With the recent guilty plea by disgraced former Green Party MP, Golriz Ghaharman, there is much speculation about what will, and should be her sentence and punishment.
In terms of the value of the shoplifting there is the case currently before the Courts of a Nelson based shoplifter. Albeit one who prefers food as her theft item of choice, and is also somewhat of a ‘Robin Hood’ character giving some of her loot to mates who are in need.
“Ebony Rapana admitted nine shoplifting charges in the Nelson District Court on Monday, four of which were for theft of goods worth over $1000. In total, she stole items worth $8278 from several Countdown stores over a 10-month period from July 2022”.“Judge Jo Rielly said it was “significant shoplifting offending” and that Rapana was lucky not to have been remanded in custody but the offending had taken time to catch up with her”.
Maybe Rielly DCJ is setting a precedent for others to follow.
Ms Rapana certainly was not on a huge tax payers salary like Ms Ghaharman.
Nor was Ms Rapana a lawyer.
Nor was Ms Rapana a justice spokesperson for the Green Party.
The looming comparison in penalties will be unavoidable.
