Curfew for ex-school board official in Canada

FROM THE PROVINCE.COM -


A former Surrey School District associate superintendent who stole thousands of dollars from his employer was given a conditional sentence Monday in B.C. Provincial Court.
Robert Chadwick, 63, pleaded guilty on June 10 to breach of trust by a public officer. Chadwick and his wife Barbara, who was his administrative assistant, were also charged with fraud and theft over $5,000, but those charges were stayed.
According to an agreed-upon statement of facts, between July 2001 and June 2003 Robert Chadwick, who was an associate superintendent for six years, was responsible for the financial management of a contract the school district had with San Diego State University for use of district facilities.
Chadwick put payments totalling $416,000 into an external account he set up. Of that amount, $25,000 went to the school district. Most of the remaining money was used legitimately, but almost $44,000 was not.
The irregularities were discovered after a 2006 internal audit and a hearing was ordered, but Chadwick and his wife resigned before the hearing took place. They were criminally charged in July 2010.
In 2009, the district filed a civil suit against the couple, claiming they transferred more than $167,689.32 of district funds into a separate, unaudited account.
The Chadwicks settled the civil suit out of court in March, agreeing to pay the school board $78,000 to cover the $44,000 they took and costs incurred by the district.
In his decision, Judge James Bahen said an 18-month conditional sentence was appropriate partly because Chadwick has no prior criminal record and is not a danger to the community, nor is he a risk to reoffend.
Chadwick has paid the full amount owed in the civil court decision, pleaded guilty and, according to Bahen, expressed remorse.
Bahen said the offence is "clearly inconsistent with [Chadwick's] previous career and personal achievements."
The conditional sentence includes a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for the first four months.