The dilemma of whether Robert Riley Saunders‘ frauds impacted the youths beneath his treatment was a single of the best concerns mentioned on Thursday, as the former caseworker for the Ministry of Kids and Spouse and children Advancement had his sentencing listening to appear to a near.
Defence lawyer Bryan Fitzpatrick mentioned in his ultimate arguments that the stolen dollars was a situation of “actual deprivation” to the provincial ministry, not to youth in Saunders’ care.
Saunders continuously testified that the dollars he took would hardly ever have gone to the youth in his treatment.
He wrote up fraudulent unbiased dwelling contracts for young individuals who would not have been qualified for it. So, they did not personally reduce out when he took that revenue for his personal use.
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He also testified that he did all he could to ensure individuals youthful individuals have been cared for, indicating that he was actually a caring caseworker.
Fitzpatrick instructed the courtroom on Friday that the two positions ended up not at odds, and that Saunders was equipped to both of those steal income in their name and do what was best for them.
“The Crown has not set up over and above a sensible doubt that Mr. Saunders’ fraudulent scheme had any impact, irrespective of whether actualized, concrete or content on the pecuniary interests on the specific youth,” Fitzpatrick said.
Crown counsel Heather Magnin Crown flatly refused to acknowledge that characterization, deeming it “wholly inaccurate.”
She pointed out that Saunders is significantly from a trusted witness, significantly in this matter, when his memory faded in and out dependent on the issue posed to him.
He went from stating he could not remember all the facts of a circumstance, but, then with prompting, presented information about how he drew up fraudulent paperwork.
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She pointed out that Saunders’ “dishonest functions (did have an impression) on the pecuniary passions of the youth victims whose marginalized situation he depended on to have out his fraud.”
Saunders, she said, did nothing at all to help the youths in his care get into healthy impartial residing circumstances, including, if he had, his own pursuits would have been undermined.
Magnin pointed out that even when there isn’t evidence that Saunders stole from youth immediately, he confirmed indifference. The only thing he cared about was how the fraud affected his “personal interests and endeavours to evade detection.”
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Previous yr, Saunders pleaded responsible to fraud above $5,000, breach of have faith in, and employing a cast document.
Dozens of civil instances in which Saunders has been accused of defrauding small children in ministry care achieved a summary previous calendar year with a multimillion-greenback settlement with the B.C. govt.
The lawsuits claimed he would open up joint bank accounts with the youth in his treatment, and then withdraw the federal government funds for his have use.
Saunders allegedly stole up to $500,000 about the decades, and lots of youths in his treatment assert his actions still left them homeless and prone to exploitation and drug habit.
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