Ontario Review Board
Re: William O. Dadzie
ORB File No: 6843
Hearing held on: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Place of Hearing: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Mr. C. Flanagan
Members: Dr. R. Sheppard
Dr. G. Nexhipi
Mr. D. Sandor (via Zoom)
Mr. W. Apted
Parties Appearing:
Accused: William O. Dadzie
Counsel: Ms. C. E. Currie
The person in charge of hospital: Counsel: Mr. J. McIntyre
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Ms. S. Malik
REASONS FOR DISPOSITON
(Dated March 18, 2026)
Introduction
On October 9, 2015, William Dadzie was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (“NCR”) on charges of utter a threat to cause death or bodily harm (x2), and robbery, all contrary to the Criminal Code.
Mr. Dadzie is currently subject to a Disposition of the Ontario Review Board (“ORB” or the “Board”), dated February 27, 2025, detaining him at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (“CAMH”), with privileges up to and including, to live in the community of the Greater Toronto Area in 24 hour a day supervised accommodation approved by the person in charge.
On March 4, 2026, the Board convened at CAMH to conduct Mr. Dadzie’s annual review and to make a Disposition pursuant to s. 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code. Mr. Dadzie attended his hearing and was represented by his counsel, Ms. C.E. Currie. A Hospital Report dated February 6, 2026, was marked as Exhibit 1 at his hearing.
The issues for the hearing are whether Mr. Dadzie continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of the public and, if so, to determine the necessary and appropriate Disposition in all the circumstances.
For the reasons set out below, this Board concluded that Mr. Dadzie continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public and that the necessary and appropriate Disposition is the continuation of the existing Detention Disposition with the addition of a condition allowing indirect supervision into the community.
Initial Position of the Parties
At the outset of the hearing, the parties were canvassed as to their recommendations to the Board.
Mr. McIntyre, on behalf of the Hospital, submitted Mr. Dadzie continued to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public, and that the necessary and appropriate Disposition was a continuation of existing Disposition with the addition of a condition allowing indirect supervision into the community.
Ms. Malik, on behalf of the Attorney General of Ontario, supported the Hospital’s recommendation.
Ms. Currie, on behalf of Mr. Dadzie, supported the Hospital recommendation and conceded the issue of significant threat to the public.
Index Offences
- The details of the index offences are taken from the Toronto Police Service Synopsis reported in the Hospital Report as follows:
(1) Robbery
“On January 22, 2015, at 2:15 am the victim, [female] was walking in the area of 678 Queen Street West, Toronto. The victim was heavily intoxicated. The accused, William Dadzie, had a physical interaction with the victim, which resulted in a bloody lip to her. The accused obtained the victim’s cell phone and fled the area.”
(2) Utter Threat x2
“805A Wellington Street West is the home to the Homes first Society and is an emergency shelter operated by the City of Toronto for the chronically homeless. It is staffed 24 hours a day and is home to up to 70 male and female residents.
On Thursday June 11, 2015, at approximately 1:30 am, the accused, William Dadzie, a resident of the shelter began causing a disturbance by yelling, shouting, and carrying on in the hallway. A [male] resident of the residence approached the accused and questioned why he was yelling. The accused pointed his finger at her and said, “Shut up and get off the floor. I’m going to kill you.” The accused continued pointing his finger and saying, “I’m going to kill you.” As a result, the complainant was fearful and called out for help to staff.
[Female] is a staff member employed at the shelter and came running to help when she heard [male] crying out. When she arrived, she attempted to calm the accused down. The accused instead approached Naim in a confrontational manner and said, “I swear on my children’s life I’m going to hurt you. I’m going to hurt you so badly, big time.”
Personal Background/Psychiatric History
Mr. Dadzie’s personal background and psychiatric history are extensively set out in the Hospital Report and need not be repeated here. Mr. Dadzie is noted to be a poor historian and much of what is known about his history comes from his mother.
Briefly, Mr. Dadzie is a 49-year-old single man born in Toronto, Ontario. He has one brother and one sister and does not have any children.
Mrs. Dadzie reported that her son attended school and excelled in sports. She noted he was expelled in grade 10 and after leaving high school worked in his father’s mechanic shop.
Mr. Dadzie has a significant criminal record, commencing in 1991, as a young offender, and continuing up to 2013. His record includes convictions for robbery, sexual assault, assault, assault police officer, traffic schedule I substance, public mischief, and multiple failure to comply with probation and court orders.
Ms. Dadzie noted that her son's mental health began to deteriorate when he was 16 or 17 years old, around the time that he started smoking marijuana. His first contact with mental health services appears to be in December of 1996, when he was admitted to the Etobicoke General Hospital due to aggressive behaviour. He has been described as chronically unwell and difficult to manage with chronic grandiose delusions even with sustained treatment and has had a number of psychiatric admissions to CAMH.
On October 9, 2015, Mr. Dadzie was found NCR. He was admitted to Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (OSCMHS) under a Detention Order. On February 15, 2018, he was transferred to a secure unit at CAMH. On April 30, 2021, Mr. Dadzie was transferred to FSUA, a secure forensic unit. Mr. Dadzie remained on FSUA until May 18, 2023, when he was transferred to a general forensic unit, where he continues to reside at the time of the hearing.
Mr. Dadzie is incapable of consenting to psychiatric treatment, and the Public Guardian and Trustee (“PGT”) serves as his substitute decision-maker (“SDM”). He is financially supported by the Ontario Disability Support Program (“ODSP”).
Current Diagnoses
- Mr. Dadzie’s is diagnosed with Schizophrenia, Cannabis Abuse Disorder, in remission and Cocaine Abuse Disorder, in remission.
Evidence at the Hearing
The Hospital’s evidence was presented through the oral testimony of Dr. Shaheen Darani to supplement the Hospital Report filed as an exhibit at the hearing.
Dr. Darani advised that Mr. Dadzie has been in her care since November 18, 2024, and currently resides on a high support general unit in hospital.
Mr. Dadzie suffers from treatment resistant schizophrenia. Despite treatment with a long-acting injectable anti-psychotic medication and clozapine, Mr. Dadzie continues to experience ongoing psychotic symptoms which are currently being addressed through psychosocial rehabilitation and intervention. He has poor insight into his mental condition, the role of treatment, and his risk of violence.
During the reporting year, there were no incidents of violence or aggression or any attempts at elopement. He remained generally compliant with his medication regimen.
Dr. Darani advised that Mr. Dadzie has not been able to benefit from any form of therapeutic program given his symptoms and level of disorganization. The doctor advised that he has limited cognitive functioning which an assessment in 2024 confirmed. Mr. Dadzie predominantly engages in recreational programming, such as gardening and bingo, and continues to maintain contact with his mother.
According to Dr. Darani, Mr. Dadzie has made good progress regarding his privileges. He is now at level 6, which permits him indirect passes to the hospital grounds for social and recreational purposes. Under a comprehensive behavioural plan, he has worked collaboratively with the treatment team and has used all of his passes appropriately.
Dr. Darani supported adding the term “indirectly supervised passes into the community” to Mr. Dadzie’s Disposition. She noted this would motivate him to keep progressing, and if approved, Mr. Dadzie must show he can consistently use level 6 passes responsibly, maintain baseline status, remain medication compliant, and continue to engage with his treatment plan over an extended period of time. She elaborated that such a privilege would be rolled out in a cautious manner starting with the implementation of “shadowing.”
In response to a question on the prospect of community living, Dr. Darani stated that Mr. Dadzie is presently at Alternate Level of Care (“ALC”) and is on the waiting list for high support (24/7) accommodation. The team was hopeful that such a discharge could be attained in the coming year.
The doctor advised that Mr. Dadzie continues to meet the threshold of significant threat. He continues to suffer from a major mental illness with ongoing symptoms, has limited insight into his illness, need for treatment and any connection to risk. She stated that absent the oversight of the Ontario Review Board, Mr. Dadzie would become non-compliant with medication, fall away from treatment, relapse into substance use and suffer a deterioration in his mental status. As such, he would present a significant risk to the safety of the public similar to the circumstances of the index offences.
Dr. Darani opined there was no air of reality to a Conditional Discharge Disposition. It would not allow the Hospital to react preemptively in the context of Mr. Dazie becoming medication non-compliant or experiencing a worsening of his symptoms. In such circumstances it would be critical for the Hospital to return him to hospital quickly in the face of a deterioration in his mental state before meeting the threshold under the MHA. In addition, the hospital needs to approve any housing in the community.
No further evidence was presented at the hearing.
Final Submissions of the Parties
Mr. McIntyre, on behalf of the Hospital, maintained his initial position. He submitted that there is a joint position and sufficient evidence of significant threat to the safety of the public. He stated that a Conditional Discharge Disposition was unrealistic for reasons outlined by the doctor. Mr. McIntyre submitted that a prohibition against substance use should remain in Mr. Dadzie’s Disposition given his risk with historical use. He highlighted that it is appropriate to add the condition “indirectly supervised into the community” to his Disposition which would be closely monitored as the year progresses.
Ms. Malik, on behalf of the Attorney General of Ontario, concurred with the submission of the Hospital. She highlighted that Mr. Dadzie has exercised all passes on levels 5 and 6 without issue. She submitted that allowing “indirectly supervised into the community” would take some time and in any event, Mr. Dadzie would be subject to initial “shadowing” which would be tapered over time.
Ms. Currie, on behalf of Mr. Dadzie, supported the submissions of counsel. She emphasized that Mr. Dadzie has done very well this year and is motivated to achieve higher privilege levels, which has not always been always the case. She submitted that Mr. Dadzie looks forward to moving into supported housing in the community.
Analysis and Conclusion
Having considered all the evidence presented at the hearing, this Board finds that Mr. Dadzie continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of the public as set out in s. 672.5401 of the Criminal Code. We make this finding based on the oral evidence of Dr. Darani and the evidence contained in the Hospital Report filed as an exhibit at the hearing, notwithstanding the joint position on significant threat by the parties.
Mr. Dadzie’s index offences involve assaultive behaviour, and he has a lengthy criminal record which includes numerous offences for violence. He suffers from a major mental illness, schizophrenia, which remains treatment resistant. When unwell, Mr. Dadzie’s paranoid and grandiose delusions significantly influence his ability to engage in reality-testing and result in anger and hostility towards others who he believes are against him.
Despite treatment, Mr. Dadzie continues to exhibit symptoms of his illness. His claim to be the Hospital's CEO and a four-year Judge, made during the hearing, reflected his grandiosity. Mr. Dadzie has limited insight into his illness, need for treatment and risk for violence. This Board accepts the evidence of Dr. Darani, who opined that absent the oversight of the Ontario Review Board, Mr. Dadzie would become non-compliant with medication, fall away from treatment, relapse into substance use and suffer a deterioration in his mental status. As such, he would present a significant risk to the safety of the public like the circumstances of the index offences.
To his credit, Mr. Dadzie has had a relatively good reporting year. There were no incidents of violence or aggression or any attempts at elopement. He is engaged with his treatment team and has remained generally compliant with his medication regimen. Most notably, Mr. Dadzie has made significant progress in his level of privileges. He recently attained level 6 privileges, allowing indirect passes to hospital grounds for socialization and recreation, which he has used responsibly. The treatment team is hopeful that a discharge into high support housing will take place in the coming year.
Indirect Supervision into the Community
This Board agrees with the joint proposal by the parties to allow Mr. Dadzie indirect supervision to the community as a term of his Disposition. It is clear on the evidence that Mr. Dadzie is engaged with his treatment team and has utilized all his passes to hospital grounds responsibly without incident. Given his ongoing positive pass trajectory, this would serve as a motivating factor and in any case would be implemented in a gradual and cautious manner.
Consequently, we find that the most necessary and appropriate Disposition is the continuation of the existing Detention Disposition with the addition of a term allowing for indirect supervision into the community.
In reaching our decision, this Board has considered the safety of the public, Mr. Dadzie’s mental condition, his reintegration into society, and his other needs.
DATED this 18th day of March, 2026, at the City of Toronto, in the Toronto Region.
Mr. C. Flanagan
Alternate Chairperson
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Office of the Registrar
Ontario Review Board