No grounds for criminal charges in Goudie case: police

Police in Newfoundland and Labrador say theywill notbe laying charges against a politician who double-billed her expenses.

Kathy Goudie resigned her Humber Valley seat in January, soon after Auditor General John Noseworthy determined she had double-billed $3,818 in her constituency allowances.

In a statement, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said its criminal investigation division "concluded there is insufficient grounds to lay any criminal charge against Ms. Goudie."

At the time, Goudie attributed the double-billings, which included one claim for an expense that occurred before she was elected, to poor training, clerical errors and inattention on her part as she recovered from surgery.

She cited stress from the double-billing scandal as a reason for her departure from politics.

Contacted by CBC News, Goudie said Friday that the police had reached the outcome that she had expected, and that she was happy the investigation was over.

A Progressive Conservative, she was first elected to the house in 2003.

Noseworthy also identified Transportation Minister John Hickey as having double-billed on some of his claims. Hickey stepped aside from his cabinet responsibilities for several days before Premier Danny Williams reinstated him.

The police later cleared him of wrongdoing.

The RNC, meanwhile, said itsinvestigation of the house of assembly, sparked in the summer of 2006 by the first reports from Noseworthy's office, is ongoing.

Earlier this week, Liberal MHA Wally Andersen was charged with fraud, forgery and breach of trust. He was one of five politicians found to have received almost $1.6 million beyond their entitlements in their constituency allowances.