Kathryn Thompson, one of the accused in a long list of sex crimes against children, is about to undergo a lengthy assessment to determine whether she is a risk to the community at large.
Thompson appeared before a Newmarket court on Wednesday to begin the next phase of her trial. Over the next 60 days, Thompson, who remains in custody, will be assessed by a doctor at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
“She'll be transported between the jail and CAMH in downtown Toronto, where Dr. McMaster works,” says Angela McLeod, Thompson’s lawyer. “She will stay there for the day; it may be three times at four hours, it may be two times at five hours. It depends on what Dr. McMaster needs to do.”
However, defence lawyers say the evaluation process for female sexual offenders is problematic. They say they're confident doctors will conclude Thompson is not dangerous or a risk to the community.
“There are no known viable testing methods for alleged female sexual offenders,” she says. “There are for males, because unfortunately, there are more sexual offenders known, and thus more treated and more tested. So they have a statistically viable basis to which to determine if someone is deviant from that norm.”
Thompson has pleaded guilty to 11 charges – most of them sex crimes against children. The charges include making child pornography, bestiality, and conspiring to drug a minor.
Thompson's co-accused Avery Taylor and Shayne Lund are still in custody. Taylor has pleaded guilty to some of her charges – the preliminary hearing hasn't finished for Lund. Both will likely have similar assessments to see if they are a danger to the community.
Thompson's next court appearance is in June, but sentencing might not happen for some time. If the doctor determines she is a risk to the community, and there isn't a treatment plan to take care of that risk, then a court hearing will still have to take place.
The judge will then rule if she is a dangerous offender, long term offender or neither.
