a friend of mine (Kate*) recently did something very stupid that landed her in some trouble with the law. to cut a long story short she took some money from the supermarket she worked for.

She was caught, and arrested that day. She neither needed nor spent the money, everything she took was there to give back. it was a classic cry for help, and she is now paying the price. She got 120 hours community service but cannot currently carryout the order due to stress related health problems. She may have to go back to court to be re-sentenced which is further adding to her worry and pain.

A month ago, a girl stole £15,000 from the bank that she worked for as a teller (my friend took £475) she spent most of the money (she only had about £2,900 left) and she got 70 hours community service.

The difference between her and Kate? She was 17 and Kate is 18. In Britain the legal age for drinking and being an adult etc is 18, and because of the year difference my friend was tried as an adult and recieved a harsher punishment for a lesser crime.

Subsequently while kate was working in a charity shop for her order, the manageress had something against her very badly and reported kate for doing things she didn't do. there was no kind of investigation kate merely recieved a summons back to court for breaking the order. It was bloody lucky we had a probation officer who knew what he was doing!! (the officer who sent out the letter was a woman who didn't care about individuals, she saw them all as criminals)

It makes me so mad

Sorry about your friend Zippy.
I don't know how much leeway judges have in sentencing in England but here in the states unless their is a minimum sentence for what a person is found guilty for the judge can do almost whatever he/she decides as sentencing. Which could mean very different sentences for people guilty of the same thing.

I hope your friend Kate sees a mental health professional about what she did. It was a cry for help and a mental health pro. can give her that help. The right one can make a big difference in her life.

15,000 pounds!!! In the states you would go to jail. Without question. That's grand larceny.

It is unfortunate how so many people look badly on people who have committed a crime. Like they never broke the law themselves or done anything wrong. People can be so unfair and judgemental.

The best thing Kate can do is take full responsibility for herself and her actions. Get help and act with the most honor(honour) she can summon up. She has put herself in a position where many people will think less of her. By behaving and being the best she can she can overcome that. Most people notice it. And if they don't she'll have the knowledge and respect for herself.

Its so frustrating that a girl got such a lesser sentence just because she was a year younger (actually it could have been a matter of months, or days!) but because she was't old enough to be tried as an adult she got a ridiculously leniant sentence. It was dealt with in a magistrates court rather than in front of a judge and jury (kinda like judge judy but without the cameras!) kate was on her best behaviour at the shop and its a shame that the manageress had such a problem. but it was obvious because reports written about her by other shop staff were glowing.
i hope for her sake she doesn't have to go back to court, i dont know if she could cope. its lucky she has so many friends around her who are willing to stand by her despite what she's done