Ontario Review Board
Re: George May
ORB File No: 3577
Hearing held on: Monday, December 15, 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. J. Goldenberg Members: Dr. K. Hand Dr. M. Kalia Mr. C. MacIntyre, KC Mr. R. Rainboth
Parties Appearing: Accused: George May Counsel: Mr. D. Medd The person in charge of hospital: Representative: Dr. K. DeFreitas Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Ms. N. MacDonald
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated January 20, 2026)
On June 13, 2002, Mr. George May was found not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder, on a charge of second-degree murder.
Mr. May is currently subject to a Disposition of the Ontario Review Board dated December 18, 2024, by which he was ordered to be detained at the General Forensic Unit of the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (“Ontario Shores”) with a number of privileges and prohibitions including a privilege “to live in the community in 24-hour a day supervised accommodation or Long-Term Care Home approved by the person in charge”.
On Monday, December 15, 2025, the Ontario Review Board convened a hearing at Ontario Shores and conducted the annual review of Mr. May’s Disposition.
Position of the Parties
At the outset of the hearing, the parties were canvassed as to their recommendations to the Board.
We first note that Mr. May was not present at this hearing. Mr. Medd advised that Mr. May was brought down from his room. Mr. Medd had a discussion with Mr. May who became angry near the end of that discussion and simply said that he would not be attending and he went back to his room.
In response to questions from the Alternate Chair, Mr. Medd acknowledged that his client knew the hearing was going on today and that he had the right to be here. Mr. Medd also acknowledged that he had instructions to proceed without his client being present. Under the circumstances, the Board exercised their discretion pursuant to s. 672.5(10)(a).
Dr. DeFreitas appeared as the hospital’s representative, as well as being Mr. May’s most responsible physician. She advised of the hospital position that Mr. May remains a significant threat to public safety and, if the Board so finds, the necessary and appropriate Disposition is a continuation of the Detention Order with the exact terms set out in the Board’s Disposition.
Ms. MacDonald agreed with Dr. DeFreitas’ position. Mr. Medd also agreed with the doctor’s position. Accordingly, the parties were making a joint recommendation for no change to the current Disposition.
In response to a question from the Alternate Chair, Mr. Medd acknowledged that he and his client accept that at the present time Mr. May remains a significant threat to public safety as that term is used in the jurisprudence.
Index Offence:
- "Mr. May and the victim, Beverly Patricia Sims, both resided in a townhouse in the downtown area of Toronto. The residence is a home for persons who are receiving psychiatric treatment. On the morning of March 8, (2001) Mr. May, Ms. Sims and a third resident, Ms. Sawyer, were in the residence. Despite suggestions to the contrary, the victim and the accused were not romantically involved. Ms. Sawyer heard a commotion coming from the living room. She entered the room and saw the accused on top of the victim on the couch. It appeared to Ms. Sawyer that Mr. May was attempting to smother or choke Ms. Sims. Ms. Sims was struggling and calling for help. Ms. Sawyer went to the kitchen and called 911. She then went to the back porch to await the arrival of police. While she was standing on the porch, she could hear Ms. Sims screaming. Police arrived at approximately 9:31 a.m. They were let into the residence by Mr. May. Ms. Sims was located on the living room floor. She had no apparent vital signs and attempts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful. While one officer was tending to the victim, the other arrested Mr. May. He did not resist. Ms. Sims was transported to hospital where Dr. Simon Kingsley pronounced her dead at 10:20 a.m. A post mortem revealed that the cause of death was “asphyxiation due to neck compression”. Ms. Sawyer reported that, on the evening prior to the index offence, the accused had been “acting really weird” and had taken a functioning vacuum cleaner and thrown it into the garbage.”
Evidence at Hearing:
The Board admitted into evidence the Hospital Report dated December 5, 2025. The Hospital Report provides a great deal of information concerning Mr. May, his personal history, his mental health history, details of the index offence and Mr. May’s course in hospital subsequent to the date of the NCR finding. As the Hospital Report was made an exhibit in this hearing, it is not necessary to reproduce the information contained in the Hospital Report in these Reasons. We do note, however, the stated diagnosis of Schizophrenia.
In addition to the documentary evidence, the Board also heard from Dr. DeFreitas. Dr. DeFreitas noted that the hospital is encountering many difficulties in attempting to place Mr. May in a long-term care facility. He has been assessed by members of the long-term care program who concluded that Mr. May is not an appropriate candidate for a long-term care facility. There is a further problem in that Mr. May’s family are opposed to Mr. May being transferred to a long-term care facility. The doctor noted that in hospital Mr. May’s inappropriate conduct was reduced this year. There was one incident of Mr. May slapping pills out of the hands of a nurse. Another incident of Mr. May grabbing the buttocks of a nurse and incidents where Mr. May would completely disrobe in public places in the hospital.
Turning back to the difficulty in placing Mr. May in a long-term care facility is the fact that Mr. May is being treated with ECT currently once every five weeks. ECT could only be given in hospital, and it is not realistic to expect that a long-term care facility would agree to bring Mr. May to hospital once every five weeks.
In response to questions from Ms. MacDonald, Dr. DeFreitas confirmed that were Mr. May not to receive ECT, he would become significantly more psychotic.
In response to questions from another panel member, Dr. DeFreitas advised that Mr. May has utilized certain hospital and grounds privileges. Mr. May does not want to go out into the community even on a pass.
A panel member suggested that Mr. May appears to have limited retention of information from his sessions with Dr. Gibas. The panel member asked Dr. DeFreitas whether this could reflect a possible neurocognitive disorder in the context of long-standing treatment resistant mental illness, advancing age and the cumulative impact of ECT. Dr. DeFreitas simply noted that she would consider this issue.
No other evidence was heard at this hearing.
Final Submissions:
- Each of the parties accepted that Mr. May remains a significant threat to public safety and that the necessary and appropriate Disposition is a continuation of a Detention Order with the exact terms set out in last year’s Disposition.
Findings of the Board:
The Board accepts the Dr. DeFreitas’ evidence and the evidence contained in the Hospital Report. We accept that Mr. May remains a significant threat and that the necessary and appropriate Disposition is a continuation of a Detention Order with exact terms set out in last year’s Disposition. It is unfortunate that Mr. May’s family refuses to consider and support Mr. May moving to a long-term care facility. The panel hopes that Mr. May’s family will reconsider their position.
As indicated, we will issue a Disposition with the same terms set out in last year’s Disposition.
In reaching our Disposition, the Board has taken into consideration public safety, Mr. May’s mental condition and his other needs, and Mr. May’s reintegration into society.
DATED this 20th day of January 2026, at the City of Toronto, in the Toronto Region.
Mr. J. Goldenberg Alternate Chairperson Office of the Registrar Ontario Review Board