South Okanagan woman pleads guilty to stealing PAC funds

An Oliver woman accused of fraud following a lengthy investigation into the alleged theft of funds from Oliver Elementary School’s Parent Advisory Council entered a guilty plea in Penticton Supreme Court today.

Belinda Yorke, born in 1972, appeared before Justice Gary Weatherill in Supreme Court in Penticton today, Feb. 24, and pleaded guilty to a single count of theft over $5,000.

Yorke is accused of using her position as treasurer to misappropriate funds from the advisory committee’s bank account between June, 2016 and January, 2018.

The missing funds were reported to Oliver RCMP in January, 2018, which launched an investigation that took a year and a half to complete.

Defence lawyer Michael Patterson requested a pre-sentence report, which was granted.

Yorke’s next scheduled court appearance is for a sentencing hearing on April 27, 2020.


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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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