Re: Akil Skeete
ORB File No: 6878
Hearing held on: Monday, April 28, 2025
Place of hearing: Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences 700 Gordon Street, Whitby
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Mr. G. Beasley Members: Dr. B. Sheppard (via Zoom) Dr. W. Loza Ms. C. Murray Mr. A. Bouvier
Parties Appearing:
Accused: Akil Skeete Counsel: Mr. A. Rai
The person in charge of hospital: Representative: Dr. Pytyck
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Ms. N. MacDonald
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated May 27, 2025)
Introduction
On December 11, 2015, Akil Skeete was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (“NCR”) on a charge of aggravated assault, contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada (the “Criminal Code”).
On April 28, 2025, a panel of the Ontario Review Board (“Board” or “panel”) convened to review Mr. Skeete’s current Disposition pursuant to s. 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code. At the time of the hearing, Mr. Skeete was ordered detained within the General Forensic Unit of the Forensic Program of Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (“Ontario Shores” or “the hospital”), pending his transfer to the Forensic Service of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (“CAMH”).
Mr. Skeete was present throughout his in-person hearing. He was represented by counsel, Mr. Rai, throughout the proceedings. One member of the Board, Dr. Sheppard, attended by Zoom.
A Hospital Report dated March 19, 2025, was entered as Exhibit 1.
The issues to be determined are whether Mr. Skeete continues to represent 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.
For the reasons set out below and based on the evidence and opinions before us, the Board found that Mr. Skeete continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public. The Board finds that a continuation of the Detention Disposition is the necessary and appropriate Order having regard to the safety of the public, which is the paramount concern, and also having regard to Mr. Skeete’s mental health, reintegration into society, and his other needs.
Current Psychiatric Diagnoses
- Schizophrenia; Cannabis Use Disorder, in sustained remission in a controlled environment; Borderline Intellectual Functioning; Antisocial Personality Traits.
Position of the Parties
At the commencement of the hearing, the parties were canvassed for their without prejudice positions. All parties took the position that Mr. Skeete continues to represent a significant threat to the public and the necessary and appropriate Disposition is a continuation of the current Detention Order on the same terms as last year.
Therefore, there was a joint submission on all issues.
Index Offence
- The details of the index offences are contained within the Hospital Report. The details are summarized as follows:
On September 4, 2014, Mr. Skeete and the victim were living in an apartment with the accused’s grandmother. At about 6:20 a.m., Mr. Skeete entered the victim’s bedroom and stabbed him repeatedly with a kitchen knife. The victim managed to escape the apartment and sought help from a neighbour in an adjacent apartment. When the police arrived, Mr. Skeete had left the building. He was subsequently located and arrested.
Background and History
The Hospital Report contains extensive information regarding Mr. Skeete’s background and history, the entirety of which need not be repeated here in detail. However, the following particulars are noteworthy.
Mr. Skeete is a 31-year-old male. The Hospital Report notes a prior conviction for domestic assault against his girlfriend in June of 2015.
At the age of 11, Mr. Skeete was hit by a car while riding his bicycle. This resulted in a head injury and coma for two weeks. He sustained another head injury a couple of months later when a heavy metal disc hit him in the head.
Mr. Skeete did not graduate from high school. He has had a difficult time maintaining employment.
Mr. Skeete is supported by the Ontario Disability Support Program (“ODSP”).
Mr. Skeete reports using cannabis at the age of 19 or 20 and he increased use after he came to Canada from Barbados. In August 2015, Mr. Skeete reported that he stopped using marijuana the weekend before the index offence.
He experienced psychotic symptoms at the time of the index offence.
Mr. Skeete has no Approved Persons.
Mr. Skeete is capable of consenting to treatment.
Since being found NCR, and with the exception of the past two reporting years, Mr. Skeete’s history is replete with inappropriate sexual behaviour towards females with a tendency to pursue lower functioning females. He was ejected from Durham Mental Health Housing and banned from returning there due to his behaviours. Despite concerning past behaviours, Mr. Skeete has been on a co-ed unit at Ontario Shores since 2022.
Mr. Skeete has two children, both being born while he has been detained in hospital. His mother is seeking to adopt the first child and care for him in Barbados.
Course Since Last Disposition
Mr. Skeete has remained on the general Forensic Transitional Unit (FTU) over the past year, while he awaits his transfer to CAMH.
His mental illness has remained stable. He has not had active symptoms of his mental illness in the reporting year.
Mr. Skeete has remained in a long-term relationship with a patient from another unit. She gave birth to their son on January 17, 2025. This is Mr. Skeete’s second born son while detained at Ontario Shores, with two different mothers.
On January 25, 2025, Mr. Skeete threw a package of cigarettes at the mother of his newborn son in the context of an argument about her ongoing use of substances despite breastfeeding their son.
Mr. Skeete has regular weekly visits with his first son, who remains in CAS custody. His mother is in the process of attempting to adopt this child.
On July 27, 2024, Mr. Skeete’s urine drug screen from July 22, 2025, returned positive for THC. On December 31, 2024, another urine drug screen returned positive for THC.
Evidence at the Hearing
The Board had available to it the evidence and documents forming the Record, the Hospital Report, and oral evidence of Dr. Jennifer Pytyck, Mr. Skeete’s psychiatrist and author of the Hospital Report.
Dr. Pytyck testified that she has been Mr. Skeete’s psychiatrist for the entirety of the reporting year.
This reporting year Mr. Skeete has remained compliant with medications and free of psychotic symptoms. With the exception of the incident on January 25, 2025, where Mr. Skeete threw a pack of cigarettes at his girlfriend, there have been no inappropriate behaviours.
Dr. Pytyck testified that Mr. Skeete’s urine drug screens have returned positive for cannabis at low levels on four occasions. Mr. Skeete states that he was in the presence of others heavily smoking cannabis and he did not consume any. Dr. Pytyck testified that it is possible that his urine drug screen (UDS) was positive for this reason. However, he will require further monitoring. Dr. Pytyck stated that it is concerning that he was in the presence of individuals smoking cannabis to the extent that Mr. Skeete’s UDS was positive.
Dr. Pytyck testified that Mr. Skeete continues to represent a significant threat of harm to the public. He has a major mental illness and substance use history that may still be relevant to his risk of harm. He continues to have some problems with emotional regulation and impulsivity that still requires monitoring. Absent the ORB’s involvement in his case, Mr. Skeete would likely fall away from medication and relapse to substance use.
Dr. Pytyck stated that Mr. Skeete is ready to move to the community with appropriate supports but there are no available options in the catchment area of Ontario Shores. Based on an incident the occurred three years ago (prior to his most recent admission) appropriate supportive housing is no longer willing to accept him into homes in the catchment area.
Mr. Skeete requires a transfer to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). At CAMH Mr. Skeete would have access to the sexual behaviours clinic. That expertise would be available through treatment groups. Also, Mr. Skeete would have more options for housing in Toronto. Mr. Skeete is third on the waitlist for external transfers. He is first on the waitlist for a general forensic transfer. Dr. Pytyck was unable to comment on the differentiation between the two types of wait lists. However, she was able to advise that, based on his position on the waitlists, it is hoped that Mr. Skeete’s transfer to CAMH will happen in the next few months.
Mr. Skeete currently enjoys passes of eight hours per day indirectly supervised.
Mr. Skeete’s insight into his psychotic illness is good.
Dr. Pytyck does not recommend a conditional discharge at this time because the hospital needs to be able to approve housing. Mr. Skeete would choose inappropriate housing if given the opportunity. In addition, the hospital needs to be able to bring Mr. Skeete back to hospital promptly in the event of decompensation.
Analysis and Conclusions
Having heard and considered the entirety of the evidence as well as the submissions from the parties, the Board independently finds that Mr. Skeete remains a significant threat to the safety of the public.
Mr. Skeete’s risk to the public stems from his schizophrenia and substance use history. Although Mr. Skeete’s mental state is currently stable, he has not committed to the use of his medications in the event of an Absolute Discharge. He acknowledged that he would not likely continue medications should he be deported to Barbados due to mental health stigma.
The Board accepts Dr. Pytyck’s evidence that Mr. Skeete continues to have issues with emotional regulation and impulsivity that continues to need monitoring.
Mr. Skeet has expressed that he is certain that avoiding cannabis is essential to preventing psychosis moving forward. However, this reporting year he has engaged in cannabis use. Without the oversight of the ORB and hospital, it is likely that he would revert to significant cannabis use, which would lead to events similar to those that occurred at the time of the index offence.
Mr. Skeete was using substances the weekend prior to the index offence. The Hospital Report was clear that Mr. Skeete was clear that he was experiencing psychotic symptoms at the time of the index offence.
Without the highly supportive housing and high level of mental health supports he is receiving, Mr. Skeete would likely return to the use of substances, disengage from treatment and experience an exacerbation of symptoms, which would likely result in violence and criminal actions comparable to those which he historically displayed.
In light of the Board’s finding of significant threat, it is charged with shaping a Disposition for the coming year.
A Detention Order is necessary to ensure that the hospital is able to approve Mr. Skeete’s housing and return him promptly to hospital should the need arise. To manage his risk to the public in the least onerous and least restrictive way, Mr. Skeete currently requires highly supportive housing to monitor his mental state, ensure compliance with medications, monitor relapse to substances, monitor behaviours, and provide structure.
The Board finds that there is ample evidence to accept the joint submission of the parties.
The Board finds that the necessary and appropriate, least onerous and least restrictive Disposition is a continuation of the current Detention Order including detention on a General Forensic Unit at Ontario Shores, with transfer to CAMH, on the terms set out in our formal Disposition.
DATED this 27th day of May 2025, at the City of Toronto, in the Toronto Region.
Ms. Christine Murray Legal Member
Office of the Registrar Ontario Review Board