Natalie C. MacDonald

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review of the disposition for an accused found not criminally responsible for arson and breach of probation.

The hospital and the Attorney General jointly submitted that the accused no longer posed a significant threat to public safety and should receive an absolute discharge.

The Board accepted the expert evidence that the accused's mental status remained stable despite his use of legal substances, and that his risk to the public was low.

Finding that the significant threat threshold was not met, the Board granted an absolute discharge.

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

The accused, diagnosed with schizophrenia, remained guarded and treatment-resistant, with a history of violence when acutely unwell.

Accepting the joint submission of the parties and the uncontroverted psychiatric evidence, the Board found the accused continues to pose a significant threat to public safety.

A Detention Order within the secure forensic program was maintained to allow for medication optimization and gradual transition to a general unit.

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

The accused, diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and substance use disorder, had recently eloped from the hospital and relapsed into methamphetamine use.

The Board found that the accused continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public.

A Detention Order within the Forensic Program was continued, with added terms requiring the deposit of travel documents and specifying a 150-kilometer radius for accompanied privileges.

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review of the accused's disposition.

The accused, who was found not criminally responsible for attempted robbery and breach of probation, suffers from schizophrenia and continues to experience residual psychotic symptoms.

Based on a joint submission and uncontroverted psychiatric evidence of recent physical and verbal aggression, the Board found the accused continues to represent a significant threat to public safety.

The Board ordered the continuation of the current Detention Disposition within the forensic program.

The Ontario Review Board held an annual review hearing for the accused, who was previously found not criminally responsible for aggravated assault.

The accused has schizophrenia and a cannabis use disorder.

The Board found that the accused continues to represent a significant threat to public safety due to his mental illness, substance use history, and risk of relapse if unsupervised.

The Board ordered a continuation of the Detention Disposition, with a transfer to CAMH when available, to manage his risk while supporting his reintegration.

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

The accused sought the removal of alcohol and cannabis prohibitions from his disposition.

The Board found that the accused continues to represent a significant threat to public safety due to schizophrenia and substance use disorders.

Relying on psychiatric evidence that substance use would likely cause a relapse of psychotic symptoms and violent behaviour, the Board ordered continued detention on a General Forensic Unit with the alcohol and cannabis prohibitions maintained.

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review of the disposition for an accused previously found not criminally responsible for endangering life and arson.

The hospital, Crown, and accused jointly recommended an absolute discharge.

The Board accepted the treating psychiatrist's evidence that the accused is clinically stable, compliant with medication, and has ceased using cocaine.

Finding that the accused no longer represents a significant threat to public safety, the Board granted an absolute discharge.

The Ontario Review Board conducted a mandatory review of the accused's disposition.

The accused, who was previously found not criminally responsible for offences including criminal negligence causing death, suffers from treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

The Board accepted the uncontroverted psychiatric evidence that the accused continues to experience symptoms, lacks insight, and poses a moderate risk of violent reoffending.

The Board concluded that the accused remains a significant threat to public safety and ordered the continuation of his detention within the forensic program.

The accused was found not criminally responsible for second-degree murder and appeared for his initial hearing before the Ontario Review Board.

The hospital and Crown recommended a detention order with conditions, noting the accused's bipolar disorder, history of medication non-compliance, and the serious nature of the index offence.

The Board found the accused remains a significant threat to public safety and ordered his continued detention at the hospital with modified conditions, including strict reporting requirements and a geographic restriction.

The accused was found not criminally responsible for arson and the matter was remitted to the Ontario Review Board for an initial disposition hearing.

The Board found that the accused, who has schizophrenia and a history of substance abuse and medication noncompliance, continues to pose a significant threat to public safety.

Accepting a joint recommendation from the parties, the Board ordered a Detention Order at the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences with specified privileges, including potential community living, and prohibitions.

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review of the accused's disposition.

The accused was previously found not criminally responsible for possession of a firearm and mischief.

The Board found that the accused continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public due to treatment-resistant schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder.

The Board ordered a continuation of the detention order with added privileges, including the ability to reside in the community in approved accommodations and exercise passes for up to seven days.

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review of the accused, who was previously found not criminally responsible for sexual assault.

The Board found that the accused continues to represent a significant threat to public safety due to his diagnoses of Schizophrenia, Polysubstance Use Disorder, and Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Adopting a joint recommendation, the Board ordered the continuation of his detention at the hospital but varied the disposition to permit the monitored consumption of cannabis purchased from a legal dispensary.

The accused, previously found not criminally responsible for aggravated assault, was subject to an Ontario Review Board disposition allowing her to live in the community.

The hospital readmitted her after she consistently tested positive for illicit substances and breached her disposition conditions.

The Board convened a hearing to review the restriction of liberties under s. 672.81(2.1) of the Criminal Code.

The Board found that the initial and ongoing restriction of the accused's liberty was warranted and represented the least restrictive and least onerous intervention necessary to manage her risk and address her substance use.

Following a finding of not criminally responsible for aggravated assault and other offences, the Ontario Review Board held an initial disposition hearing for the accused.

The Board accepted the joint recommendation of the parties, finding that the accused remained a significant threat to public safety but was responding well to medication.

The Board ordered the accused detained at the General Forensic Unit of Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, with privileges including community passes of up to 72 hours.

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

The accused had been discharged to a community residence but was returned to the hospital after exhibiting bizarre behaviour and testing positive for cannabis.

The hospital and the Attorney General sought a continuation of the Detention Order, while the accused requested a Conditional Discharge and the removal of alcohol prohibitions.

The Board accepted the hospital's evidence, finding that the restriction of liberty was warranted and that the accused remains a significant threat to public safety.

The Detention Order was continued with all previous prohibitions, including the ban on alcohol use.

The Ontario Review Board convened a restriction of liberty hearing after the hospital transferred the accused from a General Forensic Unit to a Secure Forensic Unit.

The transfer occurred after the accused committed an unprovoked assault on a vulnerable co-patient.

The Board found that the transfer was warranted and that ongoing detention in the Secure Forensic Unit was the least onerous and least restrictive decision available to protect public safety and provide necessary supervision.

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review of the accused's disposition.

The accused was previously found not criminally responsible for assault causing bodily harm.

All parties agreed that the accused remains a significant threat to public safety and requires detention in a secure forensic unit.

The Board accepted the joint submission and ordered a hybrid detention order, allowing the hospital discretion to transfer the accused to a general forensic unit if his condition justifies it.

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review of the accused's conditional discharge disposition.

The accused, who was found not criminally responsible for assault and assaulting a peace officer, sought an absolute discharge.

The hospital and the Attorney General argued that the accused remained a significant threat to public safety due to his schizoaffective disorder, lack of insight, and stated intention to reduce his antipsychotic medication.

The Board accepted the psychiatric evidence that the accused's risk of violence would increase if he reduced or stopped his medication.

The Board concluded that the accused continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of the public and ordered the continuation of the existing conditional discharge.

The Ontario Review Board conducted an annual review of the accused's disposition.

The accused, who was previously found not criminally responsible for violent offences, had been living in the community for nine months without incident.

The hospital, the accused, and initially the Attorney General jointly recommended a Conditional Discharge.

However, the Board rejected this recommendation, finding that the accused remained a significant threat to public safety due to his high psychopathy scores, lack of insight, and failure to engage in necessary therapy.

The Board concluded that the Mental Health Act would be insufficient to manage his risk if his mental state decompensated.

The Board ordered the continuation of the Detention Order with an additional privilege for indirectly supervised travel passes.

The accused was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder for two counts of attempted murder and one count of assault.

The Ontario Review Board held an initial disposition hearing to determine if the accused poses a significant threat to public safety.

Relying on expert psychiatric evidence, the Board found that the accused remains a significant threat due to active symptoms of schizophrenia, underdeveloped insight into his need for medication, and the risk of destabilization from cannabis use.

The Board ordered a Detention Order at Ontario Shores, with privileges up to living in the community in approved accommodation, as the necessary and appropriate disposition to manage his risk.