Winnipeg court hears from psychiatrist as it weighs lifting 'high-risk' designation for man who killed parents

A Manitoba man who killed his parents during a psychotic episode is now waiting to hear whether a judge will lift a label restricting his release.

Trevor Farley was found not criminally responsible due to mental disorder in the killing of his parents, Stuart Farley and Judy Swain, and the stabbing of his former supervisor at Seven Oaks General Hospital in the space of a few hours on Oct. 27, 2021.

Court heard in 2023 the man was experiencing religious delusions at the time.

Justice Ken Champagne granted the Crown's request to designate Farley a "high-risk accused" — a rare designation that requires the man to be in hospital, and allows him to be conditionally or absolutely discharged only if approved by a superior court judge.

Crown prosecutor Shannon Benevides said Farley is the only person to ever get the designation, and that the issue has not been litigated before.

This week, Champagne will be hearing arguments to see whether the designation should be revoked.

Candyce Szkwarek said she will provide the court with a victim impact statement later this week.

Farley stabbed Szkwarek multiple times at Seven Oaks after he killed his parents at their homes.

Szwarek, who was in court with her family Monday, said it's too soon to consider whether to revoke the designation.

"I'm terrified at the thought, you know, that he would be out." she said.

"It's been hard. I mean, it's not a day goes by when I don't think about what happened and the whole last four years, it's very much a part of my life."

On Monday, court heard from Dr. Skye Rousseau, a former Manitoba forensic psychiatrist who assessed Farley and co-wrote a report on him for the court.

Rousseau diagnosed Farley with bipolar disorder with psychotic features. He said the man presented unlike most people who have mania, which the prosecution argued may make it hard for it to be detected in the future.

The night before the killings, Farley checked himself into the Health Sciences Centre's Crisis response centre and was issued an involuntary admission, but was able to leave on his own. Before he drove to stab Szwarek, he sought treatment at the St. Boniface Hospital emergency room and the crisis centre.