A British Columbia judge has sentenced Kenneth David Derksen to two years less a day of house arrest for defrauding an extremely vulnerable client of $155,800, money he spent on online gambling.Derksen, a former consultant at Investors Group Financial Services Inc.

, carried out the theft over a prolonged period from November 2016 to February 2019, making multiple e-transfers from the client’s retirement and savings accounts.The client, John Boellaard, was often out of the country and at one point hospitalised in Thailand.

During sentencing, Judge Jeremy Hermanson acknowledged Derksen's remorse and guilty plea, noting that the man had no previous criminal record and had since stopped gambling, banning himself from casinos and deleting his online gaming accounts.

Despite the gravity of the crime and the breach of trust involved, the judge determined that house arrest, combined with public accountability, employment consequences, and community service, met the goals of denunciation, deterrence, and rehabilitation.Derksen must also pay $164,164.

74 to Investors Group, complete 100 hours of community work, and provide a copy of the sentencing decision to future employers or volunteer organisations.Conditions of house arrest are strict, with limited exceptions for work, medical emergencies, and personal matters on Saturdays.