Schoenborn struggles with anger management: doctor

A psychiatrist says a man found not criminally responsible because of a mental illness after killing his three children is making slow progress but still struggles with anger management.

Dr. Marcel Hediger told a review board hearing that it’s unlikely he would recommend Allan Schoenborn be granted supervised outings in the next year, saying he would need to see Schoenborn better deal with anger management and get help to cope with his emotions.

The review board granted the director of a psychiatric hospital in Coquitlam, B.C., the discretion to allow Schoenborn escorted outings into the community two years ago, but he hasn’t been allowed out.

READ MORE: Child-killer Allan Schoenborn granted escorted day passes

Crown attorney Wendy Dawson wants that authority revoked, arguing Schoenborn poses too much of a risk.

She contends Schoenborn’s earlier progress was a ploy to earn privileges from the review board.

Schoenborn’s lawyers want his custody conditions left alone.

Schoenborn stabbed his 10-year-old daughter Kaitlynne and smothered his sons Max and Cordon, eight and five, at the family’s home in Merritt in April 2008.

Two years later, a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled he was not criminally responsible because he was experiencing psychosis and believed he was protecting his children from sexual abuse, though no evidence was heard suggesting they were being abused.

When the review board granted him escorted community outings, it said Schoenborn was diagnosed as having a delusional disorder, a substance abuse disorder and paranoid personality traits, but his symptoms have been in remission for years.

The board said in its written decision that Schoenborn has suffered “significant negative attention” while in custody because of the notoriety of his offences including taunts, name-calling, threats and physical assault.

The Crown has also filed a separate court application to have Schoenborn designated a high-risk accused, which would end the possibility of any outings and extend the time between annual review hearings up to three years.

READ MORE: Crown Counsel applies for child killer Schoenborn to be declared “high-risk” offender

The former Conservative government used Schoenborn as an example in 2014 to introduce the new designation, which can be applied to people found not criminally responsible because of mental disorder.

Schoenborn’s next appearance in that case is scheduled for mid-June in the Supreme Court of British Columbia.