Ontario Review Board
Re: Erik Knight
ORB File No: 8030
Hearing held on: Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Place of Hearing: Brockville Mental Health Centre
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Mr. C. Flanagan
Members: Dr. Y. Alatishe
Dr. W. Loza
Ms. M. Chamberlain
Mr. S. Duffy
Parties Appearing:
Accused: Erik Knight
Counsel: Mr. M. Bird
The person in charge of hospital: Representative: Dr. R. Linthorst
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Mr. K. Schultz
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated May 14, 2026)
Introduction
On March 7, 2022, Eric Knight was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (“NCR”) on one count of arson – reckless disregard for human life, contrary to the Criminal Code.
Mr. Knight is currently subject to a Disposition of the Ontario Review Board (“ORB” or “the Board”) dated April 24, 2025, which detains him in the Forensic Treatment Unit of the Brockville Mental Health Centre - Member of the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group (“the hospital” or “BMHC”) with privileges up to and including to live in the community of Brockville in accommodation approved by the person in charge.
On April 1, 2026, a panel of the Board convened to review the Disposition in accordance with the requirements of s. 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code. Mr. M. Bird, counsel for Mr. Knight, attended the hearing, as did Mr. Knight. A Hospital Report dated March 11, 2026, a Breach Notice letter from BMHC to the Board dated March 26, 2026, a letter of reply from the Board dated March 26, 2026, and a CPIC Response Report were filed as exhibits 1-4, respectively at the hearing. In addition to the documentary evidence, Dr. Rhys Linthorst, the attending psychiatrist, gave evidence at the hearing.
The issues to be determined are whether Mr. Knight continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public, as defined in section 672.5401 of the Criminal Code, and if so, the necessary and appropriate Disposition to manage that risk, having regard to the criteria set out in s. 672.54 of the Criminal Code.
For the reasons set out below, this Board concluded that Mr. Knight 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 amendment to condition 4(d) to read “when living in the community, report to the person in charge of the Brockville Mental Health Centre – Member of the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, or their designate, not less than once every week”.
Initial Position of the Parties
At the outset of the hearing, the parties were canvassed as to their recommendations to the Board.
Dr. Linthorst, on behalf of the Hospital, recommended the continuation of the existing Detention Disposition with an amendment to condition 4(d) to read “when living in the community, report to the person in charge of the Brockville Mental Health Centre – Member of the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, or their designate, not less than once every week”.
Mr. Schultz, on behalf of the Attorney General of Ontario, supported the recommendation of the Hospital.
Mr. Bird, on behalf of Mr. Knight, conceded significant risk and supported the Hospital’s recommendation.
At the end of the evidence, all parties maintained their initial positions.
Index Offence
- The circumstances giving rise to the Index Offence are taken from the Hospital Report as follows:
“On November 25th, 2021, at approximately 4:53 am, a fire was reported at 864 Eighth Concession in North Crosby Township. The complainant and homeowner reported to police that her nephew, 23-year-old Erik KNIGHT, had started a fire in the furnace room of the residence. She claimed he was unstable. She explained that there was a total of five family members (accused grandmother, aunt (complainant), father and brother) within the residence at the time the fire was started by Knight.
Ambulance and the Fire Department both responded to the call. No persons died from this incident, however multiple were checked by ambulance as a precaution. There was approximately $30,000 in damage. Knight fled the scene prior to police arrival. He was found nearby and placed under arrest for Arson - Disregard for Human Life. He was visibly suffering from severe mental health issues, likely caused by continuous drug use.
Enroute to Brockville General Hospital, Knight began hitting his head against the inside of the cruiser (metal) and attempted to wrap the seat belt around his neck. He was at first extremely uncooperative with police and medical staff but has since calmed down.”
Personal Background/Psychiatric History
Mr. Knight’s personal background and psychiatric history are set out in the Hospital Report, filed as an exhibit at the hearing and need not be repeated in detail in these Reasons.
Mr. Knight is a 27-year-old single man with no children. His parents divorced when he was four years of age. He has an older brother and four stepsiblings following his mother’s remarriage.
Mr. Knight was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and showed oppositional, defiant behaviours. His mother reported that her son was assessed by a psychiatrist in high school, who found signs of social deviance and lack of empathy. The Hospital Report details a significant history of anger management difficulties. For a variety of reasons, including attention difficulties, conflictual interpersonal relationships, cannabis use and truancy, he did not complete secondary school, attaining only grade 10. Following high school, Mr. Knight worked in kitchens, at a factory, and in landscaping, the latter lasting approximately two years.
Mr. Knight has a significant history of substance abuse. He began using cannabis around the age of fourteen and alcohol roughly a year later. He described himself as addicted to both cannabis and tobacco. His use of cannabis grew steadily to the point that he was using it in significant quantities several times a day.
Mr. Knight’s has a criminal record. It includes convictions for assault, forcible confinement, mischief and fail to comply with court order in September 2021. He received an eight-month conditional sentence with eighteen months’ probation and a five-year weapons prohibition.
According to Mr. Knight’s mother, her son struggled on and off throughout his adolescent and adult life with anxiety, depression and she suspected he may have a body dysmorphic disorder. He had an eating disorder, which was thought to relate to paranoia in connection with food. His mother reported that her son attempted suicide on two occasions and was prescribed anti- depressant medication. He had his first seizure in July 2019 and was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2020. According to his mother, Mr. Knight’s seizure medication was changed in the weeks prior to the Index offence.
Mr. Knight’s psychosis, use of substances, non-adherence to medication, and sub-optimally treated seizure disorder all played a role in the events, giving rise to the index offence.
In the weeks leading up to the arson, Mr. Knight was staying with his mother under house arrest due to charges of domestic assault against his girlfriend. His mother reported that her son was becoming more paranoid and psychotic. He was speaking to her as if she was a stranger, and she described him being emotional, teary, paranoid, and upset about the things in their home. She became increasingly concerned about her own and his stepfather’s safety and called police, who transported him to hospital.
Mr. Knight eventually left his mother’s house to live in a shelter in Kitchener. On November 24, 2021, his father and brother picked him up to live with his father, brother, aunt, and grandmother. Mr. Knight became quite psychotic and started a fire in the basement in the early hours of the following day. He reported stopping his medications for at least a week prior to the Index offence.
On March 7, 2022, Mr. Knight was found to be NCR on the offences of arson-disregard for human life and a breach of a conditional sentence. He was subsequently transferred to BMHC under the jurisdiction of the Review Board. In March 2025, Mr. Knight moved into an independent apartment in Brockville.
Mr. Knight is currently capable of consenting to treatment and managing his finances.
Current Diagnosis
- Mr. Knight’s diagnoses consist of Schizoaffective Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Cannabis Use Disorder (in remission), and Unspecified Seizure Disorder.
Evidence at the Hearing
The Hospital’s evidence was presented through the oral testimony of Dr. R. Linthorst to supplement the Hospital Report, filed as an exhibit at the hearing.
In April 2025, Mr. Knight transitioned into approved accommodation, living independently in his own one-bedroom apartment. Dr. Linthorst advised that since taking over Mr. Knight’s care in October 2025, he has remained asymptomatic with regard to positive symptoms of psychosis although negative symptoms of his illness remain.
As reported in the Hospital Report, there have been several times during the reporting year that Mr. Knight missed scheduled appointments and forgot to take his medication. He has been dismissive of the ORB process and the need for assessments. Dr. Linthorst opined that Mr. Knight’s negative symptoms partly explain missed appointments and medication, but not dismissal of the ORB process or mild conflicts with the treatment team.
During the reporting year, Mr. Knight's diagnosis was updated to include obsessive-compulsive disorder, based on the presence of unwanted, ego-dystonic thoughts. Dr. Linthorst advised that in times of distress, Mr. Knight imagines a knife cutting his own neck. The doctor emphasized, however, that Mr. Knight does not identify with, agree with, or want to follow through with such thoughts. Mr. Knight’s antidepressant medication (Sertraline) was increased, and he reported a gradual but consistent decrease in these thoughts.
In March 2026, the outpatient forensic team reported ongoing difficulty in contacting Mr. Knight. When his occupational therapist attended Mr. Knight’s apartment it was observed that he had several unopened medication blister packs. Mr. Knight advised that he forgets to take his medication. Dr. Linthorst advised that a portion of forgetfulness and lack of motivation could be attributed to Mr. Knight’s negative symptoms, although there may also be some volitional avoidance with the treatment team. When questioned regarding the transition of Mr. Knight to injectable medication, Dr. Linthorst explained that he maintained Mr. Knight on oral medication because there was uncertainty concerning the number of missed doses and no significant alteration in Mr. Knight’s mental status had been observed.
In the same month, Lanark Leeds and Grenville Mental Health reported several credit purchases made from Sessions Cannabis. Mr. Knight denied purchasing cannabis for himself and stated he had been paying someone else back by purchasing products from this store.
On March 4 and March 19, 2026, Mr. Knight's urine drug screens tested positive results for cannabis. Mr. Knight initially denied cannabis use; however, prior to receiving the test results, he acknowledged having used it on two occasions: once at his apartment complex and once in the workplace. Dr. Linthorst explained that cannabis use can cause mental decompensation within days to weeks. He advised that Mr. Knight does not believe cannabis would impact his mental health and that his motivation to abstain from cannabis use is externally driven through his Review Board Disposition.
Given the recent events, Mr. Knight has been referred to addiction care and is expected to engage in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (“CBT”) for substance use. Dr. Linthorst emphasized that should substance use continue, Mr. Knight would be readmitted to hospital. He stated that the treatment team needs to monitor Mr. Knight’s compliance and substance use very closely. In this regard, Dr. Linthorst requested that the Board require Mr. Knight to report at least once a week in his Disposition.
The doctor noted Mr. Knight struggles to recognize his negative symptoms and should participate in programming for stress and substance use, fully engaged with his outpatient treatment team. When asked, Dr. Linthorst acknowledged that the psychological assessment previously requested (as referred to in last year’s Reasons) to determine personality traits has not been completed yet.
Dr. Linthorst confirmed that Mr. Knight has returned to work at a local lodging establishment. He has the support of his family whom he visits in Kitchener, Ontario, and his mother, with whom he has frequent contact, is an Approved Person.
Dr. Linthorst opined that Mr. Knight remains a significant threat to the safety of the public and a Detention Disposition was appropriate. The doctor elaborated that non-compliance with medication and substance use are two significant risk factors, which have previously led to decompensation in Mr. Knight’s mental state and risk to the community. He confirmed that the hospital needs to approve Mr. Knight’s accommodation in order to manage risk.
No further evidence was presented at the hearing.
Analysis, Conclusion and Disposition
Having considered all the evidence presented at the hearing, this Board finds that Mr. Knight 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 Dr. Linthorst’s oral evidence and the Hospital Report, despite the parties' joint position regarding significant threat.
Mr. Knight has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, cannabis use disorder in remission, seizure disorder, and more recently, obsessive compulsive disorder. He continues to experience ongoing obsessive thoughts (reduced after medication changes) and negative symptoms of his illness.
The chronic nature of his negative symptoms has largely contributed to ongoing issues with missed appointments, and the treatment team’s inability to contact him at his apartment at various times throughout the reporting year. Mr. Knight does not believe he has negative symptoms of his illness.
Falling away from treatment and substance use (cannabis) have been identified as two risk factors for Mr. Knight. Each played a role in the weeks leading up to the serious index offence of arson. In this regard, the recent unopened medication blister packs found at his apartment and two positive urine drug screens for cannabis, which he initially denied, raise concern. In addition, Mr. Knight’s insight into the negative effects of cannabis use on his mental health, is presently absent.
Given Mr. Knight’s history, fragile mental state with ongoing negative symptoms and ego-dystonic thoughts, recent events surrounding medication compliance and cannabis use, and the risk factors as outlined in the Hospital Report, Mr. Knight remains at significant threat to the safety of the public.
This Board also agrees that a Detention Disposition is the most appropriate and necessary Disposition. As stated by Dr. Linthorst, Mr. Knight will need to engage in programming, such as CBT for substance use, to develop his insight and address ongoing substance use. The recent events in March 2026 highlight that Mr. Knight requires supervision, structure, and support to manage both his complex mental health needs and public safety. As stated at page 29 of the Hospital Report:
“Under the supervision of the outpatient forensic rehabilitation team with the current detention order Mr. Knight's risk of future violence, serious physical harm and imminent violence is low - moderate. However, without the support of the team and the detention order Mr. Knight's risk is likely to become elevated to the moderate risk category as he is likely to have significant concerns in all risk management areas.”
Although not advanced by the parties, this Board finds that a Conditional Discharge Disposition is premature at this juncture. At this point in time the hospital needs to approve Mr. Knight’s accommodation to ensure his risk remains appropriately managed in the community. Given the nature of the index offence, should there be a decompensation in Mr. Knight’s mental state due to non-adherence to medication or continued use of cannabis, this Board is not satisfied that the MHA would suffice to manage risk.
On the positive side, Mr. Knight has made progress while under the jurisdiction of the Review Board. He has transitioned to approved independent living, there have been no aggressive incidents, and he has not required readmission to hospital. Mr. Knight enjoys support from his family, most particularly his mother, who is an Approved Person, and has returned to work at a local lodging establishment.
Minimum Frequency of Reporting
Mr. Knight has not been fully engaged with the outpatient treatment team, missing appointments, being dismissive of the ORB process and the need for assessments, and recently missing doses of his oral antipsychotic medication. He has also recently used cannabis at home and at work. Given the risk posed by nonadherence to treatment and substance use, it is important that the treatment team monitor Mr. Knight’s compliance and substance use very closely. In that regard, this Board agrees to amend the current reporting frequency to not less than once per week.
Consequently, we find that the most necessary and appropriate Disposition is the continuation of the existing Detention Disposition on the same terms and conditions with an amendment to condition 4(d) to require reporting not less than once per week.
In reaching our decision, this Board has considered the safety of the public, Mr. Knight’s mental condition, his reintegration into society, and his other needs.
DATED this day of 14^th^ day of May, 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