Defence asks for house arrest for former Kelowna, B.C. social worker

The defence lawyer for a former Kelowna social worker is asking that Riley Saunders serve two years of house arrest, while the Crown is asking for six to eight years in prison.

The defence lawyer for a former Kelowna, B.C., social worker is asking for a conditional sentence for Robert Riley Saunders. He embezzled at least $460,000 from youth in his care, who were mostly Indigenous.

A conditional sentence is served in the community and is essentially a form of house arrest. The defence is asking for Saunders to be allowed to leave for employment reasons or other possible exceptions.

Saunders previously pleaded guilty to fraud over $5,000, breach of trust and using a forged document.

For the fraud and breach of trust charges, defence lawyer Brian Fitzpatrick is asking for a conditional sentence of two years less a day, followed by three years’ probation.

For forging his degree back in 1996 to get his ministry job, the defence argues Saunders should be given credit for time already served in jail.

Court heard Saunders spent about a month in jail when he was first arrested for embezzling funds from youth in his care but has since been out on bail.

“It’s hard to imagine a more vulnerable group than children in care that are subject to a permanent order,” Justice Steven Wilson said. “So presumably, not only can their parents not look after them, there’s no one else who can.”

The Crown argues that Saunders should spend six to eight years in prison for opening joint bank accounts with youth and then stealing their money.