'He never thought himself to be violent' says doctor of Allan Schoenborn

One of the few psychiatrists who has sat down to interview convicted child killer Allan Schoenborn told a New Wesminster Court, Friday, that he has made significant progress in his treatment but still struggles with irritability and anger.

Dr. Roy O'Shaughnessy was testifying at a hearing to determine whether to designate Schoenborn a "high-risk accused."

It's a label that would extend the time between his review board hearings and make it virtually impossible for him to leave the psychiatric hospital where he's been in custody since 2010.

O'Shaugnessy first met Schoenborn in April of 2008 — three weeks after the killings.

He interviewed him as recently as August 31, 2016.

"[Schoenborn] has not really demonstrated any significant aggressive behaviour in the last few years," O'Shaugnessy testified today.

He told the court Schoenborn was clearly psychotic at the time he killed his children, but since 2011, he's seen a substantial improvement in his psychosis.

"There's clear evidence he's had good therapy, helping him address his distortional thinking," he said.

Schoenborn was found not criminally responsible for stabbing his 10-year-old daughter and smothering his eight and five-year-old sons in their Merritt, B.C., home in April 2008.

He's been in custody at a psychiatric hospital in Coquitlam, B.C., since 2010.

Schoenborn 'struggles with temper and irritability'

O'Shaugnessy testified that Schoenborn suffers from a paranoid personality which makes him irritable and reactive.

"The traits of that are ... they're rigid; they're sensitive to criticism and react often badly as a result," he said.

The Crown is arguing that Schoenborn has been involved in a number of aggressive incidents.

"This man has always been quarrelsome, irritable, threatening at times, quick to anger, quick to see slight, and he often reacts to that with posturing or threatening behaviour," he testified.

"But he has no clear evidence of a violent intent or plan."

O'Shaughessy also told the court that Schoenborn recognizes he has a major medical disorder.

He said Schoenborn struggles with guilt and sadness over his actions and told his doctor he often thinks about how old his children would be today had he not killed them.

Schoenborn 'nowhere close' to being released

One of Schoenborn's lawyers today said their goal is to paint a picture that he's progressing in a normal fashion.

"[Our position] has never been that he is cured, that he is doing great and everything is fine," said Gill outside the court.

"The position is no more than Mr. Schoenborn is progressing at the pace he should be within the context of being a patient at the forensic psychiatric hospital."

Gill reiterated that this is not a hearing to determine his release — rather, it's to decide whether Schoenborn should be declared a high-risk accused.

Despite that, the mother of Schoenborn's children and her family still want to see him designated a high-risk accused.

"Regardless of who is on the stand, what we are hearing is that he is a high risk. I'm hopeful that designation will be placed on him so he can get better.

But also so that Darcie Clark and family have more time to heal," said Dave Teixeira, a spokesman for Clarke and her family.

The hearing continues next week when Schoenborn's lawyers will begin arguments on their challenge of the constitutionality of Bill C-14 —  the bill that put in place the high-risk accused designation.