Re: Adrian S. Beekharry
ORB File No: 7096
Hearing held on: Friday, October 31, 2025
Place of hearing: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before: Alternate Chairperson: Mr. B. Garrow Members: Dr. B. Sheppard Dr. L.O. Lightfoot Ms. J. Ferguson Mr. S. Duffy
Parties Appearing: Accused: Adrian S. Beekharry Counsel: Mr. B. Kolman
The Person in charge of Hospital: Representative: Dr. T. Wilkie
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Mr. R. Mushlian
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated February 3, 2026)
Introduction
On February 7, 2017, Adrian Beekharry was found not criminally responsible (“NCR”) on account of mental disorder on a charge of aggravated assault, contrary to the Criminal Code, (the “Code”).
Mr. Beekharry is currently subject to a Disposition dated July 16, 2024, discharging him on conditions.
On October 31, 2025, the Board convened a hearing, pursuant to s. 672.81(1) of the Code to conduct the annual review of the current Disposition. Mr. Beekharry was present at the hearing and represented by counsel. Mr. Beekharry’s parents were also in attendance.
The issues before the Board are whether Mr. Beekharry continues to pose a significant risk to the safety of the public, and if so, what is the necessary and appropriate disposition to manage that risk having regard to the criteria set out in s. 672.54 of the Code.
The parties jointly submitted that there be no change to Mr. Beekharry’s current Disposition. The issue of Mr. Beekharry’s significant threat was not contested.
For the reasons that follow the Board finds that Mr. Beekharry continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of the public and that his care should continue on the same terms as his current Disposition.
Evidentiary Record
- Dr. Wilkie co-authored the Hospital Report dated, September 2, 2025, exhibit 1, and testified on behalf of the hospital. No further evidence was adduced at the hearing.
Background
Mr. Beekharry’s personal and psychiatric history, including the details of his mental disorder and treatment since being found NCR, are described in detail in the Hospital Report. Briefly, Mr. Beekharry is 28 years of age, single with no dependents. He was discharged on his consent to take treatment/medication as prescribed and other conditions in 2019, and lives in the community with his parents. He is unemployed and financially supported by Ontario Disability Support Program (“ODSP”).
Mr. Beekharry is capable of consenting to psychiatric treatment and managing his personal property. He is followed in the community by the CAMH FOPS team under the care of Dr. Wilkie, and his case manager Ms. E. Aucoin.
Mr. Beekharry’s current diagnoses are schizophrenia, and cannabis use disorder (severe, in sustained remission). He is treated with clozapine.
The circumstances surrounding the index offences are reproduced from the Hospital Report:
“On Saturday October 24, 2015, Mr. Prince Sandhu (the victim) was reading an ad posted on the inside of a bus shelter, when Mr. Beekharry approached him from behind. Mr. Beekharry reached his arms around Mr. Sandhu and stabbed him three times in the chest. Mr. Sandhu began to scream and was able to make his way towards Humber College Boulevard. Witnesses heard Mr. Sandhu yelling that he had been stabbed and saw Mr. Beekharry running from the scene towards the arboretum at the rear of Humber College.
Mr. Sandhu approached the witnesses, who were able to commence first aid. Police and Emergency Services were called and attended the scene. The officers patrolled the area and located Mr. Beekharry walking on the pathway near an athletic field. Mr. Beekharry pant legs were wet up to his knees, and he had his head covered with his jacket and only his right hand was visible to the officers. Mr. Beekharry did not comply when he was told to show the officers his hands. When officers took control of Mr. Beekharry’s right hand, Mr. Beekharry turned and broke free, and ran away. The officers pursued Mr. Beekharry on foot and arrested him. When asked why he was running, Mr. Beekharry stated, “I didn’t wanna get booked.” A member of the Toronto Police Dog Services Unit attended the scene and located a knife short distance away from the officers’ vehicle.
Mr. Sandhu was transported to Sunnybrook Hospital where he was treated for his injuries. Mr. Sandhu sustained three stab wounds to his right chest area, two above the right breast and one below. The injuries were considered a “life-threatening” in nature. His condition was upgraded to “stable” as a result of treatment received at Sunnybrook Hospital. Mr. Sandhu remained in hospital for further treatment and observation and was scheduled to undergo an exploratory surgery to determine if his injuries had impacted any internal organs. It was opined that Mr. Beekharry’s actions “could easily have taken the life of the victim.”
Course Since Last Annual Review
At the conclusion of last year’s hearing the Board expressed alarm about Mr. Beekharry’s non-adherence to his medication and lack of candor in communicating with the treatment team about his compliance.
During this review period Mr. Beekharry was seen by Dr. Wilkie and his case manager on a weekly basis. Risk management focussed on Mr. Beekharry’s insight with respect to his mental health, adherence with prescribed medications, and proactive and forthcoming engagement with his supports, especially in the context of stress. A high level of external supervision and the extraordinary support provided by Mr. Beekharry’s parents in implementing strategies to monitor clozapine compliance has enabled him to progress to the point of taking his medication independently as prescribed.
According to the Hospital Report, Mr. Beekharry’s insight into his mental illness and the need for medication remains limited. He is reported to have difficulty identifying his symptoms when unwell and the factors that could destabilize his mental health. He does not believe that he requires medication to maintain his mental health. Nor does he believe that medications decrease his risk of relapse for another psychotic episode. He attributes his behaviour at the time of the index offence to “being young” and not having adequate coping skills.
Similarly, Mr. Beekharry’s lacks insight with respect to cannabis use and the destabilizing impact it had on his mental health historically and specifically at the time he committed the index offence. He identified his family and his lengthy period of abstinence as his primary motivators for remaining abstinent.
During the current reporting period Mr. Beekharry did engage in Individualized Substance Use Relapse Prevention after being encouraged to do so by the FOPS team. While he remains abstinent mainly due to the external oversight provided for under his Disposition, his insight is improving. And, working with a clinician from the Forensic Consultation & Assessment Team, Mr. Beekharry developed a safety card, that he keeps in his wallet, regarding relapse prevention strategies and communicating with supports. The treatment team has approved Mr. Beekharry’s plan to travel to the Dominican Republic with his parents in the very near future. The safety card will serve as a behavioural reminder of path to follow to maintain good mental health.
Dr. Wilkie confirmed that Mr. Beekharry’s primary criminogenic risk factors are his major mental illness, lack of insight, historical non-adherence with treatment and supervision and substance use. The oversight provided by the FOPS team and his parents have been central to ensuring he remains adherent to his prescribed treatment.
In Dr. Wilkie’s opinion, if Mr. Beekharry were to re-offend, it would likely occur in the context of non-adherence with psychiatric treatment and relapsing into the use of substances, particularly cannabis. Decompensation would follow, characterized by overt psychotic symptoms including auditory hallucinations, paranoid delusions and behavioural disorganization. Under these circumstances, Mr. Beekharry would likely have limited insight into his disturbed mental state, the need for treatment and medication. His mental state would lead to aggression as demonstrated at the time of the index offence and during past periods of hospitalization when he was unwell.
Analysis and Conclusions
Having considered all of the evidence and the joint submission presented by the parties the Board finds that Mr. Beekharry continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of the public and that the terms his current Disposition continue to be necessary and appropriate for the year ahead.
We acknowledge the progress that Mr. Beekharry has made this past year, and the support he has received from both the FOPS team and his parents which have contributed to his success. We urge Mr. Beekharry to continue to avail himself of all the support on offer over the coming year, and to continue to maintain his abstinence from substance use.
In coming to these conclusions, the Board has considered its responsibility pursuant to s. 672.54 of the Code to make a disposition that is necessary and appropriate in the circumstances, taking in to account the safety of the public, which is the paramount consideration, the mental condition of the accused, his reintegration into society, and his other needs.
DATED this 3^rd^ day of February, 2026, at the City of Toronto, in the Toronto Region.
Mr. B. Garrow Alternate Chairperson
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Office of the Registrar Ontario Review Board