Ontario Review Board
Re: Jeremy L. Sleep
ORB File No. 7707
Hearing Date: March 6, 2025
Hearing Location: St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, West 5th Campus
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code of Canada
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Mr. C. Flanagan Members: Dr. K. Hand Dr. A. Kerry Ms. M. McKinnon Mr. K. McKenna
Parties Appearing:
Accused: Jeremy L. Sleep Counsel Ms. B. Bromberg The Person in charge of Hospital: Counsel: Ms. L. Barney Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Ms. C. Gzik
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated April 9, 2025)
Introduction
Mr. Sleep was found not criminally responsible on March 20, 2020, for the criminal code offences of break and enter and aggravated assault.
He is currently subject to a conditional discharge with conditions that include a treatment clause pursuant to s. 672.55 (1) of the criminal code.
A panel of the Ontario Review Board convened this annual hearing on March 6, 2025, at St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, West 5th Campus, (St. Joseph’s,) to review the current Disposition.
At the commencement of the hearing, the Hospital recommended a continuation of the existing conditional discharge, with the removal of paragraph 1(f), the treatment clause, and amending paragraph 1(b), to reporting monthly rather than bi-weekly. Counsel for the Attorney-General and for Mr. Sleep supported this recommendation from the Hospital.
After considering the evidence, the panel agreed that Mr. Sleep remains a significant threat to the safety of the public, and that a continuation of the conditional discharge, with the suggested modifications, is necessary and appropriate.
Index Offences
- The following is a synopsis of the facts pertaining to the index offences.
“At approximately 1615 hrs 011 January 18, 2020, police responded to 2-119 Holton Ave S in the City of Hamilton for a Break and Enter in Progress. Information was given that a neighbour from unit 3 was breaking into apartment 2. Further information was provided that the suspect, known as Jeremy, was in possession of a large knife.
While en route, police were updated that the complainant, MH, had been stabbed.
Police arrived on scene and located MH with a number of injuries. MH was escorted outside of the residence and secured for EMS arrival. MH advised the suspect resided in apartment 3.
Police attended the upstairs units and located apartment 2 with the door completely destroyed. Inside the unit, police observed a large amount of blood droplets with an obvious sign of disturbance.
Police attended apartment 3 and heard yelling and screaming resonating from inside of the unit. Police heard at least 2 male voices screaming and yelling.
Due to safety concerns that another victim may be present in the apartment, police attempted to breach the door.
After a short time, further information was provided that the suspect, now known as Jeremy SLEEP, resided alone in his unit.
Police then secured the front and rear of the residence and awaiting negotiators and TAC.
Negotiations commenced with negative results. At approximately 2127 hrs, TAC breached the door and secured SLEEP. SLEEP was subsequently arrested for Break and Enter and Aggravated Assault. SLEEP was transported to Station 10 and Bail opposed.
MH was transported to HGH and suffered the following injuries:
2 x puncture wounds to front of chest
3 x puncture wounds to back
1 x puncture wound to left armpit area
Various lacerations to left arm and forearm.
As of this report, injuries were advised to be non-life threatening.
Evidence
The evidence at this hearing consisted of the Hospital Report dated February 26, 2025, and the testimony of Dr. Naidoo, Mr. Sleep’s treating psychiatrist.
Mr. Sleep does not have a criminal record, and prior to the index offences, he had no history of mental illness or violent behaviour. He maintained steady employment until he quit his job in December 2019.
He is diagnosed with Bipolar I Disorder with Psychotic Features.
After completing Mohawk College, Mr. Sleep moved into his own residence, and had remained living in this residence for over fifteen years.
After leaving Mohawk College he was employed with various Information Technology companies until December 2019. Mr. Sleep reports that he was romantically interested in a woman who was a co-worker, and discovered that she was engaged to another man, which prompted him to quit his job.
When Mr. Sleep was first admitted to St. Joseph’s following the index offences, he was observed to be acting in a bizarre manner. He was expressing thought content that was psychotic. He was at times tangential and not able to put together a coherent sentence.
Regarding the index offences, Mr. Sleep indicated that he began feeling paranoid about the intentions of his neighbour who was banging on Mr. Sleep’s ceiling to get Mr. Sleep to lower the volume of his music. The music was sending Mr. Sleep special messages, and he believed his neighbour was an evil spirit.
Mr. Sleep reported that he started using marijuana when he was 35 years old, and that typically he would consume 1-2 grams per month. He has only consumed alcohol occasionally on a social basis.
Mr. Sleep expressed to the treatment team that he is feeling better with the antipsychotic medication. Mr. Sleep is by nature an introvert, but he did participate in selected activities in the hospital. At times he would appear suspicious, and believed that certain colours had a special meaning. During interviews, he would often be tearful when discussing his former romantic interest or the index offences.
Mr. Sleep expressed relief that he was no longer in custody. He was concerned that the correctional officers were trying to control him, and he wondered if they were “a devil or an angel.”
There was an obvious improvement in his condition with the addition of an antidepressant to his medication, and the psychotic symptoms disappeared over time.
While in hospital, there was no aggression, he complied with the rules, and engaged appropriately with staff. Mr. Sleep was able to recognize the former bizarre beliefs as delusions arising from his mental illness.
Mr. Sleep has a positive and supportive relationship with his family.
On July 13, 2021, Mr. Sleep was discharged to live in the community. He initially lived with two friends in Paris Ontario, and then moved to a townhouse he shared with his landlord in Hamilton in December 2021.
He also obtained full-time employment in November 2021, providing computer technical support over the phone to the company’s customers.
The landlord did express concern to the outpatient team that Mr. Sleep was very isolative, and would spend an inordinate amount of time alone in his bedroom.
In October 2022, reporting to the Outpatient Forensic Team was reduced from bi-weekly to monthly as a result of his apparent stability.
On February 5, 2023, Mr. Sleep was involved in a single motor vehicle accident. He was taken by ambulance to Credit Valley Hospital. According to notes from Credit Valley, Mr. Sleep advised staff that on February 2, 2023, he started to receive messages from religious videos he was watching on You Tube. He was instructed by these videos to travel to the Blue Mountains, which he interpreted to mean Wasaga, Ontario. He stated that “he had to deliver a message to his parents and that he saw scary thoughts.”
While driving, he struck a median which was caused by an external force trying to sabotage his plans to see is parents. He removed his license plates and fled the scene. He subsequently indicated that he was driving without his glasses which resulted in him hitting the median.
According to the report from Credit Valley, Mr. Sleep presented with signs of paranoia, religious delusions, and disorganization. He displayed no insight into his condition, and advised the medical team that he had stopped taking his medication. He was transferred to St. Joseph’s on February 10, 2023 on a Form 3 under the Mental Health Act.
When Mr. Sleep was assessed at St. Joseph’s he appeared mentally stable, but somewhat anxious with his readmission and his mental decompensation. A long-acting injectable antipsychotic was initiated.
Mr. Sleep remained in the hospital as a voluntary patient from the time the Form 3 expired, March 7, 2023, until he was discharged to the community on April 18, 2023. He returned to his residence that he shared with the landlord.
Throughout the following year, Mr. Sleep was cooperative with the outpatient team, and attended all his scheduled appointments at the Forensic Outpatient Clinic to receive his antipsychotic injection. There were times, however, when the team observed minor signs of depression, a noticeable lack of motivation, and lack of attention to his hygiene. There were no indications of delusional beliefs.
He completed 20 sessions of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Psychosis, and was described as a committed participant.
This past year Mr. Sleep has met with the Forensic Outpatient Team twice per week. He has been accepted by the Canadian Mental Health Association for follow-up care once he obtains a family doctor.
He has been generally stable this past year, but on 2 occasions missed appointments with his outpatient team. On October 25, 2024, he called the clinic to say that he had slept through his alarm after staying up late playing video games. His Case Manager reminded him of the importance of these appointments. On December 13, 2024, he again did not attend for his scheduled meeting. The Case Manager attended his home. Mr. Sleep stated that he had once again slept in late after staying up playing video games.
In March 2024, Mr. Sleep discontinued his individual psychotherapy. The reason, he explained, was that he was required to talk a lot and he’s not a talker. He strongly believed that the therapy was unnecessary.
Mr. Sleep joined a pickleball league. He became interested in a woman he met playing pickleball and sent her numerous text messages. After she didn’t respond to the messages, he quit the league in October 2024.
Currently, Mr. Sleep is not attending any counselling or engaged in any structured activities. He has been adherent with his medication and abstinent from substances. There were no signs of an exacerbation of his psychotic symptoms, there was no violent behaviour, and there were no readmissions to hospital.
Dr. Naidoo testified that Mr. Sleep was started on an antidepressant on April 9, 2024. Mr. Sleep reported to the team that he felt more energized and motivated after starting the antidepressant.
Dr. Naidoo advised that Mr. sleep has friends in the community and receives valued support from his family. He has successfully attended various family trips. Essentially, Mr. Sleep has remained at his baseline for the year. He would like to obtain employment, and Dr. Naidoo offered that structure in his life would be very positive.
Dr. Naidoo believes that the 2 missed appointments with his outpatient team were a result of negligence rather than deliberate. Dr. Naidoo would like to see Mr. Sleep engage in psychotherapy, which would assist Mr. Sleep with his insight into coping with stress, and help control any problematic behaviour. Dr. Naidoo indicated that Mr. Sleep is always agreeable to follow his instructions.
Dr. Naidoo responded to a question from the Crown by stating that the motor vehicle accident occurred when Mr. Sleep was unwell.
In response to a question from the panel, Dr. Naidoo advised that cognitive testing has determined that Mr. Sleep’s cognitive functioning fell in the range of below average, and that it would be appropriate to investigate cognitive limitations. Dr. Naidoo indicated that the team is still attempting to get Mr. Sleep involved in therapeutic programming.
Submissions
The Hospital submitted that Mr. Sleep remains a significant threat to the safety of the public, and that a continuation of the conditional discharge is necessary and appropriate. The Hospital also submitted that it is not necessary to have the treatment clause in the Disposition, and that reporting could be amended to monthly rather than bi-weekly.
Counsel for Mr. Sleep simply submitted that Mr. Sleep would continue to work cooperatively with the team, and that she was confident he would agree to any suggested treatment.
Analysis
Mr. Sleep remains a significant threat to the safety of the public, and a continuation of the conditional discharge, with the 2 amendments as suggested by the Hospital, is necessary and appropriate.
Mr. Sleep has remained stable this past year. The outpatient team did notice a fluctuation in his mood, and he has since started an antidepressant which appears to have improved his despondency.
The motor vehicle accident in February 2023, illustrates a risk to the public Mr. Sleep represents when unwell. He was responding to delusional thoughts at the time of the accident.
Although he follows the advice of Dr. Naidoo and the outpatient team, there is concern that if he was not under the jurisdiction of the Board, he would discontinue his medication which would result in the reemergence of his psychotic symptoms. He has disengaged from therapeutic counselling even though it has been recommended by his treatment team. He is not presently engaged in any structured activities, including any recreational activities, which is also of concern. This lack of motivation is likely harmful to his mental health.
At the present time it is necessary for Mr. Sleep to have the continued support and monitoring from the outpatient team to ensure medication compliance, and for them to be alerted to fluctuations in his mood and psychotic symptoms, in order to manage his risk to public safety.
In coming to this conclusion, the panel has applied the principles provided in s. 672.5401 of the Criminal Code.
Dated this 9th day of April 2025, at the City of Toronto, in the Toronto Region.
Kevin McKenna Legal Member
Office of the Registrar Ontario Review Board