Ex-police sergeant trying to make restitution prior to sentencing for fraud
CHATHAM The sentencing of a disgraced former Chatham police officer who defrauded several people of nearly $250,000 was unexpectedly delayed Tuesday as he tries to make “restitution,” his lawyer says.
Ex-Sgt. Robert Mugridge, whose three-year paid suspension has caused outrage, was in Ontario Superior Court in Chatham for sentencing — but it was delayed when his lawyer, Glen Donald, asked for more time.
The extra time will “allow Mr. Mugridge to finalize some restitution that could well have a significant impact on arguments for sentencing,” Donald said, adding unspecified medical reports are also not done.
“A medical report ... would obviously give much deeper insight into some of the issues that may have been in play.”
Mugridge pleaded guilty in August to a single count of fraud that encompassed several instances of fraud over $5,000. Court was told at that time that the frauds involved Mugridge using one of three lies to get loans totalling some $247,000 from family, friends, co-workers and other acquaintances between January 2009 and December 2014:
He was strapped for cash and needed to pay a child’s university tuition;
He had alcohol- and drug-addicted siblings who had taken money from his mother that he needed to repay
Someone was calling in a loan early and threatening to go to his wife or superiors at work if he didn’t pay
Sometimes, he’d wear his uniform when asking for the loans. At least two of the requests were made at police headquarters in Chatham.
When asked how much restitution there could be, Donald was caught apparently flat-footed: “I don’t know, yet.” The case returns to court April 6. Last week, it was announced that a separate discipline hearing under the Police Services Act ended when Mugridge abruptly resigned just as he was to be dismissed from his $110,000-a-year job. He had collected nearly $400,000 while spending three years on paid suspension.