Parasomnia Definition:

In R v Luedecke, Justice David Doherty of the Court of Appeal for Ontario adopted these words from medical expert evidence:

"Parasomnia involves a sudden unexplained arousal from sleep. Persons may carry out various physical activities while in a parasomniac state. Usually those activities are not complex, and may include hand gestures, talking, or walking. More rarely, an individual in a parasomniac state engages in complex physical activity that can include eating, sexual acts, or driving a vehicle. Physical activities performed by a person in a parasomniac state are often bizarre but can appear purposive. Parasomniacs are seldom violent."

REFERENCES:

• R. v. Luedecke, 2008 ONCA 716