Canadian Lawyer Avoids Jail After Manic Episode-Linked Knife Attack

Judge cites mental illness in reduced sentencing, stresses treatment and strict probation conditions

Summary report by Alex Rowan

— A Canadian lawyer, Alexander Currie, 41, will not serve jail time after attacking a stranger with a knife during a manic episode last year, according to June 2025 news reports.

On May 25, 2024, Currie confronted 80-year-old Bryan McLaren as he rode his scooter along Deep Cove Road in the city of North Vancouver. Currie wielded a chef’s knife, slashed McLaren’s motorcycle helmet three times, and screamed “I’m going to kill you,” according to court filings.

A passerby intervened, whisking McLaren to safety in his car. Fortunately, he narrowly escaped serious injury, though the traumatic memory endures.

Court records show that Currie was suffering from a manic episode at the time. The Crown prosecutor described him as “actively psychotic and suffering paranoid delusions.”

Though he had a documented history of mental illness, records note he had not experienced a manic episode in over 17 years.

A psychiatrist testified that stress, lack of sleep, and substance use—including alcohol and cannabis—likely triggered the breakdown.

Currie pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon, uttering threats, and mischief. More serious charges, including attempted murder and assaulting an officer, were dropped.

A joint sentencing recommendation from the Crown and defense called for three years of probation and a conditional discharge, meaning Currie would avoid a criminal record if he complied with court conditions.

On June 13, 2025, Judge Joseph Galati accepted the recommendation. He emphasized that, but for Currie’s mental illness, a tougher punishment would have been warranted.

“Mr. Currie’s moral culpability for the offenses is significantly reduced by his mental illness,” Galati said. He also said that Currie, who has since been receiving psychiatric treatment and is on medication, is “extremely motivated” to stick to his recovery plan.

Victim McLaren remains shaken. In his impact statement, he described the attack: “You jumped in front of my scooter with a 12-inch butcher’s knife and drove it through my windshield… I now have a lasting memory of a very horrific experience.”

Currie, who is a non-practicing lawyer in good standing with the Law Society of British Columbia, issued a heartfelt apology in court.

“I know it must have been a terrifying situation, and it fills me with shame and regret that I caused him pain and trauma through my actions,” he said.

The sentencing includes strict conditions: Currie must continue seeing a psychologist, abstain from drugs and alcohol, and pay $594 in restitution to his victim. If he meets all requirements during probation, he will not have a criminal record.

Sources
• North Shore News
• Global News

Personal note: Having suffered a bipolar manic episode I found myself in trouble with the law. I was detained after a night of erratic actions at a hotel. Fortunately no charges were filed. In another incident, a loved one filed a police report about my rantings and taunting near the beginning of my mania. It resulted in two charges against me. I hope the prosecutor and judge will be as understanding.

Follow news about bipolar mania and manic episodes on X