19 April 2006
Judge Roasts Meat Thief
Revelstoke - A man who once cooked for CP Rail steel gangs was convicted of stealing and
re-selling the food that had been purchased to feed the workers.
William L. Doucet, who is currently living and cooking in Slave Lake, Alta., stole roasts, cutlets, chops, steaks, and other meats from
Travers Foods, which had been contracted to provide food service to CPR work trains.
Crown Counsel Greg Koturbish told Provincial Court Judge A.K. Wallace that a witness saw Doucet loading boxes of meat worth about $944
into a vehicle. He later told her that he sold the meat, Koturbish said, adding that Doucet later told police that he stole and
re-sold the meat in order to supplement his wages and maintain his lifestyle.
"This was a breach of trust", he said. "I can advise the court that Revelstoke in particular has had a number of
breach-of-trust cases". Koturbish said the community needs a deterrent to future breach-of-trust cases.
"Your employer trusted you", Judge Wallace told Doucet. "That is very serious. He told the court everybody was doing it
so what's the big deal?"
She told the defendant that theft and breach of trust are "not okay" and that "it is important to send a message that...
stealing from your employer is a serious offence".
Doucet was handed a three-month conditional sentence and was ordered to pay $944.32 in restitution.
|
