Doctors Consider Weight-Loss Drugs for Detained Man in Physical Restraints

An autistic man detained in secure care for more than 20 years has become so severely obese that doctors are considering prescribing the weight-loss drug Wegovy so he can fit into physical restraints again, according to Family Court proceedings. The patient, identified in court documents only as ‘J’, has lived inside a dedicated cluster of rooms at Auckland’s Mason Clinic since 2006 following a 2004 incident of breaking windows.

Supreme Court Orders Fresh Review of Long-Term Detention

According to court records, the ongoing Family Court hearing stems from an August 2025 Supreme Court ruling. The court determined that the legal test previously used to keep J detained was wrong, ordering the Family Court to re-examine whether his continued detention under the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act remains justified. The review hearing itself faced nearly a year of delays due to scheduling difficulties and witness availability.

Tony Ellis, the lawyer representing J’s mother, argued during the proceedings that the detention is not justified. According to Ellis, the original offense of breaking windows would have resulted in only three months in prison, drawing a comparison between J’s extended confinement and a “gorilla kept in a cage”.

Obesity Limits Use of Mechanical Restraints on Outings

According to testimony from a specialist psychiatrist acting as an assessor, J’s physical health has deteriorated significantly during his confinement. J has developed severe obesity, which prevents staff from using mechanical restraints—described as soft, leather-like fabric wrapped around his wrists and attached to a belt to restrict movement. Without these restraints, fewer staff members feel comfortable accompanying him outside the facility.

To address this barrier, clinicians at the Mason Clinic are considering treatment with the weight-loss medication Wegovy. The goal is to reduce his weight sufficiently to allow the safe use of restraints, thereby increasing the number of secure outings staff can provide.

Rehabilitation Progress and Future Care Recommendations

According to the court-appointed specialist assessor, J has recently shown improvements in demeanor, appearing “more cheerful” following the gradual introduction of socialization activities. He has also begun spending more time outside his private rooms to interact with staff and other clients. However, the assessor admitted that the overall pace of rehabilitation has been slower than intended due to staff availability.

Furthermore, J has not seen a psychologist over the past year because his previous clinician was on leave before eventually departing her role at the Mason Clinic. While lacking direct psychological oversight, other facility staff continued interacting with him in a psychologically informed manner, according to the assessor.

Under cross-examination by Andrew Finnie, the court-appointed lawyer for J, the assessor maintained that releasing J directly into the community would likely result in his arrest within a short space of time due to potential aggression and socially embarrassing behavior. Consequently, the assessor recommended that J remain in secure care for an additional three years to facilitate gradual rehabilitation and identify a suitable residential home in the community.

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