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Thread ID: 122887 2012-01-18 13:28:00 You can steal if you really need it... Cato (6936) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1254865 2012-01-18 13:28:00 www.stuff.co.nz


A 29-year-old woman who stole more than $85,000 of benefit money has avoided imprisonment after the court heard it was "need rather than greed".
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was given four months' home detention and 160 hours community work by Judge Denise Clark
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"Had I thought this was purely a case of greed the starting point would've been quite different," she [the judge] said.


How nice of Judge Clark, good on ya.
Cato (6936)
1254866 2012-01-18 13:40:00 A few hundred bucks is need, 85 grand is greed. Even though it was over 9 years. Lock her up and lock up the stupid judge as well until she learns to be a proper judge and show a bit of grit. Iantech (16386)
1254867 2012-01-18 18:34:00 A few hundred bucks is need, 85 grand is greed. Even though it was over 9 years. Lock her up and lock up the stupid judge as well until she learns to be a proper judge and show a bit of grit. Yeah and spend another $90000 keeping her locked up for a year - I see the logic in that for the tax payer. Home detention is cheaper, the community service might have been a few more hours though. Twelvevolts (5457)
1254868 2012-01-18 18:41:00 Yeah and spend another $90000 keeping her locked up for a year - I see the logic in that for the tax payer. Home detention is cheaper, the community service might have been a few more hours though.

No lopping off her right hand with a sword would be much cheaper and a permanent reminder of how stupid she is
gary67 (56)
1254869 2012-01-18 18:47:00 Yeah and spend another $90000 keeping her locked up for a year - I see the logic in that for the tax payer. Home detention is cheaper, the community service might have been a few more hours though.

So because it costs us money to punish her we shouldn't?

We need to rework out prison system, 4 to a cell, food (preferably something nasty) once a day and 10 hours of hard labour.
Cato (6936)
1254870 2012-01-18 19:50:00 So because it costs us money to punish her we shouldn't?

We need to rework out prison system, 4 to a cell, food (preferably something nasty) once a day and 10 hours of hard labour.
I hope you don't get caught.
Cicero (40)
1254871 2012-01-18 19:55:00 No lopping off her right hand with a sword would be much cheaper and a permanent reminder of how stupid she is

You're talking about the judge's gavel-wielding hand I hope? :badpc:
WalOne (4202)
1254872 2012-01-18 19:58:00 You can't fairly judge these things based on one article. You'd have to be in court and hear the evidence to really know whether the
judge made a good call.

I think someone should have done an audit on how much was spent on unecessary items over that time, if it all went on feeding the kids and keeping the family healthy I might feel sympathetic.
If there's a box of beer and a carton of cigarettes every week and trips to the pub, then it's stealing to maintain your habits and I'd throw the book at her.

People complain it's hard to live on a benefit, but it's charity after all and shouldn't be an easy lifestyle in my opinion. It takes money out of the hands of those who earn it and puts in in the hands of those that don't, who then complain it isn't enough. I honestly feel for those people who through circumstances have no choice but to live on a benefit and struggle to survive, but for all those who don't even try I have no sympathy at all.

I have friends an relatives who have survived and managed fairly well for years on a sickness benefit or the dole, it may not be easy but it can definately be done.
dugimodo (138)
1254873 2012-01-18 20:00:00 Well it works out at about $26 a day (9400 a year), not exactly a lot to live by. Although it is still stealing and I don't exactly agree on the punishment I do accept a lesser one is applicable here. Her theft was a little more refined than defrauding 85 grand outright. The Error Guy (14052)
1254874 2012-01-18 22:16:00 Good reason for reintroduction of the death penalty. prefect (6291)
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