Sex offenders who have been found not criminally responsible on account of a mental disorder (NCRMD), and received an absolute discharge from the Ontario Review Board (ORB), may soon be permitted to have themselves removed from sex offender registries, says Toronto criminal lawyer John Fennel.
Fennel, an associate with Hicks Adams LLP, says the issue is expected to be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) in the spring.
In a decision released in April, the Ontario Court of Appeal (OCA) called for the federal and Ontario sex-offender registries to provide “exit ramps” for those found NCRMD, he says. The high court has announced it will hear an appeal of that ruling.