WINDSOR, ONT. -- The dangerous offender hearing for Patrick Warren, now 41, continued in a Windsor court Thursday.
Warren was convicted of arson in August 2018, for starting a fire at a downtown Windsor bar and restaurant which is now closed, the Pour House.
The fire on Feb. 12, 2017 caused $75,000 in damage and no one was injured.
After Warren’s conviction, Assistant Crown Attorney Brian Manarin told CTV News they would be seeking “dangerous offender” status for Warren, and launched the process.
At that time, court heard Warren had five previous arson convictions.
If approved by Justice Renee Pomerance, Warren could stay incarcerated, indefinitely.
Shane Wilson, a field intelligence officer with the correctional services division of the Ministry of the Solicitor General has been testifying via Zoom this week, going through Warren’s historical corrections file.
During an incarceration in 2006, Warren was deemed “very high” to reoffend in a risk assessment conducted by prison staff.
In another incident, Warren told corrections officers he was an arsonist, he threatened to cause them harm and warned he would burn their houses down.
Warren also agreed to waive his rights to parole after serving one-third of his sentence and he asked to be put into protective custody.
In a report written in March 2020, it was determined Warren is “not direct supervision suitable.”
Court heard, in direct supervision in Ontario jails, there are no secure doors between the inmate and the corrections officers.
Wilson testified an inmate would be deemed “not suitable” for direct supervision if they were “somebody who does not obey staff orders readily or is creating problems with other inmates.”
As of November 2020, Warren was held in segregation in jail, which confines him to his cell for at least 22 hours per day without getting out or without any “meaningful” interaction with others.
Wilson says segregation in Ontario jails is no longer a “physical” place, but is a condition of incarceration.
In another occurrence report, Warren threatened to cause a female officer harm and referred to her with disparaging remarks.
Testimony also heard Warren, “attempted to assault corrections officers.”
Assistant Crown Attorney Jonathan Lall says the hearing will continue in September.