Re: Carole Séguin
ORB File No: 5700
Hearing held on: Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Place of hearing: Brockville Mental Health Centre
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Mr. P. Capelle Members: Dr. P. Darby Dr. A. Gibas Ms. M. Chamberlain Ms. R. Chopra
Parties Appearing:
Accused: Carole Séguin Counsel: Mr. E. Lavictoire
The person in charge of hospital: Representative: Dr. A. Adiele
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Mr. A. Findlay
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated February 24, 2026)
Introduction
On September 20, 2010, Carole Séguin was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder on charges of assaulting a peace officer (x2), assault (x4), and failure to comply with a probation order (x2), all contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada (“Criminal Code”). She is currently subject to a disposition of the Ontario Review Board (“the Board”) dated February 6th, 2025, detaining her at the Secure Forensic Unit of the Brockville Mental Health Centre (“the Hospital”). Her disposition includes discretionary privileges up to and including the ability to live in 24-hour supervised accommodation approved by the person in charge.
On November 25th, 2025, the Board convened a hearing at the Brockville Mental Health Centre to conduct Ms. Séguin’s annual review hearing. Ms. Séguin was present and accompanied by her counsel, Mr. Lavictoire.
At the outset of the proceedings all parties were canvassed as to their positions on the issues to be examined by the Board: whether Ms. Séguin continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public, and if so, the necessary and appropriate disposition having regard to the criteria set out in s. 672.54 of the Criminal Code.
Dr. Adiele, on behalf of the hospital, submitted that Ms. Séguin continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public and that there should be a continuation of her current detention order. Mr. Findlay, on behalf of the Ministry of the Attorney-General, and Mr. Lavictoire both concurred in the Hospital’s positions.
All parties maintained their initial positions at the conclusion of the hearing.
Index Offences
- The allegations giving rise to the index offence(s) are set out in last year’s Reasons for Disposition as follows:
“On March 10, 2010, police were dispatched to the Cornwall Community Hospital responding to a report that the accused was assaulting hospital staff. When police arrived she was sitting on a stretcher speaking with nursing staff. The accused stated that she was leaving the hospital but the police told her that she could not leave. At that point she hit one of the Constables in the face with an open hand and she had to be restrained with the assistance of other police officers. The police learned that several nurses had been assaulted on this day, however only two of them wanted to provide police with a statement. The police learned that Ms. Séguin had been released from an institution two or three days before without medications.
On May 3, 2010, police were dispatched to the Tourism & Information Centre on Brookdale Avenue in Cornwall responding to a reported assault in progress on a bus at that location. When police arrived, Ms. Séguin appeared to be out of control and was actively resisting the officers’ attempt to restrain her. With help, Ms. Séguin was handcuffed and placed in a patrol car where she began to slam her head on the plexiglass divider. She continued to do so notwithstanding efforts to stop this. An ambulance was required to assist with restraint transport to the Cornwall Community Hospital. The police learned that Ms. Séguin had punched another female bus passenger/victim in the face several times. When police arrived and were speaking with the bus driver, Ms. Séguin left her seat and struck the bus driver in the head, knocking his glasses off his face and out of the bus. The police officer attempted to intervene and Ms. Séguin struck him in the head as well. After the ambulance had delivered Ms. Séguin to the Cornwall Community Hospital, she continued to fight her way out of restraints several times and had to be placed in full body restraint. The accused was charged with assault and assault peace officer and for breach of probation of a March 8, 2010, Probation Order to keep the peace and be of good behaviour”.
Personal History
The Hospital Report dated November 5, 2025 (Exhibit 1) is lengthy and detailed and need not be reviewed beyond the following highlights. Very little history is available about Ms. Séguin’s background. She apparently was brought up in a dysfunctional family environment characterized by physical and sexual abuse. She was placed in foster care at an early age. Unfortunately, she was transferred from one foster home to another as a child.
Ms. Séguin has an extensive history of contact with psychiatric services starting at the age of 16. There were multiple hospitalizations for psychosis and aggressive behaviour.
In addition to her mental health related issues, Ms. Séguin has multiple physical health problems including generalized seizure disorder, chronic arthritis and diabetes. Due to her physical and mental health disabilities she has lived in residential placements for most of her life.
There appears to have been one period of relative stability between 1996 and 2000 while Ms. Séguin was living at the Kingsmere Residential Program in Cornwall. At that time, she was being treated with Clozapine, which later was discontinued as a result of her seizure disorder.
Ms. Séguin has a long history of non-compliance with her psychiatric medication resulting in worsening psychosis and aggressive behaviour. She has a history of disruptive and violent behaviour towards both hospital and residential staff and co-residents. As a result, most group homes have not been willing to take Ms. Séguin for ongoing care.
Ms. Séguin has a criminal record that consists of assault convictions and breaches of court orders.
After the NCR finding, Ms. Séguin was admitted to Brockville Mental Health Centre and placed on a secure forensic unit. She continued to have difficulty regulating her behaviour. A 2018 Behavioural Plan was instrumental in decreasing the number of incidents of aggression. As a result, Ms. Séguin was able to move through the units and was eventually discharged to a highly structured and supportive residence in the community in 2021.
Current Diagnoses
- Ms. Séguin’s current diagnoses are:
- Schizophrenia
- Impulse Control Disorder
- Intellectual Disability - moderate severity
- Personality Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified, with Borderline Features
Evidence at the Hearing
The hospital’s evidence was presented through the Hospital Report as well as through the oral testimony of Dr. Anthony Adiele. This evidence is summarized below.
The doctor updated the Board that Ms. Séguin was accepted to a developmental disorders home and was now on the waiting list. It was hoped that she would be able to move to this placement during the coming year.
Mr. Findlay noted that Ms. Séguin had been at this placement previously and had been readmitted to the Hospital after assaulting a peer. Dr. Adiele agreed but informed the Board that this resident will no longer be at the home. He stated that the Hospital pays for two beds and that one of the spots was about to become available; Ms. Séguin will move into that spot.
In response to questions from counsel for Ms. Séguin. Dr. Adiele stated the following:
a. Ms. Séguin is responding well to programming at the Hospital and similar programming, including work with a behavioural therapist, will be available at the new home. b. Ms. Séguin does not have indirect community privileges but she goes out into the community with a Disability Services Ontario Passport worker. This will continue at the house. c. Ms. Séguin is willing to take all of her recommended medication. d. Ms. Séguin will be better managed, and the risks will be more limited in this placement than at the Hospital. e. Ms. Séguin continues to demonstrate aggressive behaviour. The Hospital has tried to limit this but will never be able to completely eliminate it. Dr. Adiele stated that in a smaller home setting, there will be less triggers for her and therefore hopefully less aggressive outbursts.
Dr. Adiele also responded to questions about the risk posed by Ms. Séguin. He noted the incident that occurred in December 2024 where Ms. Séguin threw a key that was attached to a big metal ring and large plastic tag at another resident. This incident was most likely out of frustration instead of as a targeted aim at another resident. The Hospital is concerned both with potential physical harm as well as psychological harm to those around Ms. Séguin.
In addition to her physical assaults, Ms. Séguin can be quite verbally aggressive. She shouts and swears at those around her. This causes staff and peers in her presence to be intimated and scared.
No other evidence was called.
Conclusions and Disposition
- The Board unanimously finds that Ms. Séguin continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of the public. In arriving at this determination, the Board considered the joint position of the parties and accepted the uncontroverted evidence of Dr. Adiele. The Board also relies on the Hospital Report, which notes the following:
“Ms. Seguin presents high risk for future violence, with risk level varying significantly based on environmental structure and supervision intensity. Her violence risk is driven by the interaction of treatment-resistant psychotic symptoms (paranoid delusions, hallucinations), severe emotional dysregulation and impulsivity (characterological factors), poor judgment and insight, medical comorbidities affecting mood and behavior (diabetes), and demonstrated history of violence across multiple contexts. It remains the view of the clinical team that Ms. Seguin would pose a significant threat to members of the public if unsupervised or at large. While the behavioral token program has shown efficacy in reducing incident frequency, it has not eliminated aggressive behaviors, and verbal aggression with intermittent escalation to throwing objects continues to occur (even with intense supervision).”
The Board, therefore, accepts that absent an ORB Disposition, Ms. Séguin would likely engage in physical and verbal aggression and would cause serious physical or psychological harm to members of the public.
Therefore, the Board unanimously determines that the necessary and appropriate Disposition required to manage the threat Ms. Séguin poses to the safety of the public while still meeting her needs, is a Detention Disposition. The Board agrees with the Hospital that while she currently lacks the stability required for community living, the detention order should provide ample allowance for community re-integration.
In making this Disposition, the Board carefully considered the positions and submissions of the parties and the evidence of Dr. Adiele 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, Ms. Séguin’s mental condition, her reintegration into society and her other needs.
Dated this 24th day of February, 2026, at the City of Toronto, in the Toronto Region.
Ms. M. Chamberlain Legal Member
__________________ Office of the Registrar Ontario Review Board