Preston Hill’s again story earlier than he fatally stabbed a Toronto pastor included a critical mind harm, a London courtroom heard Wednesday.
Revealed Feb 05, 2025 • 4 minute learn
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Safurani (Sam) Bakare, left; Preston Hill
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Preston Hill’s again story earlier than he fatally stabbed a Toronto pastor included a critical mind harm, a London courtroom heard Wednesday.
The previous elite native hockey participant reported throughout a psychiatric evaluation to find out whether or not he is likely to be sentenced as a harmful offender that he suffered a critical mind harm in 2020, a 12 months earlier than a violent spree close to Western College.
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However forensic psychiatrist Alina Iosif testified she “didn’t see a great departure” in Hill’s prison historical past after the pinnacle harm.
Whereas a defence psychiatrist had identified Hill with a neuro-cognitive dysfunction because of the harm, Iosif stated she couldn’t set up that prognosis as a result of not one of the three Ontario specialists who do neuropsychological testing was obtainable.
Whereas there was some cognitive decline after the harm, Hill improved in some cognitive testing scores throughout therapy, she famous.
Iosif testified Wednesday within the Ontario Courtroom of Justice, the place Justice George Orsini is assessing this week whether or not Hill shall be designated a harmful offender, which may preserve him incarcerated indefinitely.
She agreed below questioning by assistant Crown legal professional Konrad de Koning that Hill reported he’d been a sufferer of childhood sexual abuse.
“It was bad, it made me angry and get into trouble. I wish it never happened,” Hill informed Iosif throughout 2023 interviews.
Hill, 26, pleaded responsible two years in the past to manslaughter, assault inflicting bodily hurt and tried theft after a violent crime spree in a north London neighbourhood on Could 15, 2021.
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When he pleaded responsible, the Crown stated it might ask the legal professional common’s permission to hunt a harmful offender designation for Hill. As a part of that utility, a 60-day psychiatric evaluation was ordered.
Consent for the applying got here a 12 months in the past. Orsini started listening to proof this week at a listening to to find out Hill’s sentence, together with a attainable harmful offender tag.
The listening to started with testimony from corrections officers who described programming and procedures for the damaging offender inhabitants. The main focus shifted to Hill and his troubling background on Wednesday.
His prison report started as a younger grownup with convictions for assaults, robberies, threats and tried theft, courtroom heard. He additionally has a historical past of drug dependancy points.
Iosif, of Toronto’s Centre of Habit and Psychological Well being, started to assessment her 56-page report on Hill, primarily based on interviews with him and a assessment of his background. The June 6, 2023, report included courtroom information, a specialised Gladue pre-sentence report for Indigenous offenders, and information of his psychological well being and head harm therapy.
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In her report, she famous Hill stated he didn’t disclose the sexual abuse by a feminine group member that started when he was about 4, till he was about 17. He stated he informed his dad and mom, however not police, as a result of he didn’t need to be “a rat.”
However there was confusion within the information about when the abuse occurred and when he informed individuals. The abuse was disclosed in different courtroom information proven to Orsini, together with one wherein Hill stated he understood he was abused at 12.
Iosif stated she factored within the abuse when assessing Hill, nevertheless it was tough as a result of it was not clear when or the way it occurred.
Inside minutes on Could 15, 2021, Hill fatally stabbed Sufurani (Samuel) Bakare, a pastor and father of 4 in his 50s, at a Patricia Avenue deal with, then ran to Richmond Avenue, the place he stabbed a person strolling his canine and tried a carjacking close to Western College’s gates.
Bakare, a Nigerian native, ran Christ the Redeemer Ministries and a cleansing enterprise. He’d befriended Hill on the Salvation Military’s Centre of Hope the day earlier than he was killed, providing assist discovering work and a spot to reside.
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Bakare had lived at a Patricia Avenue rooming home and he and Hill drove there to select up Bakare’s belongings. The owner knew he was coming, however went again to sleep earlier than they arrived. Bakare known as police to assist him get his belongings and was ready within the driveway when Hill attacked.
A parking enforcement officer discovered Bakare slumped towards the storage with a deadly stab wound to his neck simply as Hill was being arrested on Richmond Avenue for the opposite two assaults.
The canine walker was taken to hospital with a stab wound to the stomach. Hill left deep scratch marks on the automobile he tried to carjack after the driving force rolled up his home windows.
Hill was arrested in a financial institution car parking zone, the place he was subdued with pepper spray after encouraging police to shoot him.
Hill had blood on his fingers, one among Bakare’s two cellphones and a folding knife on him when he was arrested. He informed police he hadn’t taken unlawful medicine, then admitted taking crystal meth the night time earlier than.
In a later interview, he informed police he’d launched the assaults as a part of “a war against goofs.”
The listening to is anticipated to proceed all week.
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