Ontario Review Board
Re: Ronald Groenestege
ORB File No: 8469
Hearing held on: Monday, April 7, 2025
Place of hearing: Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care St. Thomas, Ontario
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Ms. S. Clapp Members: Dr. S. Swaminath Dr. M. Green Mr. R. Bigelow Ms. C. Plyley
Parties Appearing:
Accused: Ronald Groenestege Counsel: Mr. D. Reid
The person in charge of hospital: Counsel: Ms. J. Zamprogna
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Mr. D. Rows
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated May 7, 2025)
Introduction:
On January 17, 2024, Ronald Groenestege was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (“NCR”) on charges of failure to comply with probation order (x8), fail to comply with release order, criminal harassment, and harassing telephone communication, all contrary to the Criminal Code. He is currently subject to a Disposition of the Ontario Review Board (“ORB” or the “Board”) dated April 30, 2024, whereby he is detained at the Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care (“Southwest” or the “hospital”) with privileges up to and including entering the Counites of Elgin, Middlesex, Perth, and Oxford accompanied by staff or an approved person. He is also required to abstain from substance use, and refrain from contact or communication with the victims of the index offences.
On April 7, 2025, a panel of the Board convened at Southwest to conduct Mr. Groenestege’s annual review pursuant to section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code. Mr. Groenestege attended the hearing and was represented by counsel.
The Hospital Report dated February 21, 2025, was marked as Exhibit 1. In addition to the documentary evidence, Mr. Groenestege’s attending psychiatrist, Dr. Naghmeh Mokhber, gave evidence.
The issues to be decided at the hearing were whether Mr. Groenestege continues to meet the test of posing a significant threat to the safety of the public as set out in section 672.5401 of the Criminal Code, and if so, what is the necessary and appropriate Disposition, taking into account the four factors set out in section 672.54 of the Criminal Code.
Position of the Parties:
- At the outset of the hearing the parties were asked for their initial without prejudice positions. On behalf of the hospital, Ms. Zamprogna took the position that Mr. Groenestege continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public and that a Detention Order remains necessary and appropriate. The hospital was recommending a continuation of the existing Detention Order with the following additions:
a. enter the community of Elgin County indirectly supervised;
b. 72 hour passes up to six times per year to enter Elgin, Middlesex, Perth and Oxford Counties accompanied by staff or an approved person;
c. community living in Elgin County in approved accommodation with reporting not less than four times per month; and
d. abstain absolutely from the non-medical use of alcohol or drugs or any other intoxicant.
- Mr. Rows agreed with the position of the hospital on behalf of the Attorney General. Mr. Reid stated that it was a joint submission.
Findings:
- For the reasons that follow, the panel found that Mr. Groenestege continues to pose a significant threat to public safety. The panel concluded that the necessary and appropriate Disposition, which is also the least onerous and least restrictive in the circumstances, is a continuation of the Detention Order, with the additions as recommended by the hospital.
Index Offences:
- The circumstances of the index offences are stated in the Hospital Report at pages 2-8 as follows:
“1. Criminal Harassment, Fail to Comply with Probation Order x 4
Incident: On Tuesday, January 31, 2023, the accused posted the victim’s address on his Facebook. Due to the victim’s history above with the accused, the fact that he’s already been charged 3 times with criminally harassing her in 2022, and that these parties are strangers to one another; this post was the accused engaging in threatening conduct that caused her to fear for her safety. These posts were shared with the victim by several people, and police were notified. Police and Probation both share in the concern for the victim’s safety with respect to the accused. Police noted that the victim’s photo was the background on the accused’s cell phone at the time of the arrest.
- Criminal Harassment (Telecommunications), Fail to Comply with Probation Order x 4, Fail to Comply with Release Order
On Saturday, February 11th, 2023, at 4:19 p.m., Wilfred (Fred) GROENESTEGE of 4894 Line 42, Perth East, called Police to report that his brother, Ronald GROENESTEGE, was calling and harassing him from the Stratford Jail. Ronald GROENESTEGE is currently in remanded in-custody on charges related to criminal harassment, failing to comply with probation, failing to comply with release orders and uttering threats.
A statement was obtained on Sunday, February 12th, 2023; Wilfred GROENESTEGE previously reported harassing phone calls earlier the same week, resulting in a breach probation charge ... The harassing communications increased since that breach and Ronald GROENESTEGE continued calling while police were present. Ronald GROENESTEGE stated he would continue unwanted communications despite being told to stop numerous times by the victim.”
- Mr. Groenestege reported that he believed that the female victim was in love with him, and that his wife was impersonating her and hacking his accounts. He also believed that his brother had seriously wronged him currently, and in the past.
Background:
Mr. Groenestege’s personal history is outlined in the Hospital Report in detail and will not be repeated here. In summary, Mr. Groenestege is a 56-year-old man who grew up in a farming family in the Stratford area. He is the eighth child in a sib line of nine, with five brothers and three sisters. Mr. Groenestege married his now ex-wife when he was 21 years old, and they have four children. Mr. Groenestege and his wife separated in May 2021 when he was charged with threatening behaviours.
Mr. Groenestege was in special education classes and was suspected of having a learning disability, however there was no formal diagnosis. He was often truant in school, either to go to work or go drinking with his friends. He also got into trouble with the law as a teenager for incidents involving reckless driving and property damage. Mr. Groenestege completed high school and did not pursue any post-secondary education. He worked on the family farm from when he was a child, but ultimately went bankrupt with his farming business. Around age 23, he started his own construction company and reported doing very well. He went to work every day until his mental health declined and he was in significant debt. The business was dissolved in November 2021.
Mr. Groenestege has a history of excessive alcohol use beginning when he was a teenager. There were incidents of drinking and driving, and medical records indicated that he had a baseline of drinking about five beers per night. He denied that alcohol consumption had caused any problems for him despite others observing that it had. In the months leading up to the index offences, he was described as drinking seven to eight glasses of whiskey per night. He had no known history of using other substances.
Criminal History:
- Mr. Groenestege’s criminal record incudes an alcohol-related driving conviction in 1992, and several convictions for criminal harassment and uttering threats in 2022 and 2023, as well as over twelve convictions for failing to comply with court orders in those latter years.
Psychiatric History:
The Hospital Report stated that Mr. Groenestege’s mental health and ability to function changed in 2020 when he became preoccupied with President Trump, increased his drinking, and became very paranoid and suspicious of people, particularly his wife. He believed that his wife was cheating on him and trying to poison him.
Mr. Groenestege was first hospitalized in January 2021, and had three further hospitalizations that year as a result of throwing away his antipsychotic medications after discharge from hospital. He was diagnosed with Delusional Disorder and frequently left the hospital against medical advice. Mr. Groenestege was engaging in menacing behaviours toward his wife and tried to hit her with his car. She eventually brought criminal charges against him and obtained a no-contact order in February 2022.
Mr. Groenestege was detained at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre from May to November 2022, and then the Stratford Jail from February to October 2023. He was assessed on a number of occasions during these periods of incarceration. He continued to express beliefs that his wife had been poisoning him and was unfaithful, and that his brother was attempting to ruin him financially. Mr. Groenestege was diagnosed with varying disorders including a delusional disorder, an alcohol use disorder, an adjustment disorder, late onset schizophrenia, and frontotemporal dementia.
Mr. Groenestege was admitted to Southwest on October 17, 2023 for an assessment of his criminal responsibility, and was subsequently found NCR on January 17, 2024. The Hospital Report stated that he continued to display positive symptoms of his illness including persecutory delusions regarding his wife and brother, and erotomanic delusions related to the other female victim. He was described as irritable and impulsive, with fluctuations in his mood and bullying behaviours. Mr. Groenestege showed moderate improvement with treatment with antipsychotic medications. He was described as having no insight into the index offences or his mental illness. He believed his delusions to be true and was taking medication in order to get out of the hospital. He did not believe that he had an issue with alcohol or that he represented any risk to others.
The Hospital Report stated that Mr. Groenestege’s current diagnoses are: Delusional Disorder; Alcohol Use Disorder (in remission in a controlled environment); and Major Depressive Disorder (in early remission). He was found incapable of consenting to treatment on January 17, 2024, and his daughter is his substitute decision-maker (“SDM”).
Evidence at the Hearing:
The Hospital Report stated that Mr. Groenestege has been medication adherent with slight improvement in his mental status over the reporting year. He continues to demonstrate positive symptoms of his illness including persecutory and fixed delusions, but not erotomanic, grandiose, or referential delusions. His fixed delusions centre around his ex-wife and brother. He continues to believe that his wife poisoned his food which led to his arrest and current hospitalization.
The Hospital Report stated that Mr. Groenestege continues to have no insight into the index offences or his substance use issues, and he externalizes blame to his ex-wife and brother. He is unable to acknowledge any factors contributing to the index offences and denies that he ever had an alcohol problem or that alcohol had any influence on his behaviours. Mr. Groenestege’s insight into his illness is described as limited. He names his diagnosis as “the delusion one” but believes that it was a “one-time thing.” He has no insight into his need for continuous pharmacological treatment, and has a history of discontinuing medications once discharged form the hospital.
Mr. Groenestege has utilized his privileges and passes appropriately. His daughter has become an Approved Person and all passes with her have gone well, however when one pass was cut short as a result of a medical emergency for his daughter’s dog, Mr. Groenestege reported that the pass was cut short because his ex-wife did not want him to spend too much time with their children.
Mr. Groenestege has participated in some addiction and psychotherapeutic group programming, and is an active participant in leisure programs. He was referred to psychology for treatment of depression and anxiety in November 2024, and this is ongoing weekly.
The Integrated Judgement of Risk for the HCR-20 and SAPROF concluded that Mr. Groenestege presents a low risk of violent reoffending while remaining on a detention order and residing in the hospital, but it would increase to high absent forensic support and supervision. It was noted that the setting and ongoing treatment provided in the hospital has greatly reduced his overall risk.
The Hospital Report stated the following under the Re-Offence Scenario (at page 49):
“At the current stage in Mr. Groenestege’s treatment and when factoring in the absence of Forensic support, he would likely disengage from all recommended treatment interventions and professional supports. He would likely follow through with his delusions by contacting the female impacted by the index offence and attempting to reside with her because he believes they are in a reciprocal loving relationship. The possibility of reoffence in this case would be considered high. Moreover, he would likely discontinue all his medications and not seek professional support in the community. This would decompensate him even further, and his risk to his family members, members of the public and authority figures would be significant, and his behaviours reasoned as unpredictable.”
- The Hospital Report also stated the following about the Disposition recommendations (at page 51):
“It is the opinion of the treatment team that Mr. Groenestege poses a risk of serious physical or psychological harm to members of the public. He should be subject to a Detention order for the reasons outlined above and when factoring in the deteriorating course of his mental illness, evidenced by his lengthy legal history spiraling from 2021 and leading to the index offence. No alternative disposition was considered. Additionally, the Mental Health Act would be insufficient when considering his reoffence scenario, mental state and evidence of impulsivity, which would likely cause him to act on his current delusions without the supervision of the hospital setting. In the next reporting year, the treatment team is looking to further test Mr. Groenestege in the community while being supervised by hospital staff by adding indirectly supervised passes in the local area. The team is recommending adding an abstain clause as there is a documented history of substance use.” (Emphasis in original)
Dr. Mokhber testified that Mr. Groenestege has made significant progress this year. He has responded to medication, is not exhibiting any depressive symptoms, has not exhibited any violent or inappropriate behaviours, and all drug screens have been negative. She stated that while the delusions related to the female victim appear to have resolved, Mr. Groenestege continues to have fixed delusions about his ex-wife, albeit they are less intense and less frequent. The content of the delusions has also changed. Mr. Groenestege now believes that his wife’s intention when adding medication to his food was for him to lose weight. Dr. Mokhber stated that Mr. Groenestege’s main risk factor is his thoughts about his ex-wife, but he has not had any contact with her.
Dr. Mokhber testified that Mr. Groenestege has displayed these improvements in a supervised setting, and he now needs to be tested in different settings in the community. The proposed plan is to move Mr. Groenestege to the rehabilitation unit and provide him with gradual access to the community from there. Dr. Mokhber stated her opinion that Mr. Groenestege is ready to move to the rehabilitation unit, but he requires community living in his Disposition in order to be moved there. Once he moves to that unit, it will be up to the treatment team there to prepare him for community living and determine what type of approved accommodation Mr. Groenestege will require. Dr. Mokhber stated that the hospital needs the ability to approve any accommodation.
The requested indirectly supervised passes and passes with an Approved Person are so that Mr. Groenestege can spend more time in the community and be tested. His daughter, who is the SDM and an Approved Person, is ready to have him come to her home on passes. Dr. Mokhber noted that Mr. Groenestege has a number of protective factors including supportive family members, intelligence, no personality disorder, and he is a kind man.
Dr. Mokhber testified that Mr. Groenestege’s insight into his Major Depressive Disorder is good, it is developing with respect to his Substance Use Disorder, but it is absent with respect to his Delusional Disorder. She stated that he now knows that his thoughts about the female victim were not real, and he has no plans to act on his delusions about his ex-wife. When asked further about this by a member of the panel, Dr. Mokhber stated that she had asked Mr. Groenestege about the female victim that morning, and he said that he knows she is not in love with him and that it was a misunderstanding. He denied any emotional interaction with her, but said that if she wanted to find him he would be interested. Mr. Groenestege has also told Dr. Mokhber that he wants to have a partner in the future.
Dr. Mokhber testified that Mr. Groenestege is vulnerable to substance use in the community, and the treatment team expects that he will participate in Alcoholics Anonymous as well as attend a residential alcohol rehabilitation treatment program before he moves into the community.
In response to questions from counsel, Dr. Mokhber stated that there is a high risk of recurrency with Delusional Disorder and it is hard to treat. Delusions often come back in the face of stressors, therefore treatment and supervision need to be maintained. Mr. Groenestege is currently on a low dose of Clozapine (he could not tolerate a higher dose) as well as a long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication. Dr. Mokhber testified that Mr. Groenestege’s medications are optimized, and the treatment team needs to see how he handles these medications with less supervision.
Analysis and Conclusions:
Based on the Hospital Report and the evidence of Dr. Mokhber, the panel concluded that Mr. Groenestege remains a significant threat to public safety. Mr. Groenestege suffers from a major mental illness, namely Delusional Disorder, and continues to present with fixed delusions despite his medication being optimized. There is also a significant risk of unpredictability in his behaviours as a result of his delusions and the fact that his illness can be difficult to treat. Mr. Groenestege has no insight into his mental illness, and it is suspected that his adherence to treatment is externally motivated. Mr. Groenestege has a significant and recent history of noncompliance with medication and failure to comply with probation orders and release orders. He also has a history of alcohol use and does not believe that it has ever been a problem for him. The panel accepted the re-offence scenario cited above, and concluded that it was very likely that Mr. Groenestege would cause serious psychological harm to members of the public if he were not subject to the jurisdiction of the Board.
The panel accepted the joint submission that a continuation of the Detention Order, with the additions recommended by the hospital was necessary and appropriate, and the least onerous and least restrictive Disposition in the circumstances. Mr. Groenestege has demonstrated progress in the hospital and is now ready to be tested in the community. He requires a community living privilege in his Disposition so that he can be moved to the rehabilitation unit. Once there, the treatment team will provide him with passes and access to the community in order to see how he does with less supervision. The panel was satisfied that the recommended passes are required for Mr. Groenestege to continue with his reintegration into the community, but agreed that this must be done in a gradual and cautious manner. Mr. Groenestege appears to be largely externally motivated, and continues to hold fixed beliefs about his ex-wife and residual beliefs about the other female victim. Further, the index offences involved computer and phone use, which are readily accessible in the community, and continued even while Mr. Groenestege was incarcerated.
The addition of the abstain clause is required given that Mr. Groenestege has a significant history of alcohol use, and he will have less supervision and increased time in the community going forward.
Finally, it was clear on the evidence that the hospital needs to have the ability to approve any housing for Mr. Groenestege (when the time comes) to ensure that it has the appropriate level of support and supervision. The hospital also requires the ability to bring Mr. Groenestege back to the hospital expeditiously in the event that he experiences a decompensation in the community.
DATED this 7th day of May 2025, at the City of Toronto, in the Toronto Region.
Suzanne Clapp Alternate Chair
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Office of the Registrar Ontario Review Board