Yellowknife, N.W.T. - A Yellowknife woman who pled guilty to charges of theft over 5000 dollars and using a forged document was sentenced Friday in territorial court.

Justice Christine Gagnon sentenced 61-year-old Coleen McClean to 13 months in prison, and two years’ probation for writing forged cheques payable to herself and members of her family.

McClean wrote the cheques while employed as a bookkeeper by Northern Communications and Navigation Systems, from May 2008 through May 2011.

The CEO of NCNS, Jim Pook, said he's relieved to have at least a little bit of closure.

"It’s been 511 days since I discovered it and for her to be around town, seeing her at the store or out with her family at the beach or that sort of thing. It has been a long time coming and I just feel glade that she is finally paying a price"

Over the course of the three years, McClean wrote cheques totalling $ 114,915.42, which were originally used for food and bills.

The amounts eventually grew larger as McClean got caught up in a Nigerian internet scam.

The defense had requested a conditional sentence due to her poor health, but Gagnon stated that aggravating factors, including breach of trust, and the amount stolen, outweighed the mitigating factors.
 

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