Yellowknife (Feb 04/05) - The former treasurer of Yellowknife's French-language school board was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months of house arrest for embezzling $72,000 from the district.

Marcel Blanchet, 56, admitted a day earlier to writing himself a series of fraudulent cheques from 2000 to 2002 while in charge of finances at the Commission Scolaire Francophone.

"This is a serious breach of trust that can result in jail," said Supreme Court Justice Rene Foisy, who handed down a two-year conditional sentence.

"I hope you appreciate the chance you have been given. This is something that will not happen again."

Blanchet will be allowed to serve the time at his farm near the Quebec city of Rimouski. He will spend the first six months of the sentence under strict house arrest and the next year under a night-time curfew.

There are no restrictions on Blanchet's movements during the final six months of his sentence.

Foisy ordered Blanchet to pay $5,000 to the school board in 2006 and another $5,000 in 2007. It was part of a plea agreement Blanchet reached with Crown prosecutors.

Foisy also ruled Blanchet is liable for the remaining $62,000, although his ability to repay the money appears uncertain. Blanchet is unemployed and plans to work as a greenskeeper during the summer at a Quebec golf course.

Blanchet pleaded guilty to a single count of theft over $5,000 Tuesday, during what was supposed to be the second day of his trial. In return for the plea, the Crown's office dropped a second theft charge.

According to evidence introduced in court, Blanchet was in personal financial trouble when he stole the money. He was able to steal the money because he received blank signed cheques from the school board chair to cover office expenses and his own salary.