter) I think that such conductis, at least, equally consistent with an

tent to terrorise, as it is with an

tent to kill the deceased. (I have already dealt with the alter­ native

tent to kill " any one of the

mates " ,

ferred by the trial Court). I say " at least " , because I am rather

clined to the view that the way

which the appellant obtained the gun ; the noise he made with his car when he returned with it (p. 74, G) ; his behaviour at the front door before firing (P.W. 34, 74, Η ; P.W. 2, p. 11) ; and all the shooting

the dark from outside the front and the back doors, is more consistent with an

tent on the part of a person

appel­ lant's condition, to terrorise and domineer his mistress, than an

tent to kill her. And I draw my

ference from such conduct, accordingly. (HjiCosta (No. 2) v. The Republic

this con­ nection, is the part of their judgment where the trial Court make this finding by

ference, as to the time when the

tent to kill was formed. T h e r e is no such finding

the part of the judgment where the trial Court deal with the evidence and state the facts established therefrom. It is found

the last part of the judgment, after dealing with the law applicable to the case ; the law regarding the element of premeditation

the crime charged. I must now deal with the legal aspect of t h e issue on which this appeal turns : the mixed issue of fact and law consti­ tuting t h e element of premeditationin t h e present case. And I must do so, taking every care to deal with this delicate and serious matter, only as far as necessary for the purposes of this case ; as far as the facts of this particular case require. I think that the best course for this purpose, is to start from the concession which learned counsel for the appellant so 71 1967 J*1"·!1^11,' ' λ Ι ' ( Γ •! _ GEQRCHIOS ARISTHKH V. THE REPUBLIC Vassiliades, Ρ 1967 Jan. 10, Π , 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOII v. T H E REPUBLIC Vassiliades, P. frankly and properly made

the course of the argument before us. The appellant caused the death of the deceased

circumstances which would amount to the crime of murder with malice aforethought, counsel conceded, as known to our law prior to the amendment of the relevant sections by the Criminal Code (Amendment) Law, 1962 (No. 3 of 1962 ) ; but such circumstances do not amount to the crime of premeditated murder, he argued, under sec­ tion 203 of the code,

its present form. By firing the shotgun, with knowledge that his unlawful act would probably cause death or grievous harm to the deceased when he fired at her (as the trial Court found) ; or to some person when he was firing

the dark flat, accom­ panied by

difference whether death or grievous bodily harm is caused or not, the appellant was deemed, under the provisions of section 207 to have acted with malice aforethought. And, causing the death of another person by an unlawful act, of malice aforethought, was the crime of capital murder provided for

section 204, prior to the amendment of the criminal code. But the Constitution, learned counsel argued, which came

to force on 16th August, I960, as the supreme law of the new State (Article 179.1) directed (

Article 7

.2) that a law may provide for the death penalty "only

cases of pre­ meditated murder, high treason, piracy jure gentium and capital offences under military law ". This constitutional provision,

the part dealing with fundamental human rights and political liberties, expresses clearly and unequivocably the

tention on the part of the new State, to abolish death sentence for the crime of homicide, excepting for its aggravated form of premeditated murder ; one of the aggra­ vated forms of homicide : The planned and calculated assassination of another person. There is nothing strange

such change

its law, by the new State, at a time when similar changes, with partial or total abolition of the death sentence, are taking place

most of the civilised countries of the world. The courts must apply the law as it comes to them from the legislature,

the spirit

which it was made, as far as this can be gauged from the text.

the first case of this nature before them, both the Su­ preme Constitutional Court and the High Court held

Loftis Case early

1961, that causing death, of malice aforethought was not always " premeditated m u r d e r " 72 (The Republicand Nicolas PantopiouLoftis 1, R.S.C.C. p. 30; and Loftis v. The Republic, 1961 C.L.R. p. 108). This was followed a few months later, by the enactment of Law No. 3 of 1962, section 5 of which, repealed the then existing sections 203 to 207 of the Criminal Code pertaining to homicide ; and replaced them by the provisions now

force, which constitute the law governing the present case. Section 203

its present form, provides for the felony of murder " with premeditation ", which ispunishable with death ; and section 205 provides for the felony of homicide by an unlawful act (or omission) which is punishable with imprisonment for life. The difference between the two crimes lies

the element of premeditation which exists

the former, but not

the latter type of homicide. The case for the appellant is that he committed the crime

section 205 ; and not the crime

section 203, for which he was charged and convicted by the Assize Court. It is contended on his behalf, that the premeditation required to constitute the crime

section 203 has not been established

this case. The trial Court dealt with this question of premeditation

the last part of their judgment (p. 187, B-188, E) ; and their approach to the matter cannot, I think, be criticised. Reference is made there, to what was said

this connection, by Zekia, J., delivering the unanimous judgment of the Court of Appeal

Dervish Halil v. The Republic (1961, C.L.R. p. 432 at p. 434) which, I think, may be usefully repeated here : " The phrase premeditated homicide or murder, unlike the phrase ' malice aforethought', is not a term of art, and it has to be taken

its ordinary meaning." The judgment then, taking reflection from the facts of the particular case, which was being decided on that occasion, proceeds with the view that : " When a person makes up his mind, either by an act or omission to cause the death of another person, and notwithstanding that he has time to reflect on such decision and desist from it, if he so desires, goes on and puts

to effect his

tent and deprives another of his life, that person commits a premeditated homicide or murder which entails capital punishment. There is no presumption of law

the case of premeditation, but this has to he

ferred

each particular case from the surrounding circumstances." 73 1967 Jan. 10, II, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC Vassiliades, P. 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC Vassiliades, Ρ This statement, however, authoritative as it may well be, cannot go beyond the facts of the case

respect of which it was made, so as to affect the law

such a delicate and important matter as a capital crime. The law was, and still is, that " the phrase premeditated homicide or mur­ der . . . has to be taken

its ordinary meaning " (supra). And premeditation,

the ordinary meaning of the word, has to be established as a fact

each case. It is one of the fundamental

gredients of the crime under section 203 of the code, which must be proved by the prosecution to the satisfaction of the Court, beyond reasonable doubt. And it may, of course, be proved by direct or circumstantial evi­ dence ; it may be

ferred from established surrounding facts, leading safely to that one conclusion ; or, it may be a matter so apparent that the defence will not even dispute it.

a very recent case before this Court, the element of premeditation

the murder was so obvious, that it was never questioned. (Koumbaris v. The Republic ; reported

this part at p. 1 ante).

tent

the act which caused the death of the victim, and premeditation

the conception and preparation of the crime, are two different matters; and the distinction between them must be kept clear

the Court's mind. Frequently they overlap,

as much as to constitute the crime of preme­ ditated homicide, they must both exist at the time of the commission of the crime. But confusion between

tent

the act causing death, and premeditation

the com­ mission of the crime, may lead to the error of confusing premeditated murder under section 203 with murder of malice aforethought, under the repealed section 204, no longer part of our Criminal Code. I do not propose going

to examples ; but this case may well present one. Another example may be found

R. v. Shaban (8, C.L.R. p. 82) decided by majority

an Assize Court with a coram of five judges

1908, and referred to

Loftis case (supra). The minority

that case, appa­ rently accepted the submission of the King's Advocate, that even the short period of time, between forming the

tent to fire at the policeman on the part of the accused, and the actual shooting, was sufficient " deliberation to constitute premeditation". While the majority of the Court (not­ withstanding the views prevailing at that early part of the century with British judges, regarding murder and the capi­ tal sentence) having to decide the case on the^Ottoman Penal Code, based,

this connection, on the continental notions regarding homicide, held that the facts

the case did not justify a finding of premeditation. 74 Tyser, C.J., delivering the judgment of the Court (p.84) said that the question of premeditation is a question of fact. And that " much must depend on the condition of the person at the time—his calmness of mind or the reverse ".

other words, much must depend on whether,

the particular case, the person who performed the unlawful act causing death, was

a condition to meditate—

the ordinary sense of that word—upon the

tended fatal act, and had the time to do so, prior to its execution. Both the Supreme Constitutional Court and the High Court adopted

Loftis case (supra) the position stated

Shaban's case(supra) regarding premeditation as understood by the Constitution. And

amending the relevant part of the Criminal Code

1962, the legislature did not attempt to give a definition to premeditation, affecting

any way the ordinary meaning of the word ; and make it a technical term for the purposes of the statute. Section 204 merely provides that premeditation is established (not deemed to exist) by evidence proving '' expressly or by implication, an

tention to cause the death of any person . . . formed before the act or omission causing the death is committed, and existing at the time of its commission " .

other words, proving " animus necandi" not only at the time of the act causing death but also proving that such animus necandi had been formed earlier. That the homicide is the result, not only of an

tended act, but also the execution of an earlier meditated decision.

the absence of that earlier meditation leading to the decision to kill, and

the absence of sufficient time to reflect upon such decision, the

ten­ tional unlawful act causing death, constitutes the crime of homicide under section 205, punishable with imprisonment for life ; but not the crime under section 203, which is pu­ nishable with death. Premeditation, according to the Oxford Universal Dic­ tionary (3rd Ed. 1961 Vol. II, p. 1570, col. 1) is " the action of premeditating ; previous thinking out of something to be done ; now, especially, designing, planning, or contrivance to do something. Premeditate means to meditate beforehand ; now, especially, to plan or contrive previously ".

transi­ tively it means : " to think deliberately beforehand or

advance(on or of something)" Προμελέτη(which is the Greek word used both

the Greek text of the Constitution, and

the Greek version of the relative provisions

the Criminal Code (Amendment) Law, 1962) means, according to the ΝέονΛεξικόν(Δ.Δημητράκου, Β"Εκδοσις 1959) «ή προκαταρκτική μελέτη, ττροσχέδιον. 'Εσκεμμένη πρόσχεδίασις πράξεως τίνος, 75 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOLI v. T H E REPUBLIC Vassiliades, P. 1967 Jan. ΙΟ, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 Ιδίως αξιοποίνου. And προμελετώ means προπαρασκευάζομαι διά της μελέτης. Προσχεδιάζω έσκεμμένως, ιδίως άξιόποινόν τίνα πράξιν». GEORGHIOS The text

the Greek version of section 204 of the code, presents,

my opinion, the matter even clearer. It amounts to this : Premeditation is established by direct or circumstantial evidence showing

tention to cause death . . . which was formed and continued to exist before the time of the act causing death, as well as at the time of the killing. ARISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC Vassiliades, P.

France the provisions

the Criminal Code regarding homicide and its punishment, underwent several changes from time to time,•

the course of evolution

the legal approach to this serious crime. An article by M. Joseph Magnol, Doyen Honoraire de la Faculto de Droit, Universito de Toulouse published

the Journal of Criminal Science of the Faculty of Law of the University of Cam­ bridge,

1960 (Vol. II, p. 210) after the enactment of the Criminal Justice Act, 1948, dealing with the element of

tention

the crime of homicide

French law, presents concisely the position regarding

tention and premeditation. The French code makes a distinction between "meurtre" and " assassinat". The latter denoting the aggravated forms of homicide (one of which is the premeditated taking of human life) and is punishable with death ; the former denoting

tentional but non-aggravated homicide, pu­ nishable with imprisonment for life.

Italy, the mental and psychological state of the accused, at the material time, are matters of the utmost importance

determining the degree of his responsibility for the con­ duct constituting the crime. Professor Gennaro Guadagno, at the University of Naples and Consigliere della Corte Suprema di Cassazione, dealing with the causes of exclusion or limitation of guilt

his book on criminal law (Manuale di Diritto Penale—1962 at p. 209) and particularly with the relation between partial defect of mind and the circumstances of the crime (p. 217) refers to premeditation which he says, as far as it relates to guilt, must denote the existence of an

dependent wilful conduct, consequent upon the decision to act, which contains the possibility of thinking and

­ sisting oil the carrying out of the decision already taken. The

terval of time between the taking of the decision, and the carrying out of the act decided upon, is of vital importance

determining the existence of premeditation, 76

Greece the position as given by Professor Chorafas

his book Γενικαΐ ΆρχαΙ του Ποινικού Δικαίου, 6th Ed-, 1962, at p. 213, is as follows :— «Προμελετημένος δόλος υπάρχει, οσάκιςόδράστηςέν ήρέμω ψυχική καταστάσει έπιτρεπούση τήν σκέψιν, απεφάσισε τήν τέλεσιν τοΰ εγκλήματος· άπρομελέτητος δέ δόλος είναι ή έν βρασμω ψυχικής ορμής άποκλείοντιτήν σκέψιν, λαμβανομένη άπόφασις προς τέλεσιν τοΰ εγκλήματος.» One could go on at great length

finding and stating the position regarding premeditation

the crime of homicide,

various countries ; and at different periods. But this would be rather

the nature of an academic discussion. The case before us must be determined upon the Law of Cyprus ; by applying the relevant provisions of the Cri­ minal Code to the facts established by the evidence on re­ cord,

this particular case. I find it unnecessary to refer to more cases decided

this Court after the amendment of the criminal code. The trial Court referred to Mustafa Haiti v. The Republic 1962, C.L.R. p. 18 and to Yiannis Pieri v. The Republic

ferred from the facts proved and the surrounding circumstances " . I think with all respect, that the Assize Court have correctly stated the position on this point. It was after this assessment of the legal position, that the trial Court found it necessary to consider at what point of time was appellant's

tention to kill, formed. And it was then, that they found that it was formed " from the time he left the flat to go to the house of Yerakis

order to get his gun ". This was the finding through which, the trial Court reached the conviction, on the ground " that the time that elapsed from the moment the

tention to kill was formed to the time it was carried

to effect, the accused had sufficient time to reflect on such decision and desist from it if he so desired ; " adopting

this connection,the words of Zekia, J.

Dervish Haiti v. The Republic (supra). Without this finding on the point of the time when the

tent to kill was formed, the trial Court would, apparently, not have convicted the appellant for premeditated murder. Taking the view, for the reasons set out.earlier^m this judg­ ment that that finding cannot be sustained, I am of the opinion that the conviction must be set aside ; and be re- 77 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC Vassiliades, P. 1967 Jan. ΙΟ, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC Vassiliades, P. placed by a conviction for homicide under section 205. And that

the circumstances of this horrible crime, the appel­ lant be sentenced to an appropriate term of imprisonment. TRIANTAFYLLIDES, J.:

this appeal I agree, regarding its outcome,with the learned President of the Court, namely, that the conviction for premeditated murder, under section 203 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 154, as amended by the Criminal Code (Amendment) Law, 1962 (Law 3/62), should be set aside and that the Appellant should be convicted,

stead, of homicide under section 205 of the same Law. I would like, however, to give

this judgment my rea­ sons for reaching such a conclusion, because my approach to the matter is not exactly the same as that of the learned President of the Court. The facts of this case are sufficiently set out

other judgments, which will be given

this appeal, and which I have had the benefit of perusing

advance ; so, I need not dwell, myself, on such facts, at any great length. They may be summarized as follows :— The appellant, a taxi-driver from Limassol, found him­ self convicted and sentenced to death, for the premeditated murder of the deceased, Despina.Prodromou, of Limassol, after firing repeatedly, with a shotgun,

to, and

, a base­ ment flat, at 58A Ayia Phyla Street, Limassol, where, at the time, the deceased was residing with her husband and young daughter ; the fateful date was the 5th May, 1966. There was a past history of amorous relations between the appellant and the deceased, of which the husband of the deceased must have been aware, because, earlier on

1966, the deceased had co-habited

the aforesaid flat with the appellant to the exclusion of her husband. Later on, however, the deceased was reconciled with her husband and the appellant left the flat. It appears that the deceased kept up her relations with the appellant even after the reconciliation with her husband. But,

the course of such relations, friction arose, as a result of which, on the day previous to her death, the deceased broke off relations with the appellant. After being told by the deceased on the phone, on the 4th May, 1966, that he should leave her alone, the appellant went and found the deceased at a hairdresser's shop, dragged her out of there by the hair and beat her up. The deceased reported the matter to the police. 78 Shortly before midnight, on the 5th May, 1966, the appellant, who was at the time under the

fluence of drink to some appreciable extent, arrived outside the flat of the deceased, where, apparently, at the time, she was

bed with her husband and child. He started annoying them by sounding the horn of his taxi and by playing music on a record-player

his car. As found by the learned trial Court his

tention at that stage was only an

tention to annoy. 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC Triantafyllides, J- There can be little doubt, on the evidence, that the appellant was then under the

fluence, not only of drink, but of strong passion, too. We are not concerned, at this stage, with the righteousness of the

dignation of the appellant. Though one can certainly not find any moral merit

the appellant feeling resentful of the fact that the deceased had broken off relations with him and was, on that night, at home with her own husband, and with her child, the fact remains that the appellant's state of mind must have been one of strong passion and irate feelings, which were made much worse by the

fluence of the drink which he had consumed shortly before ; and while on this point it might be usefully pointed out that it has not been suggested that the appellant had consumed drinks on the night of the 5th May, 1966,

order to provide himself with a convenient excuse

relation to any

tended violent conduct on his part ; it simply happened that he had been drinking with friends. As the aforesaid annoying tactics of the appellant, outside the flat of the deceased, did not bring him any satisfactory response—possibly he was

sulted by her husband, possibly he met with complete silence on the part of the

mates of the liat, a thing which may have enraged him even more— he drove at once to the house of a close relative of his, obtained from there, under a pretext, a shotgun and a bandolier containing over 20 cartridges, and returned,

a matter of about quarter of an hour, to the street outside the flat of the deceased. He went down the steps to the entrance-door of the flat and, having broken a glass-pane of the door, shot

to the flat a number of times. Then, he went to the back-door of the fiat and from there more shots were fired

to the flat ; and I take the view that, on the evidence adduced, it was correctly found by the trial Court that the appellant fired at least one shot

side the flat, after having entered it through its back-door. 79 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC Triantafyiiides, J- As a result of this

discriminate shooting the deceased was killed, having received four major gunshot

juries. I may say at once that I am quite satisfied that it was properly open to the trial Court to find that the appellant fired all the shots, right from the beginning, with the

tention of killing either the deceased or her husband, or both ; moreover, I quite agree with the trial Court that such

tention was formed when appellant's annoying tactics failed to bring forth a satisfying, for him, result, and he went off to fetch the shotgun. As these aspects of this case have raised not even a doubt

my mind

favour of the appellant, I do not find it necessary to enlarge upon them

this judgment. What has given me quite some difficulty—and I have to go

to it at some length—is the issue of whether or not the killing of the deceased was,

the circumstances, a premeditated murder, as found by the trial Court, or only a homicide, as argued by counsel for appellant. The notion of "premeditated murder" was

troduced

to our Criminal Code through the enactment of Law 3/62 ; what led to the enactment of the said Law is Article 7 of the Constitution, which restricts the death penalty to cases of premeditated murder, high treason, piracy jure gentium and to capital offences under military law. The term "premeditated murder"

Article 7

has been

terpreted by the Supreme Constitutional Court

the case of The Republic and Loftis (1, R.S.C.C. p. 30 at p. 33). It was held therein that " premeditated murder"

Article 7

conveys the notion of premeditated murder " as understood by Continental legal systems and

particular by the French Code Penal from which the above notion was adopted by the Ottoman Penal Code which applied

Cyprus until the enactment of the Criminal Code Order-

Council

1928". The Supreme Constitutional Court adopted the exposition of premeditation as laid down

1908

the case of R. v. Shaban (Vol. VIII, C.L.R. p. 82, at p. 84) ; it quoted the judgment

that case which reads as follows :— " The question of premeditation is a question of fact. A test often applicable

such cases is whether

allthe circumstances a man has had sufficient opportunity after forming his

tention to reflect upon it and relinquish it. 80 Much must depend on the condition of the person at the time—his calmness of mind, or the reverse. There might be a case

which a man has an appreciable time between the formation of his

tention and the carrying of it

to execution, but he might not be

such a condition of mind as to be able to consider it. On the other hand, a man might be

such a calm and deliberate condition of mind that a very slight

terval between the formation of the

tention and its execution might be sufficient for premeditation." Law 3/62

amending the Criminal Code has

troduced section 204 defining premeditation as consisting of an

tention to cause the death of any person, whether such person is the person actually killed or not, which is formed before the act or omission causing the death is committed and which exists at the time of its commission.

my view the notion of premeditation, as

troduced

to our Criminal Code by section 204 of Law 3/62, must be understood and applied so as to coincide with the notion of premeditation as provided for

Article 7of the Constitution.

The Constitution being the Supreme Law section 204 cannot be validly applied

a manner

consistent with it. It is a principle of Constitutional Law, governing the

terpretation of statutes, that where the Constitution and a statute

volve a constitutional right they must be construed together as one Law ; and the statute must be

terpreted, if possible, so as to make it consistent with the Constitution (see Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railroad Company v. Commonwealth of Kentucky, 115, U.S. 321). So, once the Supreme Constitutional Court has adopted the exposition of premeditation, set out

R. v. Shaban (supra), as conveying the notion of premeditation embodied

Article 7

of the Constitution, the definition of premeditation

section 204 of the Criminal Code must be read

that light and as

tended to convey the same notion ; it cannot be construed or applied as conveying a different notion of premeditation ; and it is quite possible to construe and apply constitutionally section 204, as it stands today. Between the coming

to force of the Constitution

1960 and the present day, the question of premeditated murder has been dealt with

a number of cases, such as Dervish Halil v. The Republic, 1961 C.L.R., p. 432, Mustafa Halil v. The Republic, 1962 C.L.R., p. 18, Yiannis Pieris v. 81 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU v. T H B REPUBLIC Triantafyiiides, J. 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. j " GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC Triantafyiiides, J. The Republic,

the light of the circumstances of each particular case ; no hard and fast rule can be derived from the actual outcome of anyone of the aforesaid cases. It has to be examined, therefore, now

this judgment whether the trial Court

this case has applied correctly the law relating to premeditated murder to the facts which were established by evidence before it. As it appears from the judgment of the trial Court, it has found that the killing of the deceased was a premeditated murder becauseof the timewhich

tervened between the forming by the appellant of the

tention to kill— when he left the street outside the flat of the deceased to go and fetch the shotgun—and the carrying out of such

tention. It found that such time—about quarter of an hour—was sufficient for the appellant to reflect on his decision to kill and to desist, if he so desired.

my opinion this finding of the trial Court is not a satisfactory one because it appears not to have taken

to account, duly or at all, the actual condition of the appellant during that quarter of an hour during which he has been found by the trial Court to have had sufficient time to reflect and desist. As it appears from the above-quoted judgment

R. v. Shaban—which unfortunately is not one of the cases which has been relied upon

its judgment by the trial C o u r t

deciding whether or not a person has had sufficient opportunity to reflect and.desist much depends on the condition of such person at the time, on his calmness of mind, or the reverse. Very little time may be sufficient for premeditation for a man who is

a calm and deliberate condition ; but an appreciable length of time may not be sufficient for premeditation by one who is not

such a condition of mind as to be able to consider his

tention after its formation and before the carrying of it

to execution. Sufficient opportunity to reflect upon an

tention and relinquish it is not only a matter of pure space of time but a composite notion of the relevant space of time coupled with the actual condition of the person concerned. 82

the present case the decision regarding the existence or not of sufficient opportunity for the appellant to reflect on, and desist from, his

tention to kill is largely a matter of

ference, to be drawn from the primary facts as established at the trial. 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU The trial Court

reaching the conclusion that there has been premeditation on the part of the appellant appears to have based itself only on the space of time which

tervened between the formation of his

tention to kill and the carrying of it

to execution. Nothing has been said about the actual condition of the appellant during such space of time, namely, his being under the

fluence of drink and strong passion. If such condition has not been taken

to account at all, by the trial Court, this would clearly amount to a misdirection of law regarding the proper notion of sufficient opportunity to premeditate ; and such misdirection,

the circumstances of the present case, is a sufficiently serious one to make it necessary to quash the conviction of the appellant. If, on the other hand, it must be presumed that the trial Court had the appellant's condition

mind—though

dealing with premeditation it has said nothing about such condition—then I find myself unable to agree with the

ference of the trial Court that the short space of time, which

tervened between the formation by him of the

tention to kill and the actual killing of the deceased, afforded the appellant,

the condition

which he was, under the

fluence of drink and strong passion, sufficient opportunity to premeditate, to reflect on his

tention to kill and relinquish it ; and it being largely a matter of

ference this Court is

as good a position to draw such an

ference from the established facts of the case as was the trial Court. I am well aware that it does not necessarily follow that an abnormal state of mind affords no opportunity for premeditation ; even a state of mental disease may not be

consistent with it (see (Pavlou v. The Republic, supra). Nor am I prepared to hold that

fluence of drink or strong passion would

every case be

sconsistent with premeditation. But the existence of premeditation is a matter to be examined

the light of the particular circumstances of each case, and

the present case I cannot, with respect, agree with the trial Court that it could be safely

ferred that the appellant has had sufficient opportunity,

the short time that elapsed and

the condition

which he was, to reflect and desist. As correctly put by the trial Court, premedi83 v. T H E REPUBLIC Triantafyiiides, J- 1967 Jan. ΙΟ, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 tation is an element the existence of which has to be estab­ lished by the prosecution ; and any doubt

that respect has to be resolved

favour of the appellant (see Koliandris v. The Republic, supra). GEORCHIOS

the light of all the circumstances of this case I cannot find that the verdict of premeditated murder was a rea­ sonable one—

the sense of section 145

­ fluence of drink, with the object of frightening the husband of the deceased. His version was rejected by the trial Court as being

consistent with the evidence as a whole. His defence was briefly that " (a) having regard to the totality of the evidence,

cluding

toxication, the prose­ cution failed to prove to the satisfaction of the Court that the appellant had at the material time an

tention to kill, and/or (b) that having regard to the evidence as a whole the prosecution failed to establish premeditation " . This appeal is grounded on alleged misdirections of law and of fact. The facts of the case are fully stated

the judgment of the learned President of this Court and I do not propose re-stating them except where necessary for the purpose of considering the findings of fact made by the trial Court. One of the main grounds of appeal argued before us by the learned counsel for the appellant was that the Assize Court misdirected themselves on the law of

tent and on the effect of section 13

toxication, counsel's criticism was based on the fact that the trial Court referred to "

capacity " to form the

tent to kill as the test. Section 13 of the Criminal Code reads as follows : " 13.

toxication, be deemed to have done any act or made any omission

voluntarily, or be exempt from criminal responsibility for any act or omission. 84

such a state of

toxication that he is

capable of understanding what he is doing, or controlling his action, or knowing that he ought not to do the act or make the omission, provided that the thing which

toxicated him was administered to him without his knowledge or against his will.

tent is a constituent element of an offence,

toxication, whether complete or partial, and whether

tentional or unintentional, shall be taken

to account for the purpose of ascertaining whether such an

tent

fact existed." 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS AKISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC Josephides, J. As I understand it, the law is that drunkenness does not exempt a person from criminal responsibility for any act or omission, subject to the two exceptions provided

subsections

which drunkenness produces a condition of

sanity, and (b) cases

which a specific

tent must be proved. With regard to (a) if a man by drinking brings on a distinct disease of the mind such as delirium tremens, so that he is temporarily

sane within the M'Naughten Rules (section 12 of our Criminal Code), that is to say, he does not at the time know what he is doing or that it is wrong, then he has a defence on the ground of

sanity. With regard to

which a specific

tention is essential (as

premeditated murder or attempted murder), then evidence of drunkenness, which renders him

capable of forming that

tention, is an answer : section 13

Attorney-General for Northern Ireland v. Gallagher [1963] A.C. 349 at p. 381.

each of those cases it would not be premeditated murder but it would be homicide without premeditation. The present case does not come within the first exception of

sanity. Does it come within the second exception? 85 v-3 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC A provision similar to our section 13

the Tasmanian Criminal Code of 1924, section 17

the Maltese Criminal Code, section 35

toxication should be taken

to account for the purpose of determining whether the person charged had formed any

tention, specific or otherwise,

the absence of which he would not be guilty of the offence." Josephides, J. Lord Devlin when tendering the advice of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council

Broadhurst v. R. ([1964] A.C. 4 4 1 ; [1964] 1 All E.R. I l l ) an appeal from Malta

which drunkenness was one of the issues, expressed the view that superficially, at any rate, section 35

tent. Lord Devlin said (at page 122 G of the All E.R.) : 41 " One way of approaching the problem is to say that it is always for the Crown to prove that the accused actually had the

tent necessary to constitute the crime ; and that that proof may emerge from evidence or statements made by the accused about his own state of mind or may be made by way of

ference from the totality of the circumstances. Prima facie

toxication is one circumstance to be taken

to account and on this view all that section 35

toxication is not to be excluded." And at page 123 F he said : " Before the Board the Crown conceded that it is not for an accused to prove

capacity affecting the

tent and that, if there is material suggesting

toxication, the jury should be directed to take it

to account and to determine whether it is weighty enough to leave them with a reasonable doubt about the accused's guilty

tent. Their lordships approve this concession." Counsel complained that the trial Court misdirected themselves by stating

their judgment that

order to negative

tent to kill it had to be established that the appellant owing to his

toxication " was unable or

capable to form the

tent to kill " or that his

toxication was such as " to negative capacity. . to form the requisite

tent ", and that they applied the wrong test of

sanity provided

section 13

stead of the test laid down

section 13

theirjudgment they referred to the whole of section 13 of the Code and to the provision regarding

sanity, and then they quoted verbatim the provisions of sub-section

tent was on the prosecution. It is true that they make use of the expression " capacity " and " capable to form " an

tent, but it is obvious from the context that they refer to

capacity to form the specific

tent and not to

capacity of understanding the physical or moral nature of one's act.

these circumstances no valid criticism can be based on the fact that the trial Court referred to

capacity as the test, nor that they misdirected themselves on the burden of proof. The second question iswhether on the totality of evidence,

cluding the appellant's state of

toxication, he was capable of forming an

tent to kill. It was conceded by the prosecution that the appellant was under the

fluence of drink but it was submitted that his state of

toxication was not such as to affect his capacity to form an

tent to kill.

support of his submission learned counsel for the respondent referred to extracts from the evidence of Troodia Menelaou, the wife of the appellant's brother-

-law (P.W. 23 at p. 47-50) to the effect that when the appellant went to her to ask for the gun he put forward the false explanation that he wanted the gun and the cartridges to go shooting hares at night ; that when he went to her house he was speaking clearly and his speech was not blurred, and that, although he looked to her to be drunk, she said that she did not realise that his drunkenness was of a dangerous nature, and that it was not dangerous for him to take the gun. Counsel also referred to the statements made by the appellant to his sonin-law Aniftos (P-.W. 29, at p. 61) immediately after he shot the deceased

her flat, to this effect : " 1 killed them " ; and on being asked whom, he replied " my mistress", adding " was I to let them slander my wife and daughter as prostitutes ?". Reference was also made to the appellant's statement to Troodia (soon after leaving the house of Aniftos) to whose house the appellant drove himself and delivered the gun dismantled. He said " take it ; I have gone and done the most evil thing". On being asked what he had done he said " 1 went and killed the prostitute ". A short time later he said to his taxi-office employee Kambouris (P.W. 43) " I have made the greatest error

my life" ; " I shot my mistress"; "friend, I have shot both mother and daughter ". 87 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, M.ir. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU II. T H E REPUBLIC Jnscphides, J. 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 _ GEORGHIOS ARISTIDOU v. T H E REPUBLIC Josephides, J. On the other hand, counsel for the appellant referred to evidence to the effect that the appellant earlier on that evening had more than half a bottle of brandy, *cSupreme V.O."

a bar-restaurant with friends, and later on a brandy with coca-cola

a cabaret ;to the evidence of persons

whose company he was that evening who described him as being " kefoudhi " (

a merry mood) (

spector Solomonides at p. 115 F); ''sto kefi" (merry)

the cabaret (P.W 37 Silidjiotis, p. 88 B) ; that he was " drunk "

the cabaret (P.W. 24, Yerakis, the appellant's brother-

-law) ; that he was drunk from the way he walked and that he drank water

Troodia's house ; that after the commission of the crime he was drunk and " excited " (exagriomenos), that his speech was blurred, and that he was not driving properly (appellant's son-

-law, P.W. 29, Aniftos, at pages 61-2). The trial Court, after considering all the evidence

the case and weighing all the statements made by the witnesses and the appellant, came to the conclusion that on the whole evidence,

cluding the appellant's state of

toxication, he was capable of forming an

tent to kill. Can it be said that their finding was wrong, or that it has been shown that the finding could not have been made on the evidence on the record ? Because we should not lose sight of the fact that we are considering this case as s Court of Appeal and not as a trial Court. I am of the view that, on the evidence before them, it was open to the trial Court to make the finding they made, and that the reasoning behind it is not unsatisfactory. The effect of alcohol varies greatly with different people. It is not enough toshowthat before the event the accused had been drinking heavily nor that when examined after the event he was pronounced to have been under the

fluence of drink. It must be shown that his mental faculties were affected at the time of the event to the extent of affecting his capacity to form an

tent, and I think that

the present case the trial Court cannot be criticised for reaching the conclusion, on the evidence before them, that the appellant was

a position,

spite of his state of

toxication, to form an

tent to kill. The third question is, did the appellant form such an

tent to kill ? The trial Court found that he did form " the

tention to kill the deceased or anyone of the

m.rtes of the flat from the time he left the flat to go to the heuse of Yerakis

order to get the gun ". Counsel for the appel88 lant submitted that

dealing with the

gredient of

tent the Court failed to signify the test it followed; but that, from the eight reasons given

the judgment

support of their finding, it was evident that the Court did not follow the subjective test, as submitted by the defence, but the objective test, i.e. the one laid down

the case of D.P.P. v. Smith [1960] 3 All E.R. 1961 on the issue of "malice afore­ thought "

murder ; and that this was a misdirection

law and/or

fact.

support of his submission Counsel referred to the fol­ lowing cases and authorities : Pefkos v. The Republic 1961 C.L.R. 340 ; R. v. Grinncood [1962] 3 AH E.R. 285 ; The Law Quarterly Review

which reference is made to the criticism by the Australian High Court (

Parker v. The Queen) of the subjective test laid down

the Smith case ; #7v. Steane [1947] 1 All E.R. 813 ; and R. v. Church [1965] 2 All E.R. 72 at p. 75-6; and he submitted that the Court, "

order to find that there was

tent, must be satisfied, so as to be sure, on the totality of the evidence,

cluding the state of

toxication

which the accused was at the time, that no other reasonable conclu­ sion could be arrived at than that the accused actual1ν fore­ saw and desired to kill the deceased ".

the Pefkos case, quoted above, which was a case of attempted murder, we had occasion to consider the question of the

tent to kill which is the principal

gredient of that crime. We expressed the view that Smith's case does not overrule Steane's case, but distinguishes it on the basis that the principle restated

the Steane case is confined to cases

which an actual or overall

tent or desire has to be proved ; and that where on a true construction of a statute a specific

tent has to be proved then the rule laid down by Lord Goddard

the Steane case would be appli­ cable ([1947] K.B. at p. 1004), i.e. "if, on a review of the whole evidence (the jury) either think the

tent did not exist or they are left

doubt as to the

tent, the prisoner is entitled to be acquitted " . It was held

the Pefkos case that, although

tent to kill can be

ferred as a fact from the surrounding circumstances of a particular case, it is not sufficient that such an

ference is a reasonable one ; it should be the only reasonable

ference that can be drawn from the facts. If on a review of the whole evidence, the Court either think the

tent did not exist or they are left

doubt as to the

tent, the prisoner is entitled to be acquit­ ted (adopting the statement of the law

the Steane case and Reg. v. Nicos Sampson Georqhiade* (No. 2) (19*7, 2 2 C . L R . 128 at page 133). 89 1**67 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Λ hit 3 GEOKCHIO" ARISTIDOU V. T H E REPUBLIC Josephides, J. 1967 Jan. 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, Mar. 3 GEORGHIOS ARISTJDOL v. T H E REPUBLIC Josephides, J.

cases of premeditated murder, as now known to our law, an

tent to kill is one of the principal

gredients of the crime, and an

tent to do grievous harm or any other

tent or circumstance which would be adequate to prove u malice aforethought " under the repealed section 207 of our Criminal Code, would not be sufficient to establish a charge of premeditated murder. Although an

tent to kill can be

ferred as a fact from the surrounding circumstances of a case, it is not sufficient that such an

ference is a reasonable one ; it should be the only reasonable

ference that can be drawn from the facts. I would, therefore, adopt the following direction which the trial Court would have to put-to itself

deciding the matter : The question is whether the trial Judges are satisfied, beyond reasonable doubt, that ihe accused

tended to bring about this result. The burden of proving the

tention rests upon the prosecution. The Judges are entitled to use their knowledge of human behaviour, and the common understanding of what results follow when one behaves

a certain way, to help them to arrive at a conclusion as to what the accused

tended. They must consider the whole of the evidence that has been laid before them

arriving at their conclusion. Did the accused purposefully bring about the result, or was it an unintended outcome ? Is there any rational explanation why he should have behaved

the way he did if he did not

tend it ? Do the Judges believe the statement he has made r If not, do they think that the only explanation that will reasonably fit the facts is that he

tended the result ? The question, then, is whether the trial Court is satisfied beyond reasonable doubt, from all the evidence

the case,

cluding (the accused's state of

toxication at the time and) the evidence of what he did, that he must have

tended to bring about this result. (Cf. " T h e Mental Element

Crime"

Dr. Glanville Williams' book to whom I am

debted for his suggested

struction to the jury. With this test

mind I now turn to consider the facts of this case. As alreadv stated, the trial Court found that the appellant formed the

tention to kill the deceased or anyone of the

mates of the flat. The question may be asked what about the voung girl ? Can it be said that he

tended to kill her : What about the husband r Did he reallv

tend to kill him ? Can it be said that he formed the *H\ I967

tention to kill his mistress only ? Or, as it was submitted l by the defence, that his

tent was to terrorise and not to ^' " ' ^ kill ? Finally, can it be said that he formed the

tent to ' M'ir > kill after he began shooting ? As already stated, this is a _ matter of

ference, but it must be the onlv reasonable

feGEOHCHIO^ rence that can be drawn from the facts. ARISTIDOI. T. Under the provisions of section 204 of our Criminal Code (as amended by Law 3 of 1962, section 5), the evidence josephides, J. has to prove " whether expressly or by implication an

tention to cause the death of any person, whether such person is the person actually killed or not . . . ". This, to my mind, answers the question as to whether he

tended to kill a particular person or not. It is really immaterial

the eyes of the law. T h e trial Judges, as stated above, are entitled to use their knowledge of human behaviour, and the common understanding of what results follow when one behaves

a certain wav, to help them to arrive at a conclusion as to what the accused

tended. Needless to say that

this case the trial Court had to take

to consideration also the appellant's state of

toxication. Assuming, for

stance, that the appellant, who had been frequ