Re Shevon Guthrie-Cahns, 2026 CanLII 6274

Re: Shevon Guthrie-Cahns

ORB File No: 8402

Hearing held on: Thursday, January 15, 2026

Place of hearing: Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health

Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code

Before: Alternate Chairperson: Ms. L. Banks (by Zoom video-conference) Members: Dr. R. Sheppard Dr. L. O. Lightfoot Ms. C. Murray Ms. R. Chopra

Parties Appearing: Accused: Shevon Guthrie-Cahns Counsel: Ms. J. Boissonneault

The person in charge of hospital: Counsel: Ms. J. Szabo

Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Ms. N. MacDonald

REASONS FOR DISPOSITION

(Dated January 29, 2026)

Introduction:

1. On September 29, 2023, Shevon Guthrie-Cahns was found not criminally responsible (“NCR”) on one count of aggravated assault, contrary to the Criminal Code. Since his NCR finding, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has been subject to Dispositions of the Ontario Review Board (“ORB” or the “Board”). His current Disposition dated February 27, 2025 orders Mr. Guthrie-Cahns detained at the Forensic Program of the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (“Ontario Shores” or the “hospital”). Pursuant to the terms of his Disposition, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ most liberal privilege allows him to live in the community in accommodation approved by the person in charge of the hospital (“PIC”).

2. On January 15, 2026, a panel of the ORB convened for the purposes of conducting an annual review of Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ Disposition pursuant to s. 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns was present at the hearing and was represented by his counsel, Ms. J. Boissonneault. Members of Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ family were in attendance at the hearing to support him, including his parents, grandmother and his sister.

3. The issues considered at this hearing were whether Mr. Guthrie-Cahns is a significant threat to the safety of the public as defined in s. 672.5401 of the Criminal Code and, if found to be a significant threat to the community, the determination of the necessary and appropriate Disposition in the circumstances bearing in mind the factors enunciated in s. 672.54 of the Criminal Code.

4. For the reasons set out below, this Board concluded that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public. The Board also determined that the necessary and appropriate Disposition is that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns be discharged subject to the following terms and conditions:

• he reside at 80 Alton Towers, Apt 612, Scarborough, ON M1V 5E8;
• when living in the community, he report to the PIC or his or her designate, not less than once every two weeks, or as required;
• he not attend within 200 metres of T[…], Ajax, Ontario;
• he is permitted to travel internationally for up to 18 days, accompanied by a person approved by the PIC, on an itinerary approved in advance by the PIC;
• he abstain absolutely from the non-medical use of alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicant;
• he submit samples of his urine and/or breath to the PIC, or his or her designate, for the purpose of analyzing whether he has ingested alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicant; and
• he refrain from having in his possession any firearm, ammunition or other offensive weapon, or being in the company of any person possessing a firearm other than a peace officer;
• on his consent, agree to take treatment/medication as prescribed by the PIC, or his or her designate, in accordance with s.672.55(1) of the Criminal Code; and
• upon notice by the PIC or his/her designate, he shall immediately submit to attendance at the hospital for psychiatric assessment and admission.

Index Offence:

5. The circumstances of the index offence are set forth in last year’s Reasons for Disposition dated April 24, 2025 as follows:

“The Accused and Victim, (Pamela MITCHELL) were neighbors but unknown to each other apart from casual acquaintances within the neighborhood. The accused lived with his mother and sister. The accused suffers from what appears to be schizoaffective disorder with catatonic features.

On May 7, 2023 the victim was on her porch having a cigarette when the accused approached her, unprovoked, and stabbed her approximately 12-15 times. The injuries were to her left arm, chest, abdomen and lips but on her right lower leg the stab wound was deeper and was bleeding profusely. After attacking Ms. Mitchell the accused fled back to his residence. The victim’s daughter, Kimberly HOVEN was at the residence at the time along with her 5 year old daughter Malia. Kimberly Hoven and Malia heard their mother/grandmother screaming. They saw the accused running back to his residence. The victim was in critical conditions but was stabilized through medical intervention by paramedics and medical staff at Sunnybrook Hospital. While at the hospital, the hospital Ms. Mitchell was able to tell police about the event.

Police set up containment in the front and rear of [the] accused’s residence. The accused was eventually arrested by the tactical unit at approx. 1:28 am May 8, 2023. The arresting officer described the accused to be emotionless the entire time in police custody and exhibited no remorse.

A search warrant of the Accused’s residence was authorized on May 8, 2023 by Justice of the Peace L. Smith. The accused’s clothing he had been wearing at time of the offence was seized (most of which contained blood). The knife used was located in a kitchen drawer. That knife was seized and there was also a blood drip on a second smaller knife which was also seized. The victim’s clothing was seized as well, and included a T-shirt, jeans, socks and jacket, which all had blood on them.

SOCO photos were taken of the accused’s clothing, his hands (left palm had dried blood on it – which was swabbed) of the scene at the victim’s residence, the accused’s residence and knives. SOCO photos were also taken of the victim’s injuries once she was released from hospital, which show all the locations of stitches, staples, and bruising. Her right arm was bandaged, the officer noted that she had difficulty standing for the photos and rotating/lifting her left arm.

At the time of the offence the accused was prescribed medication for his mental health issues, but he was not regularly taking all of his medication. His family described his mental health as deteriorating in the days leading up to the offence.”

Personal History:

6. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ personal history is set out in detail in the Hospital Report to the ORB dated January 7, 2026 (the “Hospital Report”) which was filed as an exhibit at the hearing and need not be repeated here. These Reasons adopt the background information from last year’s ORB Reasons, edited as set forth below.

7. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns was born in Toronto and moved to Ajax with his parents and older sister when he was seven years old. His parents separated in 2016. He is a 29-year-old single man with no dependents. He was living at home with his mother and sister at the time of the index offence.

8. He graduated high school in 2014 and attended the Architectural Technology program at George Brown College in 2015. He suffered a serious hand injury while playing basketball in 2016 and began to experience deterioration in his mental health following this incident. He returned to George Brown College in 2017, completing his second year, though he found it more challenging due to his hand injury, emerging symptoms of mental illness, and having to work part-time due to financial stressors. He tried to return for his third year in both 2019 and 2021 but had to withdraw on each occasion due to his physical and mental health issues.

Legal History:

9. He has no prior criminal convictions.

Psychiatric History:

10. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ mental health issues began after surgery following an injury to his hand in 2016. By October of 2017, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ behaviour had changed significantly and he often presented as verbally non-responsive, would laugh inappropriately, and would remain in bed all day. He stopped socializing with his friends and began to drink alcohol and use marijuana.

11. His mother reported that in January 2018, he had begun sleeping with a bread knife in his possession as he believed that people were watching his family in their home. He was also observed at times talking to himself.

12. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ mother reported that he had previously harmed her physically and in April 2018, she expressed that she did not feel safe with him in the home. Initially on admission to hospital in April 2018, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns was not verbally responsive, presented with a flat affect, and appeared to be responding to internal stimuli.

13. During his hospital admission from April to May 2018, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns reported that he believed that a “chip had been implanted in his hand” during his hand surgery and that this chip resulted in him experiencing negative effects. He had a second surgery on his hand in 2017 but said that this did not help. He reported delusions of reference, thought insertion, and paranoid delusions that individuals were watching him through cameras. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns was maintained on a Form 1 under the Mental Health Act (“MHA”) until his admission to the Early Psychosis Unit at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (“CAMH”).

14. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ symptoms improved following a trial on Abilify. He was encouraged to remain in hospital as a voluntary patient while his medication was optimized but declined to do so. He declined injectable medication and was discharged to his mother’s home on oral medication, with outpatient psychiatric support.

15. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns experienced further hospital admissions for stabilization of worsening symptoms in October of 2018 and February of 2019, to Mount Sinai Hospital and to CAMH, respectively. On the first occasion, he escaped from the hospital by stealing a staff member’s name tag and fob after learning that he had been certified under a MHA Form 1. He similarly attempted to escape from CAMH by trying twice to steal staff badges and was placed in seclusion due to his AWOL risk. On each occasion, his mental condition improved while in hospital, but he had difficulty remaining adherent to his medication after being discharged to his mother’s home.

16. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ symptoms have included both paranoid delusions and hallucinations, including command hallucinations directing him to kill himself. He reported that he had walked around with a knife in his hand one night because he “saw a ghost”. He had also been knocking on his mother and sister’s door at night. They feared for their safety and had hidden the knives in the house. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns was not sleeping well, and his behaviour was disorganized.

17. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns was admitted to Lakeridge Health in Oshawa from August 28 to September 3, 2020. He was brought to hospital by police due to his bizarre presentation. It was suspected that he had become non-compliant with his medication. While in the waiting room at the hospital, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns committed an unprovoked attack on two men. The first victim was a 91-year-old who was in a wheelchair. The second victim was the 69-year-old son who attempted to come to the aid of his father. Following the assaults, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns ran out of the hospital to downtown Oshawa and tried to enter a car driven by a woman who was stopped at a red light. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns was arrested but the charges were diverted through the Durham Mental Health Court Diversion Program.

18. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns had been connected to the Durham Amaze Early Psychosis Intervention program for approximately two years before being discharged from this program in 2020. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns was no longer being followed by a psychiatrist after his discharge. He was placed on a waitlist to see a community psychiatrist. Between 2020 and 2023, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns was being prescribed psychiatric medications by his family doctor but he did not consistently adhere to his prescribed medications.

19. According to Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ mother’s report, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns had presented with indicators of decline in January 2023. He appeared depressed and was spending less time with family and friends. In March 2023, his mother tried to have him hospitalized under a MHA Form 1 but was unsuccessful.

20. By early May of 2023, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns continued to show subtle signs of deterioration. On May 4, 2023, just three days before the index offence, in an incident that was out of character for him, he reportedly screamed at his sister in a disrespectful way. The next day, while being spoken to by his father about the previous day’s incident with his sister, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns “suddenly became mute”. The following day, on May 6, 2023, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns presented as non-communicative with both parents. Later, when he responded to something his mother said, his mother commented that he answered “like a robot”. She suspected that he was hearing voices but he denied this. The index offence occurred the following day.

Current Diagnosis:

21. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ current diagnosis is:

Schizoaffective Disorder with Catatonic Features.

Positions of the Parties:

22. At the outset of the hearing, all parties were canvassed as to their initial recommendations to the Board. Counsel for the hospital submitted that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns remained a significant threat to public safety and that the necessary and appropriate Disposition was a discharge on conditions as set forth below:

• he reside at his grandmother’s home at 80 Alton Towers, Apt 612, Scarborough, ON M1V 5E8;
• when living in the community, he report to the PIC, or his or her designate, not less than once every two weeks, or as required;
• he be prohibited from attending within 200 metres of T[…], Ajax, Ontario;
• he be permitted to travel internationally for up to 14 days, accompanied by an approved person, on an itinerary approved in advance by the PIC;
• he abstain absolutely from the non-medical use of alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicant;
• he submit samples of his urine and/or breath to the PIC, or his or her designate, for the purpose of analyzing whether he has ingested alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicant; and
• he refrain from having in his possession any firearm, ammunition or other offensive weapon, or being in the company of any person possessing a firearm other than a peace officer.

23. Counsel for the Attorney General supported the hospital’s recommendations.

24. Counsel for Mr. Guthrie-Cahns conceded the issue of significant threat and was supportive of the hospital’s recommendation with some suggested adjustments, as follows:

• removal of the residence condition;
• the addition (in place of the residency condition) of a non-attendance condition identifying the victim’s address;
• the addition of a no contact and communication condition with regard to the victim of the index offence and her immediate family members;
• the removal of the travel condition or, in the alternative, the extension of the international proposed travel condition to up to 21 days, independently supervised, and subject to prior-approval of the PIC; and
• the inclusion of an exception to allow Mr. Guthrie-Cahn to consume alcohol.

25. In closing submissions, counsel for the hospital maintained the hospital’s original position but submitted that the doctor’s evidence supported the inclusion of a s. 672.55 Criminal Code treatment condition (“treatment condition”) as well as a condition requiring that, upon notice of the PIC or his/her designate, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns shall immediately attend at the hospital for psychiatric assessment and admission (“Young condition”).

26. Counsel for the Attorney General indicated that in light of the evidence at the hearing, she was recommending the continuation of Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ existing Detention Order Disposition.

27. Counsel for Mr. Guthrie-Cahn’s maintained her client’s initial recommendation to the Board but submitted that her client approved the inclusion of both a treatment condition and a Young condition in a Conditional Discharge Disposition.

Evidence at the Hearing:

28. The documentary evidence at the hearing was supplemented by the viva voce testimony of Dr. Bhullar who has been Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ psychiatrist since July, 2025. She advised that she is the co-author of the Hospital Report and she adopted its contents and advised there were no material updates thereto.

29. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns continues to be assessed as capable of consenting to treatment with antipsychotic medication and receives a long-acting injection (“LAI”) of the antipsychotic medication, Invega Sustenna every 21 days. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ symptoms remain well controlled on his depot injection and he has remained compliant with this treatment.

30. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ mental state has been stable over the year in review. The doctor advised that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns is optimally treated at the present time. She commented that his mental illness is in remission and that he has had a robust response to continuous treatment with antipsychotic medication since July 2023.

31. Dr. Bhullar agreed with Ms. Boissonneault’s suggestion that when Mr. Guthrie-Cahns is psychiatrically well, he presents with a high baseline level of functioning. She noted that he is educated and quite intelligent and presents as cooperative and rule abiding. He is pro-social, insightful and works well with his treatment team.

32. The Hospital Report indicates that when unwell, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns presents with prominent symptoms of psychosis and/or catatonia as well as a prominent mood component including symptoms of mania and/or depression. His psychotic symptoms have included: command auditory hallucinations and paranoid delusions. Features of his catatonia may include: depression, becoming socially withdrawn, flat affect, mutism, and psychomotor slowing (to the point of presenting as robotic). The doctor commented that early warning signs of his catatonia can be quite subtle and are easy to evade detection. For this reason, Dr. Bhullar commented that it is uncertain whether in the early stages of a decompensation he would meet criteria for certification under the Mental Health Act (“MHA”).

33. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns remained detained on the general forensic community reintegration unit until his discharge to the community on July 23, 2025. While in hospital, he did not present as a management problem and he engaged well with staff and co-patients alike.

34. Over the year in review, all of Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ urine drug screens returned negative for the presence of alcohol and illicit substances. He has consistently denied experiencing cravings to use substances.

35. Dr. Bhullar reminded the panel that Mr. Guthrie-Cahn’s mother, grandmother and his sister all participated in Family Intervention Therapy (“FIT”) from April to July, 2024. The doctor testified that FIT programming provides family members with education about a patient’s mental illness, its signs and symptoms, the importance of medication, and how to respond to early warning signs of illness. Dr. Bhullar stated that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ family members were meaningfully engaged in FIT sessions and even attended extra sessions. Overall, Dr. Bhullar stated that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ family members are important supports for him.

36. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns was discharged from hospital to reside with this grandmother in Scarborough in July 2025. Dr. Bhullar advised that prior to Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ discharge to reside in his grandmother’s home, members of the treatment team met with his grandmother to assess her understanding of Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ mental illness, his symptoms, and her receptivity to working collaboratively and transparently with Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ clinical team in order to safely manage his risk of harm to others. The Hospital Report indicates that his grandmother was adamant that she would reach out to appropriate hospital resources should Mr. Guthrie-Cahns evidence signs of decompensation when in the community.

37. Prior to Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ discharge to reside with his grandmother, he typically spent 4 to 5 days a week for approximately 8 to 10 hours per day at her home. When using these indirectly supervised community privileges, there were no reports of any concerning behaviours. As well, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns successfully exercised overnight leaves of absences to his grandmother’s home prior to his formal discharge to the Forensic Outpatient Service (“FOS”) program.

38. Dr. Bhullar testified that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ transition to the community has gone well. He is supported in the community by the FOS team who meet with him approximately 3 times a week, both in the community as well as at Ontario Shores. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns meets with Dr. Bhullar approximately once every 4 weeks. Since his discharge, he has adhered to his injectable antipsychotic medication which is administered by his outpatient clinician.

39. Dr. Bhullar testified that when Mr. Guthrie-Cahns attends scheduled FOS meetings, he typically brings a notebook with him. Dr. Bhullar commented that he relies upon the notebook to assist him in answering questions related to his mental health and his functioning in the community. Dr. Bhullar expressed her concern about his ability to answer questions put to him with any spontaneity. In the doctor’s observations, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns refers to his notebook to answer most questions and he typically repeats a very similar narrative which includes “… he is taking his medications, he would like to return to living with his family, and he feels remorseful about the index offence.” The doctor commented that his answers to a broad range of questions appear to be scripted and rehearsed. When Dr. Bhullar asked to see his notebook, it came to her attention that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has been engaged, on a weekly basis, in virtual therapy with Dr. Semler, a community-based therapist, since October 2024. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns had not disclosed this to either his in-patient or his FOS teams.

40. In fact, Dr. Bhullar stated that she had recommended to Mr. Guthrie-Cahns that he engage in individual therapy to assist him in insight enhancement, particularly with respect to the index offence and its physical and psychological impact on the victim. The doctor noted that when this was recommended in November 2025, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns declined engagement.

41. Dr. Bhullar stated that she asked Mr. Guthrie-Cahns what his community therapy related to and he advised her that his therapy focuses on his trauma experience of being incarcerated and hospitalized following the index offence. He advised the doctor that he has not discussed the particulars of the index offence with his community therapist other than to convey that it involved violence. Dr. Bhullar requested that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns provide his consent to the FOS team to allow them to speak to his community therapist, however, he declined. The doctor testified that it is concerning to the FOS team members that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns and his family continue to utilise out-of-hospital care providers without disclosing same to the FOS team. Dr. Bhullar stated that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has declined a referral to the hospital’s therapist as he feels that it would be a duplication of services. More recently, in December 2025, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns stated he would accept the referral but he has continued to withhold his consent to allow for full disclosure between the hospital and his community therapist. The doctor stated this raises concerns for his treatment team on many levels, including that they may be less than fully informed regarding his impairments and challenges.

42. Dr. Bhullar testified that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has repeatedly requested that the FOS team support his return to live in his mother’s home, which is in very close proximity to the victim of the index offence’s home, apparently, directly across the street. The doctor stated that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns continues to express underdeveloped insight into the impact of the index offence on the victim and the extent of the injuries she suffered. Although his answers fluctuate, he most recently indicated that he has not read the victim’s victim impact statement. The Hospital Report indicates “When asked about the victim’s risk of psychological harm should he return to his mother’s home, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns stated that the victim could be healed through God and that he prays for her.” The doctor testified that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns superficially expresses remorse and indicates that he prays for the victim’s full recovery but, at the same time, he has voiced that he believes that two years is sufficient time for her to have healed. He previously shared his belief that that the victim cannot truly be fearful of him as she attended his prior ORB hearing in person.

43. Overall, Dr. Bhullar expressed her concerns that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has a “significant gap” in his insight with regard to the index offence and its physical and psychological impact on the victim and her family. He has been reluctant to engage in recommended therapy with the hospitals resources to address this risk factor. Additionally, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns continues to withhold his consent to allow his FOS team to speak with his civil community-based supports so that there can be a coordinated and transparent approach to his care.

44. In the doctor’s assessment, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns appears to harbour the belief that his ongoing compliance with his prescribed medication and his progress over the past year should be sufficient to garner the treatment team’s support for his request that he be permitted to return to reside in his mother’s home.

45. In response to questions posed by Ms. Boissonneault, the doctor agreed that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has structured his days in the community in a productive and pro-social manner. He spends his time with schooling, exercise, church attendance and volunteering, visits with family and friends, and faith-based activities. He is mindful of the need to appropriately manage stressors as he is aware that they played a role in the commission of the index offences.

46. In terms of Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ insight, he has good understanding that he suffers from a psychotic illness and requires treatment. He appears motivated to continue to remain compliant with his medications; however, the Hospital Report states that “He does not fully acknowledge that medication nonadherence led to a significant deterioration in his mental state and contributed to the index offence, instead attributing responsibility to his family doctor for not facilitating hospital admission.”

47. Dr. Bhullar reiterated that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns appears to have expectations that his continued medication compliance should entitle him to progress more rapidly through the forensic system. The doctor testified that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns and his family frequently request and advocate for him to receive quite liberal privileges, including international travel and the ability to return to living in his mother’s home. In the doctor’s opinion, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns struggles to comprehend the treatment team’s intention to move in a cautious and graduated manner with respect to the granting of privileges and his re-integration into community living in order to safeguard the public. Dr. Bhullar commented that the family’s continued requests that their son be authorized to reside in his mother’s home despite the clearly articulated concerns of the treatment team regarding the family home’s proximity to that of the victim’s residence coupled with their concern about the psychological impact on her and her family, raises concerns about the fulsomeness of the family’s insight in this regard. The doctor testified that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ insight into his risk of violence remains underdeveloped.

48. In response to questions posed by counsel for the Attorney General, Dr. Bhullar endorsed the Risk Assessment contained in the Hospital and underscored the following excerpt: “

“Overall, given the currently available information, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns is opined to present as a moderate risk for violence if he were awarded a standard Conditional Discharge. Risk emanates from his potential return to his family home, whereby psychological harm may occur for the victim and her family. Risk would be considered low under a Conditional Discharge with the inclusion of a residence clause (i.e. to remain at his grandmother’s). The doctor commented that in this case, the location of Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ residence in the community has a direct correlation to his risk of harm to members of the public.

49. When questioned about Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ request that there be no restrictions at all on his travel, or, his alternative position for an international travel pass for up to 21 days, indirectly supervised, Dr. Bhullar expressed some significant concerns.

50. The doctor reminded the panel that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns receives his LAI of antipsychotic medication every 21 days and that it is the most critical factor in keeping the symptoms of his illness in remission.

51. The doctor advised the panel that even before Mr. Guthrie-Cahns had been discharged to the community, his family requested a meeting with the FOS team to obtain the team’s authorization for Mr. Guthrie-Cahns to go on a family trip to Jamaica over the 2025 Christmas holidays. Dr. Bhullar stated that she explained to Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ family that the proposed trip could not be pre-approved at such an early juncture and further, that a travel privilege would require the approval of the PIC. Dr. Bhullar testified that she explained to Mr. Guthrie-Cahns and his family that the travel privilege was within the discretion of the hospital and she reiterated that it was a “privilege” and not an “entitlement”. She explained that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ progress and stability in the community would have to be carefully assessed and that it was not possible to for the FOS to commit to the grant of a travel pass. Notwithstanding Dr. Bhullar’s reiteration of this message, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns and his family members continued to make repeated requests that the FOS in the hospital commit to approving Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ ability to join his family in an international trip in December 2025.

52. Dr. Bhullar commented that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns is well supported by his family. She noted however, that the family has high expectations that his progress through the forensic system should be expedited. She has advised Mr. Guthrie-Cahns and his family that the hospital’s approach is to proceed with Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ rehabilitation in a cautious and graduated manner with the paramount goal of managing his risk and ensuring public safety while maximizing his liberties. The doctor commented that it is sometimes challenging for the treatment team to manage Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ family’s expectations.

53. With regard to Ms. Boissonneault’s request that there be no restriction on any travel in the context of a Conditional Discharge, Dr. Bhullar rejected that proposal outright. Dr. Bhullar stated that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns transitioned to community living less than six months ago and these remain early days in that transition. While, to date, he has managed the change well, the doctor stated that it is premature to allow him to travel internationally without hospital oversight. In the doctor’s opinion, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns should be prioritizing his commitment to medication compliance over his recreational travel plans. The doctor testified that any proposed travel should be with an Approved Person as Mr. Guthrie-Cahns still requires these important supports. Further, any proposed travel must be of a duration that does not jeopardize his compliance with his LAI administration, which is given every 21 days. In the doctor’s opinion, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ request to travel without supports, hospital oversight, and for periods which would interfere with the administration of his LAI, is indicative of a lack of insight with regard to importance of his medication. The doctor stated that this is a cause for some concern and will be addressed with further education. She reiterated that any proposed travel abroad requires that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns remain on his positive trajectory, be clinically stable, compliant with his medications, abstinent substances and incident-free.

54. In discussing Ms. Boissonneau’s request that the prohibition on alcohol, drugs and intoxicants be amended to allow her client to consume alcohol, Dr. Bhullar again was firm that this was not being recommended by the treatment team. The doctor stated that in her opinion, alcohol consumption is a known destabilizer for Mr. Guthrie-Cahns and has historically contributed to deteriorations in his mental state. The doctor stated that she was somewhat surprised to hear of this request for the first time at the hearing, as, to date, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has never expressed his desire to resume alcohol use.

55. Dr. Bhullar referred the panel to excerpts from the Hospital Report which she asserted supported her opinion that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has engaged in alcohol use both socially and to manage stressors. She also referred to Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ self-report indicating that “… his alcohol use intensified during periods of depression.” Dr. Bhullar stated that as far as she is aware, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has not engaged in alcohol use while he has been medication adherent. The doctor testified that if Mr. Guthrie-Cahns would like to engage in alcohol use while living in the community then her recommendation was that to facilitate such a trial, it should occur while Mr. Guthrie-Cahns remains under a Detention Order Disposition so that if he suffered any decompensation in his mental state, the hospital could expeditiously return him for readmission without jeopardizing public safety and without waiting for him to decompensate to the point that he met criteria for an involuntary admission to hospital under the MHA.

56. A panel member referred Dr. Bhullar to paragraph 60 of last year’s ORB Reasons and asked whether or not the FOS or hospital had been provided with any of the psychological and/or psychiatric assessments and/or findings conducted by K.I.D.S. Community Health Services Ltd or whether she had been provided with the Catastrophic Assessment Report. These assessments and investigations were conducted by independent assessors and resulted in Mr. Guthrie0Cahns being deemed catastrophically injured. Dr. Bhullar stated that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has not provided his consent to the sharing of these assessments. In response to a further question from the panel member, Dr. Bhullar stated that she is unaware if Mr. Guthrie-Cahns suffered a serious brain injury in that car accident. She also advised that fulsome cognitive testing has not been considered necessary; however, she did have Mr. Guthrie-Cahns participate in a memory screen assessment and he scored within the normal range.

57. According to the Hospital Report, the clinical risk factors pertinent in informing Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ risk to public safety are:

• his schizoaffective disorder with catatonic features and the fact that when suffering from symptoms of this illness, he presents with paranoid delusions, hallucinations, agitation, mood disturbances and behavioural dyscontrol that have resulted in him posing a real risk of unprovoked, unpredictable physical and psychological harm;
• his history of violence: in addition to a very serious index offence Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has committed prior acts of assaultive behaviour against vulnerable victims and has posed a risk of harm to family members;
• he has a history of medication non-compliance when living in the community;
• his history of resistance to psychiatric treatment and services;
• Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has a history of alcohol and cannabis use;
• His sensitivity to psychosocial stressors which have previously precipitated symptoms of his mental illness;
• when unwell, he has impaired insight into his illness, the need for treatment with medication, the impact of substance use on his mental state and other factors that increase his risk for violence/reoffence; and
• even when optimally treated, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ insight into the psychological and physical harm to the victim of the index offence and her family members remains underdeveloped.

58. In the doctor’s assessment and that of the treatment team, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns continues to meet the threshold of posing a significant threat to public safety.

59. When asked why the hospital was recommending a Conditional Discharge at this juncture, Dr. Bhullar stated:

• Mr. Guthrie-Cahns is compliant with his prescribed treatment and his illness appears to be in remission;
• the fact that he is treated with a LAI of antipsychotic medication is a protective factor as any occasion of noncompliance will immediately come to the attention of his treatment team;
• he has transitioned well to community living, without incident;
• he has not relapsed to alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicants over the past reporting year;
• since the commission and the index offense, there have been no further episodes of either verbal or physical aggression;
• Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has remained entirely compliant with his ORB Disposition and he has not engaged in any notable incidents of concern over the past year in review;
• he has utilised increasingly liberal privileges appropriately, including an international travel pass, all without incident;
• he has engaged appropriately with his forensic team (albeit there continue to be concerns about his lack of transparency and his unwillingness to provide consent to allow open discourse between his FOS and community care providers);
• it is anticipated that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns would voluntarily cooperate with a hospital request that he return to the hospital for readmission if he were to evidence early signs of decompensation particularly if her were told that there would be a return to community living once he was re-stabilized; and
• failing his voluntary return to hospital, the treatment team is of the opinion that he would be likely to satisfy Mental Health Act criteria for an involuntary hospitalization

60. The doctor testified that although Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has had a very positive tenure under the ORB, his history of violence, the severity of the index offence, and his history of non-compliance with prescribed medications when living in the community, necessitate a cautious progression through the forensic health system. As well, Dr. Bhullar commented that although Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has done very well on his initial return to community living, he has only lived in the community for less than six months and he continues to require close monitoring.

61. Dr. Bhullar commended Mr. Guthrie-Cahns for his many successes over the past reporting year and commented that the team is hopeful that he will maintain his positive trajectory in the context of a more liberal Conditional Discharge Disposition.

62. Dr. Bhullar was asked her thoughts on the possible inclusion of a Young Condition should the Board grant a Conditional Discharge. The doctor commented that despite Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ verbal assurances that he would be willing to voluntarily return to hospital if asked, the doctor noted that in the past, it has been necessary to admit him to the hospital as an involuntary patient under the MHA. Further, once admitted, historically, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has attempted on more than one occasion to abscond against medical advice. Dr. Bhullar stated she would endorse the inclusion of the Young condition as being necessary and appropriate.

63. When asked by a panel member if it was reasonable and necessary and in Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ interest to include a s. 672.55 Criminal Code treatment condition, Dr. Bhullar stated that such a provision would allow the hospital to take steps to return Mr. Guthrie-Cahns to the hospital for a breach of his Disposition should he become non-compliant with his LAI treatment. Dr. Bhullar stated she would endorse the inclusion of a treatment condition.

64. No further evidence was called by the parties.

Analysis and Disposition:

65. The panel concurs with the joint position of the parties that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public. In coming to this conclusion, the panel relies on the evidence of Dr. Bhullar and the documentary evidence before us. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns suffers from Schizoaffective Disorder with Catatonic Features. The expert evidence presented indicates that the early warning signs of his decompensations can be quite subtle in their presentation and difficult to detect. However, once he becomes acutely unwell, he has presented with more intense symptoms including, auditory hallucinations, paranoid delusions, agitation, irritability, mood disturbances and behavioural dyscontrol. His illness has manifested itself in a serious, unprovoked and unpredictable knife attack upon his neighbour. The index offence caused extremely serious physical and psychological harm to the victim and her family members.

66. We are also mindful of the fact that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ history of violence includes an incident in in hospital when in a state of unwellness, he suddenly assaulted three individuals, all total strangers, one of whom was a 91-year-old man. Further, his history includes an assault on his mother. He has carried a knife with him in the family house in response to paranoid delusions and/or hallucinations. His violent behaviour has been unprovoked, unpredictable and impulsive.

67. The evidence before us indicates that when acutely unwell, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns presents with underdeveloped insight across all domains, and specifically with regard to the need for medication compliance, and the need for hospitalization. He is not able at these times to appreciate the symptoms of his illness or his risk to the safety of others. Even when in remission, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns continues to express underdeveloped insight into the index offence and the impact his actions had on the victim and her family.

68. If no longer under an ORB Disposition, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns would be likely to return to his historical pattern of noncompliance with medication which would be highly likely to lead to emergence of psychosis and his resultant engagement in unpredictable violent behaviours. For all of the above reasons, the Board finds that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns currently represents a real risk of causing serious physical and psychological harm to members of the public.

69. Having come to a finding of significant threat, we must determine the necessary and appropriate Disposition for Mr. Guthrie-Cahns which is also least restrictive and least onerous, bearing in mind the paramount concern of public safety.

70. We are mindful that over the year in review, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has remained on a very positive trajectory. He has remained medication compliant and his illness is in remission. He is clinically stable with active residual symptoms. He has not engaged in any episodes of verbal or physical aggression and has not posed as a management challenge. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has remained abstinent from substances of abuse and has progressed through the privilege ladder in an appropriate manner, without incident. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns leads a very pro-social life and has engaged in educational pursuits and other meaningful activities. He is well supported by his family who have invested in becoming more knowledgeable about his illness and its early warning signs through FIT programming. Finally, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has fairly recently successfully transitioned to residing in the community with his grandmother and has managed this significant move well, without incident. This is a very significant step and it remains critical that he be well supported and closely monitored.

71. Based upon the expert evidence before us, the panel agrees that the least restrictive Disposition that allows for his safe and effective management in the community is a Conditional Discharge on the terms set forth below.

72. The panel has carefully considered the evidence and we accept the hospital’s recommendation that the proposed international travel pass requires accompaniment by an Approved Person and be contingent on the pre-approval of the PIC. We have also decided that the duration of the travel pass can be extended up to 18 days so as to allow some flexibility that even with unforeseen travel delays etc., Mr. Guthrie-Cahns should be back in sufficient time to ensure compliance with his LAI medication which occurs every three weeks. We wish to highlight to Mr. Guthrie-Cahns and his family that this travel privilege is discretionary and, ultimately, it will be up to the treatment team and the PIC to determine whether or not international travel as proposed by Mr. Guthrie-Cahns will be permitted over the upcoming year. The inclusion of a travel pass by no means creates an entitlement.

73. With regard to the request that prohibition on alcohol consumption be removed from Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ Disposition for the year ahead, we accept the expert evidence that alcohol is a known destabilizer for persons with major mental illness and Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ historical use has resulted in an exacerbation of his symptoms. What is unknown is whether or not Mr. Guthrie-Cahns will suffer any decompensation in his mental state should he consume alcohol while maintaining medication adherence. The doctor’s evidence was that the hospital would be willing to undertake such a trial; however only if Mr. Guthrie-Cahns remained under a Detention Order so that if necessary, his seamless return to the hospital could be effected without delay so as not to jeopardize public safety.

74. In closing submissions, Ms. Boissonneau frankly disclosed that her client’s request to have his Disposition revised to allow him to consume alcohol was not of utmost importance to him and that he would not want it to pose a barrier to the grant of a Conditional Discharge. Given the expert evidence that alcohol use has contributed to a decompensation in Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ mental state historically, and the fact that when unwell, he poses a risk of severe physical violence, we have declined to remove the prohibition in light of our paramount task of ensuring public safety. Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ liberties have been considerably expanded under his new Disposition and we concur with the hospital’s evidence that it may be appropriate to remove this prohibition at some point in the future when he has demonstrated his ability to maintain his clinical stability but we believe it is premature at this juncture.

75. Notwithstanding our finding that a Conditional Discharge is the necessary and appropriate Disposition at this time, we are aware that the authority of a Detention Order allows the hospital to intervene at an early stage to require an NCR patient to return to hospital for an indeterminate readmission (without the need to satisfy criteria under the Mental Health Act, or otherwise). However, we are mindful that the ease and convenience of a Detention Order in mandating a prolonged hospital readmission (as opposed to under a Conditional Discharge) should not be the driving factor when considering the least onerous and least restrictive Disposition that safeguards the paramount interest of public safety. The liberty interests of the NCR patient and the goal of that patient’s community reintegration must also be considered.

76. As articulated in Ramos (Re), 2025 ONCA 820, “…s. 672.93(2) [of the Criminal Code] empowers courts to order re-confinement in hospital following a breach of conditional discharge: at paras. 26, 32. This interpretation, later echoed in R. v. Conception, 2014 SCC 60, [2014] 3 S.C.R. 82, at para. 97 & fn. 23, ensures that compulsory readmission is available but subject to judicial authorization, thereby safeguarding liberty while maintaining accountability.”

77. This panel is mindful of the severity of the index offence and of Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ history of violence up to the time of the index offence; however, we are also cognizant of the fact that since that time, he has not engaged in further violence. Further, we are cognizant that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns has maintained psychiatric stability with sustained medication adherence, has remained abstinent from substances over the years, has engaged appropriately with the FOS team, and has not required hospital readmission since his recent discharge. His sustained progress under the ORB over the past several years leads us to the conclusion that Mr. Guthrie-Cahns can now be safely managed under a more liberal Conditional Discharge Disposition on the following terms and conditions below (all as set forth in his formal Disposition):

78. For all of these reasons, the panel is unanimous in agreeing that the necessary and appropriate Disposition is a continuation of the current Detention Order with the addition of the following terms:

• he reside at 80 Alton Towers, Apt. 612, Scarborough, ON, M1V 5E8;
• when living in the community, he report to the PIC, or his or her designate, not less than once every two weeks, or as required;
• he not attend within 200 metres of T[…], Ajax, Ontario;
• he is permitted to travel internationally for up to 18 days, accompanied by a person approved by the PIC, and subject to an itinerary approved in advance by the PIC;
• he abstain absolutely from the non-medical use of alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicant;
• he submit samples of his urine and/or breath to the PIC, or his or her designate, for the purpose of analyzing whether he has ingested alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicant;
• he refrain from having in his possession any firearm, ammunition or other offensive weapon, or being in the company of any person possessing a firearm other than a peace officer;
• on his consent, he agree to take treatment/medication as prescribed by the PIC, or his or her designate, in accordance with s.672.55(1) of the Criminal Code; and
• upon notice by the PIC, or his/her designate, he shall immediately submit to attendance at the hospital for psychiatric assessment and admission.

79. In making this Disposition, the Board has reviewed the provisions of s. 672.54 of the Criminal Code and has carefully considered the need to protect the public from dangerous persons, Mr. Guthrie-Cahns’ mental condition, his reintegration into society and his other needs.

DATED this 29th day of January 2026, at the City of Toronto, in the Toronto Region.

Ms. L. Banks Alternate Chairperson

Office of the Registrar Ontario Review Board