Tuesday 1 September 2009

Swedish art student fined for faking psychosis

A Swedish art student who feigned a psychosis and acted as if she were about to commit suicide was ordered to pay a 2,500-kronor (350 dollars) fine for the stunt.

Anna Odell, 35, had risked up to two years in jail for the incident she staged in January as part of her final exam project at the Swedish University College of Arts, Crafts and Design.

The Stockholm district court convicted her of abusing the psychiatric health system and resisting arrest, but she was cleared of raising a false alarm. The project has been hailed as a legitimate arts project by some, while others say she drained resources from the psychiatric health system that is severely stretched.

Odell's lawyer told reporters they would consider an appeal against the conviction of abusing the health system.

Odell - who testified that she had a history of mental health problems - filmed her actions on a bridge in Stockholm. She was so convincing that police were called to the scene chose to take her to a psychiatric ward in central Stockholm, where she was admitted.

She also used her hospital records and other documents as part of the arts project. Odell resisted police officers and hospital staff, who gave her sedatives and were forced to strap her down to a bed.

In her testimony she said the pretence was necessary to offer a real view of how the Swedish psychiatric care system treats people.

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