Is she a criminal?

[ragsrule]

Hi,

I hope I am in the right place for this...

 

 

today whilst out shopping with my Sister I needed to go into boots for some bits but my Sister kept saying we didn't have enough time

.. And was trying to get out of going in there.

I couldn't go in on my own as I am in a wheelchair and she has to push me.

I was getting annoyed because I never get out due to my I'll health and this was a rare treat.

 

eventually she says she can't go into boots as she is banned.

.. What ever for I said and she broke down and said way back in 1986 she was in boots shopping for toiletries

that she needed to take into hospital as she was pre-booked for an operation on the Monday.

 

 

She said that she was wandering around the store with a basket and gathered her goods,

she said she was in a daze and not really paying much attention but she picked up some false nails and was looking at them.

 

Then she wanted to check her shopping list which was in her bag,

she said her hands were full but for some unknown reason she put the basket on the floor

but put these false nails in her bag and got out her purse and list.

Then went to pick up the last few items she needed and headed for the tills.

She got her purse out and paid for her goods and went to walk out the doors.

 

Outside she said she was stopped by a woman and was questioned, she can't remember every detail

but was asked if the woman could look in her bag.

By now there are now two women and they said she had to follow them into the shop which she did.

In a room at the back of the store they emptied her bag out and of course these nails were in there.

 

She was asked why she didn't pay for them and she said she hadn't realised they were even in her bag.

Now she didn't need them, she has beautiful nails,

she said she had been looking at them out of interest but had thought she had put them back on the shelf.

 

she said they called the police and she would have to go to court.

She was by now in tears, she said she offered to pay for them even though she didn't need or want them

. But they refused her money. Apparently they were a little over £3.50...

 

The police arrived and spoke to her, she again offered to pay and said she was sorry, she didn't mean to steal anything,

hadn't even realised she had done it.

The police asked the other women what did they want and they said they wanted to press charges

. They took my Sister's details and said she was banned from all boots stores.

 

She was then taken to the police station where they charged her and let her go.

Now here is where she says she has difficulty remembering the events.

But she said she had to attend court, she had representation, she was fined £50.

She remembers that but said something about suspended for two years

but she doesn't quite remember what was suspended for two years.

 

She has been so scared anyone would find out, her picture wasn't taken, she can't even remember if her fingerprints were taken.

But will she still have a criminal record,

is she classed as a criminal,

would she need to tell people if she is a criminal for employment purposes etc..

. and is a ban from boots a life ban.

 

 

She said she has wanted to go to the police station and ask these questions but has been too frightened.

 

Could anyone here advise me please so I can let her know and put her mind at rest.

.. She has carried this guilty secret all these years on her own.

 

 

This was the first and last time this had happened to her,

I know she is not a thief,

I trust her to collect money from the cash machine for me and do any shopping

 

 

. I just want to try to help her now she has reached out to me..

Many Thanks in advance...

[dx100uk]

1986!!!

 

 

totally forget about it.

 

 

dx

[stu007]

Please Please tell her to stop worrying '1986' she can go into that store with you without any repercussions..

 

Show them this thread and if still unsure tell them to pop in and ask advice.

[BazzaS]

Hi,

I hope I am in the right place for this... But today whilst out shopping with my Sister I needed to go into boots for some bits but my Sister kept saying we didn't have enough time etc.. And was trying to get out of going in there. I couldn't go in on my own as I am in a wheelchair and she has to push me. I was getting annoyed because I never get out due to my I'll health and this was a rare treat.

Anyway eventually she says she can't go into boots as she is banned... What ever for I said and she broke down and said way back in 1986 she was in boots shopping for toiletries that she needed to take into hospital as she was pre-booked for an operation on the Monday. She said that she was wandering around the store with a basket and gathered her goods, she said she was in a daze and not really paying much attention but she picked up some false nails and was looking at them.

 

Then she wanted to check her shopping list which was in her bag, she said her hands were full but for some unknown reason she put the basket on the floor but put these false nails in her bag and got out her purse and list. Then went to pick up the last few items she needed and headed for the tills. She got her purse out and paid for her goods and went to walk out the doors.

 

Outside she said she was stopped by a woman and was questioned, she can't remember every detail but was asked if the woman could look in her bag. By now there are now two women and they said she had to follow them into the shop which she did. In a room at the back of the store they emptied her bag out and of course these nails were in there.

 

She was asked why she didn't pay for them and she said she hadn't realised they were even in her bag. Now she didn't need them, she has beautiful nails, she said she had been looking at them out of interest but had thought she had put them back on the shelf.

Anyway she said they called the police and she would have to go to court. She was by now in tears, she said she offered to pay for them even though she didn't need or want them. But they refused her money. Apparently they were a little over £3.50...

 

The police arrived and spoke to her, she again offered to pay and said she was sorry, she didn't mean to steal anything, hadn't even realised she had done it. The police asked the other women what did they want and they said they wanted to press charges. They took my Sister's details and said she was banned from all boots stores.

 

She was then taken to the police station where they charged her and let her go. Now here is where she says she has difficulty remembering the events. But she said she had to attend court, she had representation, she was fined £50. She remembers that but said something about suspended for two years but she doesn't quite remember what was suspended for two years.

 

She has been so scared anyone would find out, her picture wasn't taken, she can't even remember if her fingerprints were taken.

But will she still have a criminal record, is she classed as a criminal, would she need to tell people if she is a criminal for employment purposes etc... and is a ban from boots a life ban. She said she has wanted to go to the police station and ask these questions but has been too frightened.

 

Could anyone here advise me please so I can let her know and put her mind at rest... She has carried this guilty secret all these years on her own. This was the first and last time this had happened to her, I know she is not a thief, I trust her to collect money from the cash machine for me and do any shopping. I just want to try to help her now she has reached out to me..

Many Thanks in advance...

 

If she was fined in court, then she was convicted and (for some purposes) has a criminal record.

It also sounds like she received a suspended sentence.

 

For most purposes, given this was almost 30 years ago : it is "spent" under the rehabilitation of offenders legislation. Gone, forgotten. She doesn't have to mention it to employers unless the employer specifically notes the post is "exempt from the provisions of the rehabilitation of offenders legislation" (and even so, most employers won't be bothered by a minor offence 30 years ago, where someone has led a blameless life since : let alone where your sister can say "yes, I was convicted but I still maintain it wasn't deliberate")

 

As for Boots : there is the legal theory, the practical, and the effect on your sister.

In theory, Boots have the right to ban people on whatever basis they choose (as long as it isn't demonstrably on a "protected characteristic" such as race or religion)

In theory, if she has received a ban for life, if she goes into a branch of Boots without permission : she is a trespasser.

 

In practice, after almost 30 years : no one (except her?) will remember.

 

Many people would just go into Boots.

If she is worried that she'd be anxious (& that in itself might make her of interest to the store security as they'd pick up on signs like nervousness), she could write to Boots head office.

 

I'm not a fan of fibbing, but if she did write it might complicate things to say she was innocent but convicted. She might consider saying it was a one off, 30 years ago, she regrets it and has abided by the ban for 30 years, as well as having avoided any wrong doing since.

That she now finds herself needing to go into Boots / to help you go into Boots : that she has had the embarrassment of having to reveal this all to you now.

She could then ask for the ban to be lifted, in order that you aren't punished for her error 30 years ago.

 

They'd know that she could have just gone in and not let on.

I'd hope that they would realise that she doesn't pose a risk of re-offending, and let her know the ban is lifted.

(30 years on : if she went into a branch, how on earth would they know it was her?)

[silverfox1961]

Hi,

there is nothing I can say that hasn't been said above. After nearly 30 years there will be nothing stopping her going anywhere she likes. while she may feel ashamed to go into Boots, she need not be. They have long forgotten about the act, your sisters facial features have surely changed and the staff there won't be the same either.

 

Nobody will care if she went into the store again. Please tell her to stop stressing over something that happened so long ago.

[renegadeimp]

They likely forgot she existed the second she walked out of the door all those years ago.

[ragsrule]

Thank you all so very much for your honest and reassuring comments. I honestly have no idea why she felt she could not talk to me about this when it happened.... She has held down several jobs of trust over the years, raised a good honest family, working alone in peoples homes measuring up and then going back to their homes to hang the curtains she has made, often left with the keys to get on with things whilst her clients are off holidaying wherever so it's not as if she can't be trusted.

Her Grandson is a Policeman, maybe she has fretted more so recently in case it came out and she brought shame to him as the store is in her home town, on his area...

 

What ever her thoughts I am going to feel so happy telling her that she need not worry anymore, she really was so very upset yesterday, I've never seen her so distraught. To think for 30 years she has thought that boots would have spy glasses looking out for her or something, bless her.

 

But, Seriously.. Thank you for all your advice, I really do appreciate it...