Moment of weakness could have ruined future
Mon 21 May 2007
John Hammond, Journalism
Maroochydore Magistrate Cliff Taylor yesterday saved a woman’s future plans for business ownership by not recording a stealing conviction against her.
Cherie Patricia Sloan, who represented herself, pleaded guilty to stealing a black Gucci wallet containing $160 from the Nambour RSL gaming room on March 10, 2007.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Andrew MacPherson told the court the wallet owner, Elizabeth Phillips, dropped it on the gaming room floor about 4pm that day.
The court heard the club’s security video footage showed Sloan pick up the wallet. When approached by the gaming room manager she denied having possession of it.
Police were called but before they arrived Sloan entered the ladies’ toilets. When police searched Sloan they were unable to locate the wallet.
A subsequent search of the ladies’ toilets located it in a toilet cistern but with the money missing.
Sloan appealed to Mr Taylor not to record a conviction as it would affect her credit application and partnership in a fish shop in Gladstone.
Mr Taylor said he took into account it was an opportunistic crime and fined her $200 plus $160 restitution to Ms Phillips with three months to pay.
“You have no prior history; I won’t record a conviction,” he said.
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