Man Once Highest-Ranking Official in BC Legislature Sentenced in Spending Scandal

A man at the center of one of the biggest spending scandals in the history of British Columbia politics has been sentenced.

Craig James, the former secretary of the legislature, learned of his fate in a Vancouver courtroom Friday morning.

He was given a conditional sentence of three months’ imprisonment, to be served in the community rather than in jail.

James was told he will be under house arrest for the first month. He will have to report by phone to his parole supervisor on Monday and, during that month, he will have to be on his property 24 hours a day, with a few exceptions.

James will be allowed to go out on furlough only for “very unusual circumstances,” medical emergencies or very important medical appointments for himself, his spouse or his daughter.

He may be allowed to go out on Sunday mornings to attend mass, but those details were not settled in court. His supervisor will make that decision.

James will also be allowed to go out for a single two-hour period once a week to do some grocery shopping, with his supervisor’s permission, as his wife will have surgery this week and will not be able to drive.

You will need to answer the door or make a phone call immediately when a peace officer or supervisor attends or calls.

After that, James will be subject to a curfew for two months. During that time, he will need to be home between 9 pm and 6 am each day and must be ready to immediately answer the door or telephone a police officer or supervisor.

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 sentence related to community service and told the court she was confident James would volunteer on his own initiative.

It was a case that prosecutors say could affect how the public views their provincial government.

Earlier this week, Crown counsel told the court he was seeking a suspended sentence – a jail sentence served at home rather than behind bars – of about a year for Craig James. His argument is that the sentence would serve as a “dissuasive” for future civil servants entrusted to the citizenry.

The Crown suggested on Monday that most of that sentence could be served under house arrest, with the rest under curfew. He is also seeking a restitution order for $1,886.72.

Crown counsel Brock Martland said the now 71-year-old’s conduct was an “exit” by the legislature’s most senior official, and that there are “real risks of undermining public confidence” related to the case.

He said the sentence could increase public cynicism about government institutions if it is seen as too light, noting that James did not plead guilty, unlike what is often seen in cases where suspended sentences are given. .

Despite the lack of a guilty plea, the defense asked for a conditional release, with attorney Gavin Cameron arguing that imprisonment would be a “disproportionate response” to the conviction.

He pushed for 12 months probation and 150 hours of community service, saying James has already been “tried and convicted in the court of public opinion.”

He said the media coverage and subsequent damage to his reputation before his trial was significant enough to serve as a deterrent to other public officials more than any sentence imposed by a court.

He also urged the judge to take into account James’ age and that he is a first-time offender who lost his job as a result of the investigation.

On Friday, the judge said a conditional discharge would be against the public interest, even taking into account media coverage. It would not adequately report the conduct or deter others, the judge told the court.

Earlier this year, a BC 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 violated the standard of conduct expected of him when he claimed expenses for $1,800 worth of dress shirts, a tie and a suit, which he claimed was camera attire. Numerous other items, such as gift shop purchases and alcohol, were also included in expenses, but the judge found they may have been gifts or legitimate business costs.

James was acquitted of three other charges, including one related to a $258,000 retirement benefit.

He was removed from his position and suspended with pay in 2018, then resigned the following year while an investigation into his conduct was still ongoing.


With files from Regan Hasegawa of CTV News Vancouver in court and The Canadian Press

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