Re: Jeremy Wilsdon
ORB File No: 8736
Hearing held on: Thursday, April 17, 2025
Place of hearing: Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences 700 Gordon Street, Whitby
Pursuant to: Section 672.47(1) of the Criminal Code
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Ms. C. Finley
Members: Dr. T. Verny Dr. M. Mamak Ms. N. Nathanson Mr. J. Cyr
Parties Appearing:
Accused: Jeremy Wilsdon Counsel: Mr. K. Quinlan
Person-in-Charge of Hospital Counsel: Ms. J. Szabo
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Ms. N. MacDonald
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated May 12, 2025)
On February 28, 2025, Mr. Jeremy Wilsdon was found not criminally responsible (“NCR”) by reason of mental disorder on charges of arson-damage to property contrary to the Criminal Code in relation to incidents that occurred on February 2, 2024. The Court declined to make a disposition and remitted the matter for a hearing before the Ontario Review Board (“ORB”/ “the Board”).
On April 17, 2025, the Ontario Review Board convened a hearing at the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (“Ontario Shores”) and conducted the initial Disposition hearing pursuant to s. 672.47(1) of the Criminal Code. Mr. Wilsdon was present with his counsel, Mr. Quinlan.
The issues to be decided at this hearing are whether Mr. Wilsdon meets the test of posing a significant risk to the safety of the public and, if so, what is the necessary and appropriate Disposition to be made in the circumstances, including conditions to be attached to that Disposition, bearing in mind the four factors set out in s. 672.54 of the Criminal Code.
For the reasons set out below, the Board unanimously finds that Mr. Wilsdon represents a significant threat to the safety of the public. The Board finds that the necessary and appropriate Disposition is that he be bound by the terms of a Detention Order Disposition within the Forensic Program at Ontario Shores as set forth at the conclusion of these Reasons.
Position of the Parties
At the outset of the hearing, the parties were canvassed as to their recommendations to the Board.
Ms. Szabo appeared as the representative for the person-in-charge of Ontario Shores at this hearing. She advised of the hospital position that Mr. Wilsdon was a significant threat to public safety, and if the Board so finds, the necessary and appropriate Disposition is a Detention Order directing Mr. Wilsdon to be detained at the Forensic Program at Ontario Shores with a number of prohibitions and a number of privileges as set out in the Hospital Report, including the privilege of passes for up to 72 hours to enter the community within a 150 kilometre radius of Ontario Shores, indirectly supervised. At the hearing, Ms. Szabo indicated that the hospital additionally recommended that Mr. Wilsdon have the privilege of living in the community in housing approved by the person-in-charge and that there be an additional prohibition, that is, not to possess incendiary devices.
Ms. MacDonald appeared for the Attorney General. She supported the hospital’s position on all issues.
Mr. Quinlan agreed with the hospital and specifically conceded the issue of significant threat.
Accordingly, the parties were presenting a joint recommendation.
Index Offence
- The following was obtained from the Agreed Statement of Facts filed at the NCR hearing, which formed part of the Hearing Documents:
“Offence Date: February 2, 2024
Officers attended 95 Foster Creek Dr in Newcastle in regards to an assist fire call. Information from the caller was that the neighbour just set fire to a tree and the neighbour is Jeremy WILSDON. Officers arrived on scene and the fire was out with fire on scene and one fire fighter speaking with Jeremy through an open window of the home. He made comments during the incident about how “they” or “the man up above” was telling him to set the tree on fire. When asked who, he said “the guy up above” and pointed upwards. He talked about Russian trees, black ops helicopters, and the Supreme Court of Canada. While being arrested, he said that he had been “sent to clean this shit up”. Officers were at the residence about an hour prior to this incident at the request of his mother, Suzanne WILSDON. At the time, Suzanne wanted Jeremy removed from the house however he had not committed a criminal offence, there were no grounds for an MHA apprehension from what she was telling us and he has lived in the residence his entire life, pays rent and resides in the basement. At the time, Suzanne was advised that she could contact the Landlord tenant board as well as speak with a JP in attempts to get a Form 2 Suzanne left the residence for the night to stay with a friend. I observed a large tree out front of the home that had a container of camping fuel(kerosene) into a crook of the tree with the cap off and pointing down and charred marks down the side of the tree where the fire had been extinguished. There was a Coleman lantern on the ground beside the tree and a 10 litre gas can on the driveway with no caps on it.”
Background
- Dr. Chuong’s assessment for the purposes of the court proceedings was filed as Exhibit 1 and the Hospital Report, dated April 10, 2025, was filed as Exhibit 2. These documents set out in detail Mr. Wilsdon’s personal, criminal, medical and psychiatric history. The details need not be repeated at length. However, a summary is set out below.
Personal History
Mr. Wilsdon is 50 years old. He was brought up by his parents in Pickering and later, Newcastle. He went to school but did not graduate grade 12 initially, however, he later finished his credits as an adult. He completed a solar energy program and has worked in various jobs, the lengthiest of which was as a taxi driver for a year and a half. He has an adult son.
Mr. Wilsdon lived in a basement apartment at his mother’s home. Approximately four years ago, his mother noted that he began having various people living with him who were “prone to unstable housing and substance use”.
Mr. Wilsdon has a criminal record from more than twenty years ago for impaired driving and possession of narcotics. Charges of cause disturbance and assault resist arrest were stayed, and two separate charges of assault were withdrawn with peace bonds imposed. In 2019, there was a series of charges withdrawn relating to narcotics possession.
Prior Psychiatric History
Mr. Wilsdon was admitted to hospital in 2005 under the Mental Health Act (“MHA”) experiencing auditory command hallucinations causing him to self-inflict a superficial slash to his throat. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Mr. Wilsdon was admitted to Ontario Shores from August 2005 to May 2007 after driving his car into the lake. His psychotic symptoms related to evil spirits and police surveillance by helicopter and satellite.
Between 2007 and February 2023, Mr. Wilsdon was an outpatient of the Psychosis Complex Disorder Clinic. He reported lengthy periods of partial or noncompliance with medications and repeatedly questioned his diagnosis. He was discharged in 2023 after he had not seen a psychiatrist for a year.
Mr. Wilsdon was admitted to hospital under the Mental Health Act in June 2020 after he had been found walking around with a knife. He had missed his injection for anti-psychotic medication for several months. He reported taking methamphetamine daily.
Substance Use
- Mr. Wilsdon has a history of substance use. He commenced drinking alcohol when he was 15 or 16 and by 18 was drinking at least 18 drinks once or twice a week or a 24 pack of beer. At 13 or 14 years, he reported starting to use cannabis. He first experimented with cocaine at 17 years of age and by 28, he was using it one to three times per week up until a few days before the arrest for the Index Offence. He began using crystal methamphetamine at age 40. While he started by inhaling it, he progressed to ingesting it. He also reported occasional use of psilocybin, LSD, DMT, fentanyl and prescription medications for pain.
Post-offence Hospitalizations
Mr. Wilsdon was brought to Lakeridge Health Oshawa after the Index Offence on February 2, 2024. “There was clear evidence of persecutory delusions. Mr. Wilsdon was admitted to hospital.”1 On February 6, 2024 he was transferred to Scarborough Health Network where a bed was available. “Mr. Wilsdon was noted to be “paranoid and making comments about Russia, the supreme court and Justin Trudeau being after him. A toxicology screen was positive for opiates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, cannabinoids, methadone.”2 He was discharged on February 8, 2024 to police custody and held at the Central East Correctional Centre(“CECC”).
At the CECC, Mr. Wilsdon was assessed regularly by a psychiatrist and mental health staff. In March 2024, he was reported as paranoid and delusional, expressing beliefs such as spiders in his cell, his food being contaminated and that the police had castrated him.
From April 24-26, 2024, Mr. Wilsdon was admitted to Ross Memorial Hospital pursuant to the Mental Health Act, due to decompensation in his psychotic illness as a result of non-adherence to medication.
Upon his return to CECC, he was observed to be “distracted by internal stimuli” but was calmer and more cooperative.3 On June 10, 2024, he was again sent to the Ross Memorial emergency department after “being violent towards others and engaging in self-harming behavior” but he was not admitted.4
Mr. Wilsdon was admitted to Ontario Shores from November 4, 2024 to December 20, 2024 for NCR assessment. He demonstrated signs and symptoms of psychosis such as delusional thought content and paranoia. He was suspicious of medications, resulting in poor adherence. There were no behavioral issues noted.
Following the assessment, he was returned to CECC and following the finding of NCR, he was readmitted to Ontario Shores on March 17, 2025. On assessment of his mental status, he had a stable mood, with a complex delusional belief system around law enforcement targeting him. He endorsed some grandiose delusions such as having premonition-like abilities. His insight was poor, he did not appear to be hallucinating and he had good cognition and memory.
Risk assessment
“Mr.Wilsdon’s primary criminogenic factors are major mental disorder, namely, schizophrenia, history of substance abuse, and history of treatment/supervision non-adherence. He continues to experience active symptoms of psychoses, such as persecutory delusions surrounding the police, somatic delusions …and referential delusions….Mr. Wilsdon now [h]as the additional risk factor of unstable living conditions due to lack of housing…”5
Mr. Wilsdon requires close monitoring by professional services for any signs or symptoms of decompensation of his mental health, substance use and for proper adherence to his treatment. The clinical team is of the view that Mr. Wilsdon represents a significant threat to public safety.
The clinical team recommends a Detention Order with certain conditions and privileges up to and including community living approved by the person in charge. Under this Disposition, it is the opinion of the clinical team that Mr. Wilsdon will be a low to moderate risk for violence. The team is of the opinion that he would be a moderate to high risk under a Conditional Discharge.
Evidence at Hearing
The Board heard from Dr. Chuong who provided evidence to supplement the Hospital Report. She indicated that Mr. Wilsdon was likely to be transferred from the assessment unit to a secure forensic unit and, as he continues to improve, perhaps transfer to a general forensic unit.
Dr. Choung noted that the community living condition was recommended to incentivize Mr. Wilsdon to be more engaged in programming and for his treatment progress. Dr. Choung noted that Mr. Wilsdon had demonstrated motivation by registering for a number of psychosocial programs the day before the hearing. She also noted that waitlists for housing were lengthy. To live in the community, he would need appropriate housing as his mother’s property was not suitable.
Upon questioning from the Board, Dr. Choung noted that Mr. Wilsdon’s future hopes are to be in the community and involved with his son. While the relationship with his mother is somewhat conflicted at present, he hopes to visit with her at some point.
No other evidence was heard at this hearing.
Final Submissions
- All parties supported the joint submission for a Detention Order with the privileges and prohibitions as stated at the outset of the hearing.
Findings of the Board
The Board notes that the parties were making a joint recommendation. In the Board’s opinion, the parties’ joint recommendation is well founded. We accept the evidence that Mr. Wilsdon remains a significant threat to public safety. Mr. Wilsdon’s risk stems from his diagnosis of Schizophrenia, and history of problematic substance use and medication noncompliance. When untreated, Mr. Wilsdon experiences psychotic symptoms, as at the time of the index offence.
The panel is satisfied that the necessary and appropriate disposition to manage Mr. Wilsdon’s risk is a Detention Order in the Forensic Program with the privileges and prohibitions as recommended by the parties as follows:
(a) to attend within or outside of the hospital for necessary medical, dental, legal or compassionate purposes;
(b) hospital and grounds privileges, accompanied by staff or a person approved by the person in charge;
(c) hospital and grounds privileges, indirectly supervised;
(d) passes for up to 12 hours to enter the community, within a 150-kilometre radius of the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, accompanied by staff or a person approved by the person in charge;
(e) passes for up to 72 hours to enter the community within a 150-kilometre radius of the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, indirectly supervised; and
(f) to live in the community in accommodation approved by the person in charge.
Mr. Wilsdon should also be directed to:
(a) abstain absolutely from the non-medical use of alcohol or drugs or any other intoxicant, including cannabinoids; any medical use of the above must be approved by the person in charge or designate of Ontario Shores;
(b) submit samples of his urine and/or breath to the person in charge of the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, or his or her designate for the purpose of analyzing whether the accused has ingested alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicant;
(c) refrain from having in his possession any firearm, ammunition or other offensive weapon, or being in the company of any person possessing a firearm other than a peace officer; and
(d) refrain from having in his possession any incendiary device or materials.
In reaching our Disposition, which we find to be the least restrictive and least onerous, the Board has taken into consideration public safety, Mr. Wilsdon’s mental condition and other needs, and his reintegration into society as directed by s. 672.54 of the Criminal Code.
We wish Mr. Wilsdon well in the upcoming year.
DATED this 12th day of May, 2025, at the City of Toronto, in the Toronto Region.
Ms. N. Nathanson Legal Member
Office of the Registrar Ontario Review Board