Stealing

Our client was charged with stealing after she was seen leaving a fruit and vegetable shop with items that she had not paid for.  Upon being questioned by police, she admitted to taking items from another shop earlier that day that she had not paid for.

Our client had three prior convictions of shoplifting on her criminal history.  She had previously received fines for these offences and none of the convictions were recorded on her criminal history (click here to see what this means).

Our client engaged in counselling with a psychologist after being charged with these offences.  We tendered to the court a letter from her psychologist confirming the sessions she had attended, along with some character references.

The court agreed with our submissions that a fine was an appropriate penalty in the circumstances.  We also urged the court to exercise their discretion to not record the convictions.  Our client received a $500.00 fine for two stealing offences.  The convictions were not recorded on her criminal history.

WARNING:

This is a summary of an actual case. Details have been omitted to protect the privacy of our client. We select cases which are informative and no guarantee is provided that similar results are achievable in all cases. Every case is different and you should obtain legal advice specific to your matter and circumstances.