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Fraudster appeals sentence Terrence McEachern Northern News Services Published Wednesday, June 29, 2011
An appeal notice was filed on behalf of Dionne Bowden identifying four main reasons for her belief the sentence should be overturned: the sentence was excessive; the sentencing judge misconstrued the evidence; there was confusion as to whether a conditional sentence was an option; and any other grounds on the advice of counsel that the court may grant. Bowden, currently serving her sentence at the Territorial Woman's Correctional Centre in Fort Smith, indicates on her appeal application that she wishes to be present for the appeal hearing. Besides the jail term, Bowden also received one year of probation commencing after her release from jail. On Feb. 2, Bowden pleaded guilty in territorial court to stealing a total of $181,541.24 from the Yellowknife-based company Ollerhead and Associates Ltd. by forging her employer or manager's name on 52 cheques between Aug. 5, 2008 and Dec. 29, 2009. Four of the cheques repaid her debt - one cheque payable to CIBC in the amount of $6,500 and another three cheques amounting to $12,422.14 to a Toronto law firm. The remaining 46 cheques were made payable to herself totalling $157,687. She used the money to fuel her online gambling addiction. Bowden began working with Ollerhead in November 2007 as an administrative assistant until she was fired on Jan. 23, 2010, after an accountant noticed irregularities in the company's financial statements. Bowden wrote the fraudulent cheques even though it was revealed in court she didn't have cheque-signing authority with the company. Crown prosecutor Blair MacPherson requested a 14 to 17 month jail sentence but did not seek a restitution order because Ollerhead and Associates Ltd. had already successfully sued Bowden on July 2, 2010 for $181,541.24 plus $1,723.40 in interest and $2,110 in legal fees. By March 15, two weeks before her April 1 sentencing, court records show that $34,866 had been seized from her financial assets and re-credited to the account owing to Ollerhead. It was not known at press time when Bowden's case will be heard. The next sitting of the Court of Appeal is Oct. 18. Scheduling for that sitting will begin Sept. 1.
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