Former cabinet minister Walsh's fraud case set over

The fraud-related case of a former Newfoundland and Labrador cabinet minister has been set over until February.

Jim Walsh, who served as a cabinet minister in the former Liberal government, did not appear in court on Tuesday when his case was called.

Lawyer Vern French represented Walsh, who faces three charges, including fraud over $5,000, breach of trust, and fraud against the government.

Auditor General John Noseworthy, in reports released during 2006, found that Walsh had received $298,571 more than he was entitled from his constituency allowances over a six-year period. Noseworthy recommended that four of those years be referred to the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary.

Noseworthy's various reports into Newfoundland and Labrador's legislative spending scandal led to charges against four former politicians Walsh, former Tory cabinet minister Ed Byrne, former Liberal MHA Wally Andersen and former New Democrat Randy Collins and suspended legislative finance director Bill Murray.

French said he is still seeking information from Crown lawyers about the case. He said the Crown has between 30 and 40 boxes of material relevant to the case that he would like to review.

Walsh, who served as tourism minister in the Clyde Wells government between 1992 and 1994, represented Conception Bay East-Bell Island (formerly known as Mount Scio-Bell Island) between 1989 and 2003, when he was defeated by Progressive Conservative Dianne Whalen.