Frank Schembri

The defendant pleaded guilty to three fraud-related charges arising from her employment as a supervisor at a non-profit daycare centre.

Over approximately 3.5 years, she fraudulently established credit accounts in the centre's name, forged board members' signatures on cheques, and doctored petty cash claims, defrauding the centre of approximately $300,000.

The court imposed a blended sentence consisting of 90 days intermittent imprisonment followed by 639 days conditional sentence (totalling two years less a day), with three years probation.

The sentence balanced the serious nature of the breach of trust fraud against the defendant's significant health challenges (multiple sclerosis), first offender status, guilty plea, and genuine remorse.