Legal question

[Scarlett]

Just realised we don't have a legal section!

My student has been done for credit card fraud, to the tune of �800. She spent it on cannabis. She is 16, nearly 17. Does anyone know the most likely thing the courts will do? she is petrified she will go to jail.

[spaced]

it really does depend. Might teach her a lesson though! I can think of a million better things than drugs to spend �800 quid on.

[laurence2]

scarlett, Don't take this the wrong way, i,ve NO time for drug users, i'm glad she is petrified, but the likely hood is she won't go to jail, Thats providing she has'nt got a criminal record?

A more burning question, Is she going to stop drug taking, it might be in some peoples eyes that cannabis is a recreational drug, but this will almost certainly lead to heavier drugs?

And with drug taking comes thiefing, they go hand in hand, She seriously needs to decide which path she wants to take in life Now and act, od she won't be your student much longer.

[len_1]

It is very unlikely she'll get a prison term. She'll most likely get a few hours community service. They don't fine minors (for obvious reasons). It really depends on the court she's be summons to and the judge on the day.

Again, i have to say she's a stupid girl for getting involved like this. But hopefully this will teach her a lesson.

Maybe you should consider telling her there's a 50/50 chance of getting a prison term. That way she's think 4 or 5 times before she does anything stupid next time.

[CT]

I'd also say don't reassure her with the answers from here. Let her worry a bit more. Might just teach her a bit more of a lesson.

[Scarlett]

well, she has already been on Brat Camp and that clearly did absolutely nothing. She reckons she is "addicted" to cannabis.

[laurence2]

scarlett, it seems that your wasting your time with the waster

[steveb]

goodness me laurence2 calm down drug use and crime dont always go hand in hand at all. take it you don believe in second chances then?

[laurence2]

steve, it sounds like she's had plenty of chances, and you are correct, i,ve no time for smack heads

[tigilou]

Hi she is to appear in the youth court i take it its extremly unlikely she will go to prison she could get community service, if she says she is addicted to cannabis a drug treatment and testing ordermight be made availible, and more than likely a fine to re-pay back the money and one for prosecution costs on top of her community service order. I strongly recommend she gets a solicitor if she hasnt already. If she re-offends she may well next time which is worth telling her

[jno]

steveb of course cannabis and crime don't always go together... but they already have in this case. So it sounds like spending a while being petrified would be no bad thing; perhaps in future, whatever she uses won't exceed her ability to pay. (Though it seems she's already blaming her 'addiction' rather than herself.) Anyway, she's being punished for being a fraudster, not for being a, er, smack head.

[WendyS]

Scarlett, I'm sorry you're having this anxiety about your daughter. I honestly don't know what the outcome is likely to be. However, having been to Brat Camp, taking annabis, and now credit card fraud at this young age, she really does need taking in hand before the pattern of her life goes permanently wrong and I think living with this element of fear and uncertainty about what will happen to her may be a good thing. Can you ground her for the time being, destroy her credit card and have a word with the issuer to prevent it being replaced. As a student she has the potential to do so much with her life. Try as hard as you can to impress on her that she now has a choice and that she will soon be reaching the age as an adult when she needs to start taking responsibility for herself and her behaviour. Good luck and let us know what happened.

[Scarlett]

WendyS- Sorry- she is not my daughter!!! She is just a girl I teach. So I can't ground her. I think the credit card is probably her Mum's. But I will keep you posted.