A teenager caught with a garage full of explosives and plans to bomb landmarks across Malta was suffering from substance-induced psychosis at the time, three psychiatrists have concluded.

Psychiatrists told a court on Friday that David Brincat’s medical files showed that he was making use of psychoactive drugs and that he had told them, in interviews, that he produced his own substances and drank significant amounts of alcohol.

In a 13-page report, they concluded that the young man had suffered a substance-induced psychosis and a state of insanity at the time of the offence.

Brincat was arrested last May after a small explosion went off in a public dustbin outside Labour Party headquarters in the middle of the night. Following a manhunt, police arrested the young man and discovered that a garage he was living in was packed with explosive material.

Further investigation led police to believe Brincat had also placed explosives outside two pharmacies in St Venera and Birkirkara and had plans to target other sites, including parliament.

Brincat was charged and pleaded not guilty by virtue of insanity.

While psychiatrists have concluded that Brincat was insane at the time of the offence, the court has not yet pronounced itself on that matter.

During a hearing on Friday, Magistrate Kevan Azzopardi ordered forensic doctor Mario Scerri to take a hair sample from Brincat, who is being held in prison.

That sample is to be sent to a lab overseas for toxicological tests. The order was made after the court heard that Brincat had only been subjected to urine tests following his arrest and that it was now too late to run more detailed substance abuse tests.

Only tests on hair samples could scientifically determine whether Brincat had made use of psychoactive drugs, the court heard.

The prosecution did not object to the test, saying that it would help to give “the full picture.”

Psychiatrists met Brincat twice – once at the Corradino Correctional Facility and a second time at Mount Carmel Hospital’s forensic unit- and spoke to his parents to get an overview of his life history.

They concluded that he was a vulnerable youth because of the use of substances and mental health problems.

When subjected to a risk assessment, all risks were low because at the time Brincat was being detained within a secure setting. But when considering all factors, future risks were high unless he received help from a specialist team.

The youth showed “little remorse for what was going to happen or could have happened” and he appeared to have little support from mental health services.

“He will need a lot of scaffolding to reintegrate him in our community to help him become an independent person,” explained the experts.

Brincat’s parents told the experts they suspected that he was abusing alcohol.

The youth appeared to confirm that, telling psychiatrists that he was consuming in excess of seven beer bottles daily and had spent three days in his garage at the time of the incident.

He had previously also consulted different psychiatrists.

Experts told the court that Brincat was “very disturbed” in the days following his arrest, when he was held at Mount Carmel

“Then why was he discharged?” asked the prosecution.

“Because he received treatment and got better,” explained consultant psychiatrist Rachel Taylor East who testified via videoconference.

The other two experts were psychiatrists Nigel Camilleri and Christian Sant. Both were present in court for Friday's hearing. 

The case continues next month when the parties are expected to ask the psychiatrists further questions.