C. Hynes

The Ontario Review Board held an annual review hearing for an accused found not criminally responsible for aggravated assault and assault.

The accused, who suffers from schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder, had recently transitioned to a community group home but continued to experience residual psychotic symptoms.

The Board accepted the joint recommendation of the parties and the hospital's psychiatric evidence, finding that the accused continues to pose a significant threat to public safety.

The Board ordered that the existing Detention Order be continued to ensure adequate supervision and the ability to expeditiously readmit the accused if his mental state decompensates.

The Ontario Review Board held a hearing to review a restriction of liberty imposed on the accused, who was previously found unfit to stand trial and detained at a mental health hospital.

The accused was placed in seclusion for eight days after exhibiting aggressive and threatening behaviour towards staff.

Applying the Campbell framework, the Board found that the significant restriction of the accused's liberty was both necessary and appropriate from its initiation through to its termination to ensure the safety of staff and co-patients.

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review for an accused previously found not criminally responsible for attempted murder.

The hospital and Crown sought a Detention Order, citing three recent hospital readmissions, medication non-compliance, and an incident where the accused vandalized several churches.

The accused requested an Absolute or Conditional Discharge.

Accepting the hospital's evidence, the Board found the accused remains a significant threat to public safety and ordered his detention at a General Forensic Service with weekly reporting requirements, declining to impose a nighttime curfew.

The Ontario Review Board held an annual review hearing for the accused, who was found not criminally responsible for assault with a weapon, assault, and mischief.

The accused has diagnoses of schizophrenia, severe substance use disorder, and antisocial personality disorder.

The treatment team reported positive progress despite some incidents of aggression and a recent altercation with a co-patient.

The Board accepted the joint recommendation of the parties, finding that the accused continues to pose a significant threat to public safety.

The Board ordered that the accused remain subject to a detention order at the hospital with no changes to the current disposition, which includes provisions for community living when appropriate.

The Crown applied to have the offender designated a Dangerous Offender following his convictions for sexual assault and uttering death threats.

The offender had a lengthy criminal record, was previously designated a Long-Term Offender, and suffered from multiple major mental disorders.

Based on expert psychiatric evidence indicating a high risk of violent and sexual recidivism and the intractability of his disorders, the offender conceded the designation.

The court found the offender met the criteria under s. 753(1) of the Criminal Code and imposed an indeterminate sentence to protect the public.