Summerside cottage contractor sentenced to house arrest for fraud

A contractor in Summerside, P.E.I., has been sentenced to 14 months of house arrest for fraud, after he failed to build cottages he was paid to build.

Brandon Lloyd Waite, 30, was sentenced in Summerside provincial court onTuesday.

Waite pleaded guilty to one of three charges of fraud over $5,000, while the court stayed two othercounts.

He is taking part in a restorative justice program, which has him meeting with all his victims and speaking with them abouthow his actions affected them.

Unique approach to restorative justice

In court, Crown attorney Chad McQuaiddescribed the restorative justice processas a unique approach,and said it had helpedWaite gain a better recognition of the harms he haddone.

McQuaid said Waite was "positive and engaged" in discussions, and his victims were sympathetic that he had been going through a difficult time at the time he took money from them.

The 30-year-old contractor was unable to work after a 2022 injury,the court heard, whichplayed a role in his behaviour. He is now employed full time, and can do carpentry work.

It's estimated Waite took about $140,000 from his victims.The court heard agreements were reached to pay his victims pack, either in cash over time, or through volunteer work.

Victims includenon-profit group

Lawyers read out an agreed statement of facts in court. It said that Waite was the sole owner ofthe Cottage Company, and that he had signed a number ofcontracts in 2021 and early 2022.

The complainants included two couples, as well as Community Inclusions, a West Prince charityforadults with intellectualdisabilities.

Waites's guilty plea was connected to a contact he signed with aNova Scotia couple who had been planning a vacation homeon P.E.I. They lost their $50,000 downpayment.

When provincial court judgeKrista MacKay asked Waite if he wanted to say anything in court, he declined.

His 14-month house arrest comes with a number of conditions, including that he may leave for approved reasons such as work, appointments and volunteering related to therestorative justice agreements he made with his victims.

Once his sentence is completed, he will also serve threeyears' probation.