A man at the center of one of the biggest expense scandals in British Columbia political history has been sentenced.
Craig James, the former secretary of the legislature, learned his fate in a Vancouver courtroom Friday morning.
He received a suspended sentence of three months imprisonment, to be served in the community instead of prison.
James was told he would be under house arrest for the first month. He will have to report to his probation officer by phone by Monday and must be at his property 24 hours a day for that month, with a few exceptions.
James will only be allowed to leave with permission in “very unusual circumstances”, medical emergencies or very important medical appointments for himself, his wife or daughter.
He may be allowed to leave Sunday morning to attend Mass, but those details were not settled in court. His supervisor will make that decision.
James will also be allowed to leave for one two-hour period once a week to go grocery shopping with his supervisor’s permission, as his wife is having surgery this week and will not be able to drive.
He will be required to answer the door or telephone immediately when a peace officer or warden is present or called.
James will then be placed under curfew for two months. During this time, he will need to be home between 9:00 pm and 6:00 am each day and must be ready to answer the door or call a peace officer or warden immediately.
He was also ordered to pay $1,886.72 as recommended by the Crown, as well as a $200 victim surcharge.
The judge said she would not impose a community service sentence, telling the court she was confident James would volunteer on his own initiative.
Prosecutors said this is a case that could affect how the public views the provincial government.
Earlier this week, the Crown attorney told the court he was seeking a suspended sentence — a prison sentence served at home instead of behind bars — of about a year for Craig James. His argument is that the sentence will act as a “deterrent” to future public servants.
The Crown suggested on Monday that most of that sentence could be served under house arrest and the rest would be under curfew. Also seeks an order for restitution in the amount of $1,886.72.
Crown attorney Brock Martland said the now 71-year-old’s conduct was “a departure” from the legislature’s most senior official and that there were “real risks of undermining public trust” associated with the case.
He said the sentence could increase public cynicism about the institutions of government if it was seen as too lenient, and noted that James had pleaded not guilty, unlike what is often seen in cases where probation is granted. judgments.
Despite the lack of charges, the defense called for a conditional discharge, with barrister Gavin Cameron arguing that a custodial sentence would be a “disproportionate response” to the sentence.
He insisted on 12 months probation and 150 hours of community service, saying James had already been “tried and convicted in the court of public opinion.”
He said the media coverage and subsequent damage to his reputation prior to his trial had been significant enough to serve as more of a deterrent to other public officials than any court-imposed sentence.
He also urged the judge to take into account James’ age and the fact that he was a first-time offender and had lost his job as a result of the investigation.
On Friday, the judge said parole would be against the public interest, even taking into account the media coverage. That would not adequately condemn the conduct or deter others, the judge told the court.
Earlier this year, a British Columbia Supreme Court judge ruled that James spent taxpayer dollars on personal expenses during his time as a high-ranking public official.
He was found guilty of breach of trust and fraud in May.
The judge said he breached the standard of conduct expected of him when he claimed expenses for $1,800 worth of shirts, ties and suits, which he claimed were chamber wear. A number of other items, such as purchases from souvenir shops and alcohol, were also included in the expenses, but the judge found that they may have been gifts or legitimate business expenses.
James was acquitted of three other charges, including one related to a $258,000 pension benefit.
He was suspended and suspended with pay in 2018, then resigned the following year while the investigation into his conduct was still ongoing.
With files from Regan Hasegawa of CTV News Vancouver in court and The Canadian Press
Add Comment