A man who stabbed a stranger and assaulted others on the same day in Vancouver while on probation last March has been found not criminally responsible on the grounds of mental illness.
The Vancouver Provincial Court on Jan. 22 ruled 46-year-old Kent Meades not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder for offences he committed on March 20, 2024, when he stabbed a stranger and chased others with a knife in downtown Vancouver.
Meades committed the offences on the day he was due to report to his probation officer after being released from the Fraser Regional Correctional Centre five days earlier.
A witness provided the court with documentation in favour of deeming Meades not criminally responsible on account of his mental state, B.C. Prosecution Service spokesperson Damienne Darby told The Epoch Times. The Crown and defence counsel also made submissions to the court in favour of the same outcome.
“The judge gave oral reasons, adopting the joint submission of counsel, and made a finding that Mr. Meades was not criminal responsible on account of mental disorder at the time of these offences,” Darby said.
At the hearing, Meades pleaded guilty to eight of the nine charges he faced in connection with the stabbing and other incidents he was involved in earlier that day. The charges include one count of aggravated assault, three counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of uttering threats, one count of assault, and one count of mischief. The only charge he denied was resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
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The stabbing, which occurred around noon on March 20 last year, left a 61-year-old man with serious, non-life-threatening injuries, the Vancouver Police Department said at a press conference the day after the incident. The victim, who was taken to hospital and later recovered, did not know Meades and was not known to him.
Police arrested Meades after the incident, and described him as a man who “appears to have mental challenges.”
Earlier in the day, Meades had been involved in three other incidents in downtown Vancouver, police said. The first incident occurred around 8:40 a.m. when Meades attacked a stranger walking down the street. Moments later, he caused a disturbance in a coffee shop, breaking a window. Before the main attack, Meades chased and lunged at another stranger while brandishing a knife, but the victim managed to escape.
Meades was supposed to report to his probation officer that morning in Surrey, B.C. He had been released on probation on March 15, 2024, after serving time in jail for uttering threats to his own family and against federal politicians.
Although Vancouver police had a history with Meades, they did not have “significant dealings with him,” Chief Constable Adam Palmer said at the March 21 press conference. Officials said Meades appeared to have spent time in the cities of Surrey and Delta.
In 2022, Meades returned to Canada from Thailand, where he spent time in custody for multiple offenses including breaking into a bank, causing damage inside of that premises, and overstaying his tourist visa, Palmer said.
The court postponed making a final decision and referred the case to a review board, which will hold a disposition hearing within 45 days, Darby said. Meades will remain in custody while the board reviews the case.
