Diary reveals Bouchard’s financial insecurity
Michelle Bouchard
(CNS): Extracts from a diary written by Michelle Bouchard, who is accused of stealing more than $2 million from her wealthy former boyfriend, were read to the jury this week as the crown drew its case against her to a close. Entries in the diary during the period when she met James Handford, the elderly man she is accused of stealing from, illustrated her own financial insecurity and her plans to take care of him in return for financial support and help with investment properties to secure her financial future.
The court heard how Bouchard prayed and referred to God in almost every note taken in the five books of diaries. Asking God’s help to protect her financial future and to keep her safe, the extracts revealed that, although she had no secure income, she was having costly facial plastic surgery. Describing herself as trapped by her financial situation, she questioned whether she should marry Handford to secure her own future.
In the diary, she wrote about how she wanted him to give her his boat, house and three rental units he reportedly owned.
Days before her arrest, Bouchard wrote in these journals that she was worried about what Handford’s family would do to her and if the income stream she was getting from him would be cut off. According to her diary, her hope was that, at the very least, she would be able to keep what she had acquired from him by that point, as she had been the person to take care of him.
As the director of public prosecutions wrapped up the crown’s case against Bouchard, the jury also heard from a number of officials from Butterfield Bank, where Handford had his accounts. They confirmed that they were concerned about what they believed were questionable transactions by Bouchard and as a result they had called Handford’s daughter into the bank to ask her about them.
With no more witnesses to call, the crown was expected to close its case Wednesday, paving the way for the defence to call Bouchard to the stand.
The case continues.
