Re: Shaquon Wickett
ORB File No: 8310
Hearing held on: Monday, August 18, 2025
Place of hearing: Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Mr. J. Weinstein
Members: Dr. S. Simpson Dr. J. Cheston Ms. K. Tomaszewski Ms. D. Smith
Parties Appearing:
Accused: Mr. Shaquon Wickett Counsel: Mr. D. Northcott
The person in charge of hospital: Representative: Ms. M. Kraftscik
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Ms. S. Curry
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated September 4, 2025)
Introduction
On May 19, 2023, Shaquon Wickett was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder on charges of utter threat to cause death or bodily harm (x3), engaging in threatening conduct to person or family member, being unlawfully in a dwelling house (x2), utter threat to burn, destroy, or damage a property, mischief not exceeding five thousand dollars, and assault, all contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada (“Criminal Code”). Mr. Wickett is currently subject to a Disposition of the Ontario Review Board dated August 29, 2024, detaining him at the Brébeuf Program for Regional Forensics, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care (“Waypoint” or the “hospital”), with privileges up to and including living in the community in accommodation approved by the person in charge.
On August 18, 2025, a panel of the Ontario Review Board (“the ORB” or “the Board”) convened a hearing at Waypoint pursuant to s. 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code. Mr. Wickett was in attendance and was represented by his counsel, Mr. Northcott.
At the outset of the hearing the parties were canvassed for their initial without prejudice positions. The hospital recommendation set out by Ms. Kraftscik is a continuation of the current detention disposition with privileges up to and including living in the community with no changes. Both Ms. Curry, on behalf of the Attorney General, and Mr. Northcott, on behalf of Mr. Wickett, joined in the recommendation such that the hearing proceeded by way of joint position. Mr. Northcott added that significant threat was conceded. No changes to the position of the parties were made prior to the conclusion of the hearing.
Background and Index Offences
The following background is taken from the Board’s Reasons for Disposition dated September 27, 2024, with minor edits.
Mr. Wickett is now 27 years of age. When he was eleven months old, he and his older sister came into the care of the Children’s Aid Society in Toronto, when their biological mother, who was homeless, unwell, and unable to care for them, asked for assistance. About a year later, they were adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Wickett and moved to their new home in the Muskoka area.
In his childhood and youth, Mr. Wickett struggled with language and other developmental skills. Assessments indicated a learning disability and some behavioural difficulties. Special education supports were put in place for him, which he apparently did not use, not wanting to acknowledge his disabilities or call attention to them and himself.
He completed grade 12. His parents divorced that same year. Mr. Wickett then moved to Ottawa. He reported completing two years of a three-year Police Foundations course at Algonquin College. He was subsequently unemployed and with no family support in the Ottawa area where he continued to live. He reported supporting himself on Ontario Works, Canada Emergency Response Benefit payments and an income of up to $300 a day from selling crack cocaine as well as personal savings.
Mr. Wickett has reported having had one or two brief romantic relationships and many sexual engagements with women. Prior to the index offences, he became estranged from his parents, who at one point became unwilling to take him back home due to his substance use.
Regarding his living circumstances, Mr. Wickett was mostly unhoused and on his own in Ottawa, living in shelters and on the streets. He reported living for several months in the home of a girlfriend’s mother in 2020 and being evicted from apartments in 2020 and 2021.
Mr. Wickett has a history of serious substance use, since at least mid-2020, involving significant use of alcohol, as well as opioid, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and cannabis. He has had multiple alcohol withdrawal seizures and fentanyl overdoses, leading to urgent Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) care and hospitalization. Mr. Wickett also has some history of psychosis, typically in the context of crack cocaine and alcohol use.
The earliest record of hospital contact was at a Sudbury hospital emergency department (ER) where a crisis centre referral was made but then cancelled. All the others were to various Ottawa hospitals. He reported symptoms of psychosis, generally mild auditory hallucinations, and his behaviour was at sometimes bizarre, agitated, combative, or paranoid. His physical concerns included chronic leg pain and swelling, headache, and a likely gastritis, in addition to ailments resulting from his substance use, such as alcohol withdrawal symptoms, mild hypothermia when found unconscious in a snowbank, and chest pain following cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for drug overdoses.
Mr. Wickett was often brought to ERs by EMR services including multiple times after having urgent CPR in the community due to fentanyl overdoses in the context of cocaine and alcohol use. At other times, he attended ERs on his own initiative, such as when he came with a physical complaint in December 2021 and began recounting paranoid fears, in the context of both having used crack cocaine and having stolen a phone and sold it.
He had diagnoses of anxiety, substance use disorders, and paranoid schizophrenia. His hospital care included naloxone and Narcan treatments for fentanyl overdoses, and prescriptions for Diazepam, a benzodiazepine medication to treat his alcohol withdrawal, and Quetiapine, an antipsychotic medication to treat his mild auditory hallucinations. At times, he expressed interest in detoxification and not using substances and stated “I will never touch the stuff again” but declined to see an addictions specialist. He left an ER against medical advice for the stated purpose of drinking more alcohol. After hospital discharges, he typically went to a shelter.
On March 19, 2022, following the third index offence, Mr. Wickett was detained in custody at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre (OCDC) for just over six months. He was prescribed Olanzapine oral antipsychotic medication. In August, when he was seen for a fitness assessment, he reportedly refused to participate. He was assessed as unfit to stand trial and a Treatment Order was recommended. In September it was discovered that he was not taking his medication. On October 6, 2022, he was transferred to Waypoint pursuant to a Treatment Order.
The index offences are summarized from the Hospital Report as follows:
February 28, 2022 – Mischief Under $5000
On 28 February 2022 at approximately 0345hrs, the accused was at the Laurier side entrance of the Haven Youth Shelter located at 140 Laurier Ave W. He proceeded to smash the left window of the left door with a rock. The damage caused by the rock resulted in a large diameter hole in the window and pieces of glass on the ground. The rock was left outside on the ground about 75cm from the door. The sound of the glass breaking alerted staff members. The accused then proceeded to enter the youth shelter.
When the accused was confronted by staff members, he was verbally aggressive towards them demanding food and calling staff members racist. A staff member called police. Police arrived and spoke with staff members. The director of the youth shelter advised that he wanted to proceed with criminal charges.
Staff members guided police and pointed out the accused as the one who broke the glass. Police arrested the accused for mischief. The accused was verbally aggressive telling police that they were racist and that both of his parents were police officers.
It was learned that the accused was also wanted for theft under a separate file. The accused was transported to another Shelter and released on an undertaking.
March 17, 2022 - Being Unlawfully in Dwelling House x2; Utter Threat x3; Criminal Harassment
On October 27th, 2020, the accused was issued a Probation Order in the Ontario Court of Justice with several conditions including but not limited to ‘Keep the peace and be of good behaviour’.
INCIDENT AT 158 MEADOWLANDS DR. W
On March 17th, 2022, between 2:30pm and 3:00pm, the accused attended 158 Meadowlands Drive West, opened the unlocked door to the basement unit, and unlawfully entered the dwelling where he met with two residents, and visiting friend. (1 count of Unlawfully in a Dwelling House)
The accused demanded car keys to the vehicle parked on the driveway which belonged to the resident from the upper unit and yelled out that it was a stolen car. The two residents and the visitor all denied knowing anything about any car keys. The accused grabbed the smartphone belonging to one resident out of his hand, threatened the group that he was going to burn the house down, and then left the area with the phone in his possession. (1 count of theft under $5,000 and 1 count of Uttering Threats).
The accused fled the area after tossing the phone on the front lawn, and then returned, soon after. The accused grabbed the recycling bins on the driveway containing miscellaneous recycling items and started tossing them all around the driveway and lawn resulting in recycling items being scattered on the property. Moments later, the accused fled the area. (1 count of Mischief Obstruct Property)
INCIDENT AT 20 BROOK LANE
After fleeing from 158 Meadowlands Drive West, at approximately 3:30pm, the accused attended 20 Brook Lane where he looked through the front window and then unlawfully entered the dwelling through the unlocked front door. A resident saw the accused entering the home and fled to the basement where he warned his roommate, and they barricaded themselves in a basement bedroom and called 911. (1 count of Unlawfully in Dwelling House)
The accused kicked the locked bedroom door causing it to break open, confronted the resident and demanded to know where ‘Dylan’ was. The resident told the accused he did not know who ‘Dylan’ was. The accused saw the resident holding a cellphone in his left hand and threatened him by stating ‘If you talk to the cops, I’ll kill you.’ (1 count of Uttering Threats.
The accused walked to a table behind the resident, grabbed a 500ml bottle of Vaseline and fled the area with the bottle in his possession. (1 count of Theft Under $5,000).
March 18, 2022 - Utter Threat, Assault
On 18 March 2022, at 1500hrs, Constable Thompson attended the investigative section, and briefed Constable Mesic on this file. At this time, Constable Thompson advised that a video was available for the incident that occurred at Independence Grocers located at 296 Bank Street. Constable Thompson explained that the male, later arrested by Sergeant Hung and Constable Hector in unrelated incident, was Shaquone Wickett.
It was explained that the accused attended the above-mentioned location, entered the store, and opened and consumed packages of prepared food. When approached by security, he took a package of food, argued with security, and walked out of the store without paying for the food. Further, while walking out of the store, he told security numerous times, ‘I’ll kill a (n word) if I have to.’ Constable Thompson then stated that he was flagged by security just outside of the store and advised of the event. Constable Thompson later located the accused, and attempted to arrest him, but the accused ran away. All this occurred while the accused was under conditions of an Ontario Court of Justice Adult Probation Order, with a condition to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.
Furthermore, at the same time as Constable Mesic was briefed about the above event, Sergeant Hung and Constable Hector attended the section and advised that they had arrested the accused.
Sergeant Hung stated that he was driving on Rideau St. he observed a female exit a store, while holding some type of drink in her right hand. He then observed the accused aggressively walking up to the female and using his right hand striking the female’s hand holding the drink. The female was startled by this unprovoked and random attack as were the numerous pedestrians around her. Sergeant Hung saw her body tense up and jump backwards as a result of this attack. The male continued walking aggressively and entered into the Rideau Center. Shortly after, the accused returned and to chase the female victim who screamed and ran away from him scared. The accused was arrested for assault, and mischief to property.
Current Diagnoses
- Schizophrenia Alcohol Use Disorder, Severe, in sustained remission in a controlled environment Cocaine Use Disorder, Moderate, in sustained remission in a controlled environment Opioid Use Disorder, Severe, in sustained remission in a controlled environment Borderline Intellectual Functioning
Evidence at the Hearing
The Board had before it several documents comprising the Record, a Hospital Report dated July 11, 2025 (the “Hospital Report”), and the oral testimony of Dr. P. Ismail, Mr. Wickett’s attending physician.
Dr. Ismail gave evidence on behalf of Waypoint. He agreed with the Hospital’s recommendation and confirmed that the supporting rationale for the ongoing presence of significant threat is detailed at pages 47-50 of the Hospital Report.
On November 4, 2024, Mr. Wickett was discharged to a Transitional Rehabilitation Housing Program (TRHP) apartment managed by Shelter Now, which provides services in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and Waypoint. Following a successful six-month transition period, Mr. Wickett’s care was transferred from the Brébeuf transition team to the Forensic Mobile Treatment and Support Team (FMTST) and Dr. Ismail on May 5, 2025. Mr. Wickett’s reporting with FMTST clinicians was reduced to once weekly in early June 2025, due to Mr. Wickett’s work schedule.
Mr. Wickett continues to reside at this apartment.
Dr. Ismail told the Board that Mr. Wickett has had a very good year. He is compliant with his medications, and he has good insight into his mental illness and need for medications. Mr. Wickett’s psychotic symptoms remain in full remission on his current medication regimen, and there is no evidence of current mood instability. His urine has consistently tested negative for the presence of substances. He has integrated well into community living.
Mr. Wicket successfully completed a plumbing course at Georgian College, with honours, and has been working full-time at a large building-supply store for the past four months. He plans to continue his training as a plumber and is using his current employment to network with plumbers in the hopes of obtaining an apprenticeship position.
Dr. Ismail commended Mr. Wickett on these positive achievements.
At the same time, Dr. Ismail noted that he and the FMTST have only known Mr. Wickett for a few months (since May 2025), during the time that Mr. Wickett has been living in the community. In the doctor’s opinion, it is still too early to predict whether Mr. Wickett will remain stable in the community with less supervision than is currently provided by the FMTST.
Mr. Wickett has voiced that he does not want to stop his medications and does not want to use substances in the future. However, according to Dr. Ismail, Mr. Wickett does not yet link the use of substances to the impacts on his mental health and his risk to the public.
Because of his cognitive deficits, Mr. Wickett struggles with impulsivity. This has led to interpersonal conflicts e.g., with his landlord and other tenants. Mr. Wickett also struggles at times to fully appreciate the impact of breaching various rules e.g., acquiring a puppy in breach of his lease.
Mr. Wickett does not yet have full insight into the potential impact of interpersonal conflicts on his mental health. Dr. Ismail attributed these conflicts to impulsivity and poor social skills. When asked what programs are available to assist Mr. Wickett with these issues, Dr. Ismail responded that he will investigate CBT-type programs suitable for people with borderline intellectual functioning.
Mr. Wickett does not appreciate why his current supportive housing and level of supervision by the FMTST are necessary for his mental health. He has expressed surprise that he will need psychiatric follow-up even if he is granted an absolute discharge.
Mr. Wickett has not completed a concurrent disorders program, because of scheduling issues, and does not participate in Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous programs.
Although the parties presented a joint position to the Board supporting the continuation of the current detention disposition, Dr. Ismail testified that Mr. Wicket’s risk to the public could not be adequately managed under a conditional discharge at this time. He stated that the Mental Health Act (“MHA”) would be too reactive to protect the public, for several reasons. If he decompensated, Dr. Ismail predicted that Mr. Wickett would not come to the Hospital voluntarily because he does not appreciate the need for the current level of supervision by the FMTST. The FMTST does not know him well enough to recognize early signs of decompensation, and in any event, would not see him frequently enough to detect such signs. By the time Mr. Wickett had decompensated enough to bring him into the Hospital under an MHA Form 1, Mr. Wickett’s risk to the public would be unacceptably high.
Dr. Ismail indicated that a conditional discharge would remove the necessary risk management structure which is currently in place. Currently, Mr. Wickett meets with FMTST once per week, and urine samples are obtained once per week. The FMTST intervenes if there are stressors. For example, when Mr. Wickett obtained a puppy, the FMTST intervened with the Landlord to maintain his housing. As an additional example, Mr. Wickett brought the stress he experiences with respect to his sister to the FMTST, which continues to provide support to navigate this stress.
Dr. Ismail pointed out that Dr. Jones, Mr. Wickett’s previous attending physician, advocated strongly with Georgian College to obtain necessary academic accommodations for Mr. Wickett. Dr. Ismail anticipates providing similar support and advocacy for Mr. Wickett as he navigates a plumbing apprenticeship.
When asked what he would like to see from Mr. Wickett before recommending a conditional discharge, Dr. Ismail stated that he would like to see a longer engagement with the team to get to know Mr. Wickett better; a longer period of stability in the community; completion of the concurrent disorders program and/or participation in community based programs (like AA or NA); insight into the impact of substance use on his mental health and risk to the safety of the public; and insight into his need for supportive housing and ongoing follow-up and support.
Dr. Ismail indicated that he and FMTST will work with Mr. Wickett’s schedule to provide available programming.
No further evidence was adduced by the parties.
Analysis and Decision
Significant Threat
Ongoing significant threat to the safety of the public cannot be speculative. It must entail a real risk of serious physical or psychological harm arising from conduct that is both serious and criminal in nature.
In arriving at its determination that Mr. Wickett continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public the Board has carefully analyzed the evidence as it relates to the Supreme Court of Canada decision in Winko, 1999 CanLII 694 (SCC), [1999] 2 S.C.R. 625.
The Board relies heavily on the following paragraphs of Dr. Ismail’s clinical and composite assessment of risk:
There have been no reports of recent violent ideation or intent, nor any physical aggression during the review period. However, Mr. Wickett has exhibited interpersonal difficulties and poor conflict resolution skills. He has engaged in verbal altercations with peers and staff, demonstrated impulsivity (for example, contraband incident, inappropriate comments to staff, leaving a community barbecue running, and a misuse of 911), and has occasionally responded with verbal aggression when confronted. While these behaviours have not escalated to physical violence, they illustrate underlying behavioural dyscontrol and poor judgment, which remain risk-relevant given his cognitive deficits and impulsivity.
Psychotic symptoms remain in full remission on his current medication regimen, and there is no evidence of current mood instability. However, neuropsychological testing confirms enduring deficits in processing speed, planning, organizing, and problem-solving, which continue to manifest in impulsivity and poor judgment in social and residential settings. These impairments pose an ongoing risk for maladaptive responses to interpersonal stressors and situational challenges in the community.
Although mood and thought processes are stable, Mr. Wickett’s decision-making has at times been impulsive and lacking in foresight. Examples include inappropriate behaviour toward staff, impulsive acquisition of a puppy in violation of his lease, and persistent questioning of disposition requirements without appreciation of their risk management function. These incidents suggest residual instability that, if not mitigated by supervision and structure, could escalate risk.
The LSI-R provides an actuarial estimate of the risk the individual poses to society and was standardized on an Ontario sample of people involved with the justice system. On the LSI-R, Mr. Wickett scored in the upper end of the medium/high risk range (87.4%, fourth level out of five) for future involvement in the legal system.
Given the foregoing, this panel of the Board unanimously finds that Mr. Wickett continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of the public. In arriving at this decision, the Board considered the joint position of the parties and accepted the uncontroverted evidence of Dr. Jones that Mr. Wickett continues to pose a significant threat. The Board also relies more generally on the contents of the Hospital Report in finding Mr. Wickett suffers from Schizophrenia; a major mental illness, that in the past has been complicated by various substance use disorders as well as by his borderline intellectual functioning.
The Board therefore accepts that absent an ORB Disposition, Mr. Wickett would likely become non-compliant with prescribed medications which would lead to decompensation, use of substances and the re-emergence of behaviours similar to those seen at the time of the index offences. We are satisfied that absent an ORB Disposition, it is likely that Mr. Wickett will cause serious physical or psychological harm to members of the public and such conduct will likely be criminal in nature.
Disposition
Flowing from the Board’s finding that Mr. Wickett continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of the public it must shape a disposition for the year ahead. Its paramount consideration in shaping the disposition must be the safety of the public while also considering Mr. Motuz’s needs pursuant to s. 672.54 of the Criminal Code.
The necessary and appropriate disposition for Mr. Wickett provides him as much freedom as possible without subjecting the community to a real risk of dangerous behaviour.
The Board notes that the current disposition includes a broad range of passes which allow Mr. Wickett extensive freedom in the community, with Hospital supervision and approval.
In considering Mr. Wickett’s needs, the Board was attentive to Mr. Wickett’s need for support in the context of impulsivity. Oversight by the Hospital is necessary to ensure Mr. Wickett’s continued stability in the community, and to protect the safety of the public. This is especially important in maintaining supportive housing for Mr. Wickett.
The Board agrees with Dr. Ismail that a conditional discharge is not appropriate at this time, for the reasons provided by Dr. Ismail in his oral evidence. The Board also adopts the following paragraph from Dr. Ismail’s clinical and composite assessment of risk:
Mr. Wickett has demonstrated meaningful gains in community functioning, abstinence, and medication adherence; however, his residual cognitive deficits, impulsive decision-making, interpersonal conflict, and limited insight into his ongoing need for psychiatric supervision and structured support contribute to an enduring risk to public safety. His current ORB disposition provides an appropriate balance between autonomy and public protection, affording him liberal privileges while ensuring accountability and structured oversight. A conditional discharge or absolute discharge at this stage would remove necessary risk management structures and increase the likelihood of destabilization. It is therefore recommended that Mr. Wickett remain subject to his current disposition without change.
Therefore, the Board unanimously determines that the necessary and appropriate Disposition required to manage the threat Mr. Wickett poses to the safety of the public while still meeting his needs, remains a Detention Disposition.
In making this Disposition, the Board carefully considered the positions and submissions of the parties and the evidence of Dr. Ismail and is satisfied that this determination is both necessary and appropriate. The Board reviewed the provisions of s. 672.54 of the Criminal Code and carefully considered the need to protect the public from dangerous persons, Mr. Wickett’s mental condition, his reintegration into society and other needs.
The Board congratulates Mr. Wickett on his achievements this year and encourages Mr. Wickett to continue to work with Dr. Ismail and the FMTST throughout the upcoming year.
DATED this 4th day of September 2025, at the City of Toronto, in the Region of Toronto.
Ms. K. Tomaszewski Legal Member
Office of the Registrar Ontario Review Board