The former mayor of Vernon has pleaded guilty to breach of trust in connection with his city expense account, a year after resigning amid a spending scandal.

A second charge of fraud over $5,000 against 36-year-old Sean Harvey was stayed.

Former Vernon mayor Sean Harvey is alleged to have claimed almost $14,000 in city money on personal meals and trips that included a vacation in Las Vegas.
(CBC)

Harvey appeared in B.C. Supreme Court in the North Okanagan city on Monday. He admitted to misusing his municipal credit card 90 different times between February 2003 and June 2005 while still serving as mayor.

It is alleged he claimed almost $14,000 of the city's money for business and political meetings that never took place. Instead he spent it on personal meals and trips, including a vacation in Las Vegas.
 
The former mayor has promised to reimburse the city and has repaid more than $5,000 so far.

When Harvey announced his resignation in July 2005, he apologized to his community and asked people to pray for him and his family.

He tearfully apologized again on Monday for abusing his power and betraying the public's trust.

"People are increasingly cynical of their elected officials and my actions reinforced and added to that level of cynicism, and I'm really sorry for that," he said.

The case came to light after two Vernon residents obtained copies of Harvey's expense statements.

Harvey has yet to be sentenced.

The Crown is asking for a sentence of 18 months of house arrest with Harvey doing community service.

Harvey's lawyer has argued that the sentence is too long, because of the public humiliation he has already undergone. He also said it is too restrictive as the ex-mayor finally has a new job, one that took him a year to land.

The judge is to deliver his sentence in September.