Ontario Review Board
Re: William Kenny
ORB File No: 8621
Hearing held on: Monday, November 24, 2025
Place of hearing: Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Ms. J. Mills
Members: Dr. R. Wood Hill Dr. G. Stones Ms. C. Fromstein Ms. C. Plyley
Parties Appearing:
Accused: William Kenny Amicus Curiae: Ms. C. Whillier
The Person in charge of Hospital: Representative: Ms. T. Newman
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Ms. S. Curry
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated December 22, 2025)
Introduction
On September 12, 2024, William Kenny was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (“NCR”) on charges of assault with a weapon (x2), and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada (the “Criminal Code”).
Mr. Kenny is currently subject to a disposition of the Ontario Review Board (the “Board”) detaining him at the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care – Brébeuf Program for Regional Forensics, with privileges up to and including the ability to live in the community within the catchment area of Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care in accommodation approved by the person in charge.
On November 24, 2025, a panel of the Board convened to review Mr. Kenny’s disposition pursuant to s. 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code. Mr. Kenny was present for his hearing and was represented by counsel throughout the proceedings. Mr. Kenny’s parents were also present for the proceedings.
The issues to be determined are whether Mr. Kenny poses a significant threat to the safety of the public, and if so, the necessary and appropriate disposition to manage that risk having regard to the criteria set out in s. 672.54 of the Criminal Code.
At the commencement of the hearing, the representative for the hospital submitted that Mr. Kenny remains a significant threat to the safety of the public and there should be no change to his disposition except that clause 2(h) in his current disposition should allow him to have passes for up to five days within a 300 kilometre radius of Waypoint, with an approved person, upon first obtaining approval of his itinerary by the person in charge of the hospital or their designate. Counsel for the Attorney General agreed with the hospital’s position. Amicus submitted that Mr. Kenny also agreed with the hospital’s position. All parties maintained their respective positions in closing submissions.
For the reasons set out below, the Board finds that Mr. Kenny continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public and there should be no change to his current disposition, except as recommended above.
Evidence at the Hearing
- The Board received documentary evidence in the form of a Court Package and a Hospital Report dated October 16, 2025, and marked as Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively. The Board also heard viva voce testimony from Dr. A. Jones, Mr. Kenny’s treating psychiatrist.
Index Offences
- The circumstances of the index offences are excerpted from last year’s Reasons and are as follows:
“Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purposes and Assault”
On April 21st, 2024, the complainant called into police advising that a male was running around the area with a knife, chasing kids with it, and gesturing a stabbing motion towards them (counts 1 & 2). The victims did not sustain any injuries.
According to police notes dated April 21, 2024, Mr. Kenny stated that “...the kids were doing a dance he viewed as harassing, while he was taking out the trash so he grabbed a knife, approached them with the intent of stabbing them through the face...male once again stated that the victims were across the street while he was taking out the trash and had done a ‘dab’ gesture that he found to be annoying. Male returned into his home, retrieved a hunting knife from the kitchen, returned outside and approached the kids weilding [sic] the knife with the intent to stab one of them in the face.
Assault With a Weapon
On Thursday, April 25th, 2024, at approximately 6:36am, police were contacted by complainant advising that her son, the accused, William KENNY is MHA and having a psychotic episode and just assaulted her.
She advised that the accused turned on several televisions in the house and was causing a disturbance. Upon confronting the accused, he became agitated and proceeded to hit the victim in the head with the television remote. The victim sustained a minor cut to her forehead from the assault.”
The Hospital Report outlines Mr. Kenny history and background and need not be repeated here in detail. In brief, Mr. Kenny is 28 years old. Mr. Kenny was raised in Mississauga. He has an elder half-sister and a younger brother. Mr. Kenny’s parents separated when he was a teenager. Mr. Kenny graduated from high school. He attended university in British Columbia but eventually dropped out after two and a half years. Subsequently, Mr. Kenny attended university in Nanaimo but did not complete his studies.
Mr. Kenny has a minimal employment history. Mr. Kenny experienced a period of homelessness and living in shelters for approximately three years before his finding of NCR. Mr. Kenny is single with no dependents.
Mr. Kenny has a history of substance use beginning in his late teens and is reported to have been a heavy user of cannabis. Prior to the index offences, Mr. Kenny had a criminal record for assault, possession of a weapon, theft under $5000.00 (x2) and assault with a weapon in 2022, all occurring when he lived in British Columbia.
Mr. Kenny’s first admission to hospital for psychiatric services was in British Columbia in 2020. At that time, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and prescribed risperidone. In 2020, he was again admitted to hospital in Ontario. Mr. Kenny is described as having had a robust improvement with risperidone but discontinued his medication and quickly deteriorated.
Mr. Kenny is diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia.
Evidence and Analysis
The Board accepts the testimony of Dr. Jones as supported by the Hospital Report and finds that Mr. Kenny continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public. The Board notes that all parties were in agreement on this issue. Mr. Kenny’s insight into his mental illness and the need for ongoing treatment is underdeveloped and he has not been reliable in reporting symptoms of his mental illness. Mr. Kenny has a history of medication noncompliance and without robust supports in place to assist him, it is likely that Mr. Kenny would fall away from treatment and become noncompliant with medication which would increase his risk to the safety of the public. For these reasons, the Board finds that Mr. Kenny represents a significant threat to the safety of the public.
Notably, while taking his current medications and while abstaining from substances, Mr. Kenny has shown significant improvement and no further aggression. However, Mr. Kenny’s history demonstrates that he will be at high risk of experiencing more severe symptoms of psychosis if he becomes noncompliant with medications and/or relapsed into substance use. Consistent with his lack of insight, Mr. Kenny acknowledges his plan of care and is compliant with his medications but is ambivalent regarding any benefit or changes these have on his mental state. Furthermore, while Mr. Kenny has complied with providing urine samples for analysis and all samples have been negative, Mr. Kenny has not attended any of the addiction-related groups recommended to him and declined offers to meet with an addiction counsellor. Nor has he engaged with any psychoeducation programming.
Dr. Jones testified that Mr. Kenny is now on the waitlist for TRHP housing and recently was invited to attend meetings at TRHP to get to know the staff. He attended one meeting, did not enjoy the topic that was being discussed and has not returned since. However, he is still interested in going to a TRHP residence when one becomes available. It is anticipated this may be in early spring 2026. He presents as socially withdrawn and having difficulty with motivation. It is hoped that when he goes to TRHP and he has more responsibilities, such as shopping for himself, this will help with his motivation. Currently, Mr. Kenny has not utilized the full range of privileges available to him. Contributing to his lack of motivation is his negative symptoms of schizophrenia and Mr. Kenny will need extra support to manage the transition to community living.
In these circumstances, it is important for the hospital to approve Mr. Kenny’s accommodation to ensure that he receives the support and monitoring necessary to manage his risk to the safety of the public and to ensure a successful reintegration. This is particularly so given the stressors that he is likely to be exposed to in the community, such as increased exposure to substances, which remains a relevant risk factor for Mr. Kenny. He was using cannabis in proximity to the index offences and substance use played a significant role in destabilising Mr. Kenny’s mental health in the years prior to the index offences. For these reasons, the Board finds that a detention order remains the necessary and appropriate disposition.
The Board has considered the parties’ recommendation for increased passes into the community for up to five days and finds that this is necessary and appropriate. Mr. Kenny has the support of his parents. However, his parents do not live in close proximity to the hospital and while he is yet to visit his home, consideration is being given to his progressing to home visits. In the Board’s view, increased time away from the hospital will facilitate contact with his family and assist in his eventual reintegration into the community.
Mr. Kenny is described as doing well; he is co-operative and pleasant in his interactions. The Board wishes him well in his transition to the community.
Disposition
In making a disposition, the Board must take into consideration the criteria set out in s. 672.54 of the Criminal Code, which is the safety of the public, which is the paramount consideration, the mental condition of the accused, the reintegration of the accused into society and the other needs of the accused.
For the foregoing reasons, the Board finds that Mr. Kenny continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public and that there should be no change to his disposition, except as outlined in the formal disposition.
DATED this 22nd day of December 2025, at the City of Toronto, in the Region of Toronto.
Ms. J. Mills Alternate Chairperson
Office of the Registrar Ontario Review Board