Soldier demoted jailed for theft

Soldier demoted jailed for theft

A former master corporal who stole more than $51,000 from the Canadian Forces to feed a video lottery gambling addiction has been demoted to private and jailed for 90 days.

Amanda Clark, 26, who was based at 17 Wing Detachment in Dundurn, Sask., pleaded guilty in May to stealing the money and was sentenced at a military court martial last month.

The court martial heard the thefts occurred while Clark was employed as an “orderly room sub-cashier” and was entrusted with $50,000 in public funds.

The losses surfaced in May 2009 when Clark was getting ready for a posting to the U.K.

Adjudicator Lieut.-Col. J-G Perron said the audit uncovered a number of financial irregularities accounting for more than $51,000 in missing money.

In an interview with her superiors, Clark admitted using more than $48,000 for personal use from December 2008 to April 2009.

The hearing was told that she withdrew from $200 to $1,000 daily to support her addiction.

Clark started gambling at video lottery terminals at the age of 19 and testified that it became a problem for her toward the end of 2007 or the beginning of 2008.

The hearing was told that Clark was arrested for driving while impaired in June this year and fined $1,200 and received a one-year driving ban.

Court heard Dundurn was a small detachment and officers are given more responsibilities at junior ranks than on other larger bases.

Students subsidized by the Canadian Forces were concerned since they relied on the funds for cash advances for the payment of university fees.

Dundurn is home to an ammunition depot, which is responsible for the storage and handling of military munitions, and is the only Canadian Forces site for the disposal of time-expired munitions.