Judith Lynn Kendrick leaves Penticton courthouse following sentencing this morning, Jan. 16, 2018, on a charge of fraud.

(STEVE ARSTAD / iNFOnews.ca)

PENTICTON - A Penticton woman who used her position of trust as a bookkeeper to fraudulently obtain more than $60,000 from her employer was sentenced to an intermittent jail term today.

Judge Gale Sinclair sentenced Judith Lynn Kendrick to a 90 day weekend jail sentence for the fraud, which took place through a series of 120 cash transactions between her employer’s and her personal accounts between December 2014 and January, 2016.

Judge Sinclair noted Kendrick’s acknowledgement of the crime, her willingness to make restitution, and the unsophisticated means by which the crime took place in determining her sentence.

He also noted in spite of a psychological report, no real reason was given for the theft. Kendrick said she was just spending the money and had no hardship need for it. The report did note Kendrick was suffering from depression at the time of the crime.

Quoting recommendations from the psychological report, Judge Sinclair noted, “Ms. Kendrick does require the successful completion and participation in a program where she can learn about proper healthy relationships, boundary setting and where appropriate decision making is taught through exercises and teaching modules,” adding the report also recommended an anger management program.

The ongoing nature of the fraud, it’s affect on the victim and Kendrick’s abuse of a position of trust, in addition to the sum of money involved were negative aspects of the case,  Judge Sinclair said.

He called Kendrick’s case, "tailor-made for a conditional sentence order," but noted provisions in the law would not allow such a resolution to the case. He said both Crown’s and defence’s requests were both reasonable under the circumstances.

Kendrick wil serve a 90-day intermittent jail sentence at the Penticton RCMP detachment on weekends, after which she will be subject to a two-year probationary term. She will also be expected to perform 50 hours of community service.

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