TORONTO

A Toronto Catholic school teacher is outraged by the sentence — 15 months of probation — imposed on a woman who admitted stealing her identity to secure a $294,000 mortgage.

“The laws in this country are too lax,” Leanora Brown told the Toronto Sun. “I feel totally degraded as a Canadian. Forty-one years I’ve worked in this country.”

Deborah Longmore was sentenced to 15 months of probation last week after pleading guilty in November to committing fraud over $5,000.

Court heard that Longmore used her former friend’s identity to secretly take out a $294,000 mortgage in December 2009 to purchase a home in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

“She didn’t lose anything,” Brown said. “She’s living in the house that she stole.”

Longmore obtained a joint mortgage for the home in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and unbeknownst to Brown, she was listed on the mortgage and deed, court heard. A short time later, she received paperwork notifying her of the purchase, much to her shock.

“I think the house should be sold .... That’s how the law should work,” said Brown, who added she endured four years “that have been a nightmare.”

Longmore could not be reached for comment Monday. Her lawyer, Kurt Wildman, said he too could not reach Longmore to get instructions about commenting on the story.

Brown said she has known Longmore since 1983 and feels betrayed by the former family friend.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve helped her,” she said. “I helped her mom. My family has helped her.”

When sentencing Longmore, who was 45 when she committed the crime, Justice Peter Wilkie noted her regret. However, he said she put Brown at risk through her actions.

Longmore is the owner of Lumiere D’or, a candle shop in Niagara-on-the-Lake. She has been able to keep up the payments on the home, court heard Friday. The guilty plea will affect her business, Wildman told the court.

“This conviction will affect her travel to the United States for trade shows,” said Wildman. “She will have to hustle from a business point of view.”

Brown is still working to have her name removed from the home’s mortgage through the courts.

— With files from Tony Ricciuto, QMI Agency.