3 Months imprisonment for shoplifting a £10 pair of jeans...

[sandyRoe]

A 27 year old single mother has just been sentenced to 3 months for a first offence of stealing a £10 pair of jeans. Did the judge get out of the wrong side of the bed, or what?

[ummmm]

That's a bit harsh...

[piggynose]

one law for the rich and one law for the poor.
as its always been

[pink-kittens]

Can't see anything wrong in that?
Stealing is stealing no matter the whys and wherefore's
Lets hope she learns her lesson - it's the children who will really suffer here, not her

[Bbbananas]

That's far too harsh. Disgusting in fact. All the scum that's walking the streets being violent, and she gets this for a £10 pair of jeans...

[sandyRoe]

If the law was consistent there would be nothing wrong with that sentence. I've read of shoplifters who, while out on bail for one offence, were rearrested and still didn't get a prison sentence.

[Bbbananas]

But to imprison someone for shoplifting, and yet rapists, thugs, muggers, violent scumbags walk free with hardly any punishment whatsoever... the law is an ass sometimes.

[jackthehat]

I think that's entirely the point, Sandy..........the consistency of sentencing.
If all shop-lifters (a victimless crime !) were banged up and then we saw an increase in commensurate sentencing from there, there would be a perception, at least, that the concerns of the majority of the population were actaully being listened to.

[piggynose]

yes this is a horrible comparison, but it seems that football referees and judges are very similar. it all depends who you get

[sandyRoe]

Here's a link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/...hern-ireland-12353258

[redcrx]

perhaps it was the 5 day trial and the fact that she didnt plead guilty that made it a harsher sentance than most?

[razza]

Its not harsh its just that other sentences are far too lenient.

[sandyRoe]

I suppose her real crime was an offence against good taste. If you were out to steal a pair of jeans would you pick the £10 ones?

[jno]

if she'd been an MP she could just have put them on expenses.

[China Doll]

I don't see the problem, 3 months isn't that long and she stole something. I think it's a perfectly reasonable sentence. I do agree that sentencing itself (for a lot of crimes) does sometimes appear rather muddled and not consistent to me but I think 3 months is not overly harsh.