A photo shared to the Facebook profile of Cameron Edward Jake Urquhart.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED

A BC man who was found not criminally responsible after he smashed up Keremeos village office with a sledgehammer, threatened staff and assaulted people, has completed more than 100 unsupervised visits in the community but will remain in psychiatric care.

A recently released Aug. 12 BC Review Board decision, said Cameron Edward Jake Urquhart has made significant progress in understanding his mental illness and is currently working as a labourer.

"We fully acknowledge that Mr. Urquhart has done well at (the) Forensic Psychiatric Hospital. His symptoms have resolved, and he has been a model patient. He has actively participated in programming, both therapeutic and vocational, and has had numerous successful escorted and unescorted leaves in the community," the Review Board said.

However, the Board ruled that it had "no hesitation" in finding that the 44-year-old still continued to be a significant threat to the public.

In January 2022, Urquhart donned steel cleats and hockey armour and entered the Keremeos village office a with sledgehammer.

He threatened staff and smashed things as he walked through office terrifying people and threatening to kill them as they fled.

He said he was taking over and wanted to speak to the mayor, who wasn't in the building at the time.

He chased people as they ran to their vehicles. One victim was pushed to the ground and he kicked them with metal spikes on his shoes.

At one point he jumped through an open police car window and assaulted a police officer while wearing armoured gloves. He was eventually pepper sprayed and arrested.

Urquhart was charged with multiple offences including assault causing bodily harm, but was later found not criminally responsible having been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

The decision said Urquhart was originally diagnosed in 2009 and had spent a couple of weeks in a psychiatric hospital. He responded well to antipsychotic and antidepressant medication and appeared to do OK for the next decade.

However, in 2019 he stopped taking his medication and went downhill.

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His mental health was also exacerbated by his use of cannabis, which he'd used daily since he was 20 years old.

The decision said Urquhart was living with his mother before the incident and she said he began acting strangely.

"Mr. Urquhart spoke about the government constantly, ranting and raving about people coming onto their property wearing invisible suits. He also spoke about visiting Mars for a few days," the decision said.

He assaulted his ex-wife's new husband and had delusions about the Japanese crime group, the Yakuza, who he thought had abducted him.

Since being in the psychiatric hospital in the Lower Mainland he started taking his medication and was making great progress.

The decision said he completed 141 unescorted visits in the community for up to 10 hours at a time with no issues.

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He's described as a "proactive and prosocial member" of the psychiatric unit where he lives. He is currently working at a landscaping centre as a labourer and speaks to his mother daily.

His mother said he was "back to the way (she) remembers him."

He told the Review Board he didn't remember buying the sledgehammer or smashing it on a desk and frightening people. He understood the victims would fear him, but he still has a lack of insight into his behaviour that day.

Urquhart is currently on a waitlist for a place in a transitional home and requested overnight leave to attend a family reunion in Kelowna.

While the psychiatrists who assessed Urquhart were happy to authorize the visit, the Review Board wasn't.

"We are frankly surprised that (it) would even entertain the prospect of Mr. Urquhart travelling to Kelowna and staying on the outskirts of Keremeos to attend a family gathering," the Review Board said.

The Review Board placed a condition on Urquhart barring him from entering the Thompson-Okanagan region.

The Board said his actions at the village office had a lasting and negative impact on the victims.

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"The offences took place only two and a half years ago and from the latest victim impact statement the events are still felt," the Board said. "It hit the heart of the community."

Ultimately, the Review Board ruled that Urquhart would remain at the psychiatric unit with day release to go to work.

"We acknowledge that he has done well thus far during his unescorted leaves. However, he remains a significant threat," the Board ruled.

Urquhart's situation will be reviewed again next year.

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