A Yukon Territorial Court judge praised an Alberta woman for taking responsibility for her actions, improving her life, and turning herself in for a crime she committed eight years ago.
But Judge Michael Cozens ruled that he still had to give the woman a criminal record for writing fraudulent cheques to steal money from her Yukon employer in 2006.
Dawn Morgan was working for Alaska Canada Rail Link. Part of her duties included working on the payroll.
Over several weeks Morgan and an ex-boyfriend wrote three bogus cheques to themselves from company funds totalling approximately $9,000.
Morgan says she was pressured by her boyfriend.
She was arrested, but ran from the Yukon.
Now 41 years old, Morgan turned herself into police in June of this year. She said she wanted to put that part of her life behind her.
After a troubled childhood and early life, she has been sober and working a steady job for five years. She is now in a stable relationship.
Cozens said Morgan is now a contributing member of society with a bright future. Restitution has already been paid.
Her lawyer was asking for a conditional discharge. The Crown was asking for a nine-month sentence to be served in the community.
Cozens said he was sympathetic to the positive steps Morgan has taken, but that this case was not exceptional enough to consider not giving her a criminal record.
He sentenced her to 180 days to be served at home. She will have a 9 p.m. curfew and have to do 20 hours of community service. Considering the time she already spent in custody, there are 146 days left in the sentence.
“I think you’ve done remarkably well,” Cozens said. “You should be proud of yourself.”