Dear Editor,
I was certainly taken aback by a report in the Observer this week which stated that a man was given a three-month prison sentence by Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey for stealing a tube of toothpaste!
This seemed extremely harsh for an extremely petty theft from a pharmacy. If I were in the pharmacy at the time, I would have paid for the toothpaste for the man and given him a bit of advice about the perils of stealing.
This poor man obviously could not afford to buy the toothpaste, the courts could've at least given him "a bligh" and a stern warning, even if this was the second time he was being caught.
The man admitted he was stupid for doing it again. Must we always overreact to the situation to exercise our might and power? We want to get it right but end up overdoing things and looking ridiculous. There was no compassion, not even from the store owner who got him arrested and took him to court to stand trial over a tube of toothpaste. What a waste of time and valuable resources.
Why not ban the man from the pharmacy premises if you must? Is this an effective way to teach someone who obviously cannot afford to buy basic necessities not to steal? If only we had the same level of authority and passion to find and convict murderers. We need to find better ways to teach right from wrong. God help the man.
With all due respect for the courts and the judiciary system, let's try to get things right, but not get carried away and look ridiculous at the same time.
P Chin
chin_p@yahoo.com
3 months for stealing toothpaste?
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I was certainly taken aback by a report in the Observer this week which stated that a man was given a three-month prison sentence by Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey for stealing a tube of toothpaste!
This seemed extremely harsh for an extremely petty theft from a pharmacy. If I were in the pharmacy at the time, I would have paid for the toothpaste for the man and given him a bit of advice about the perils of stealing.
This poor man obviously could not afford to buy the toothpaste, the courts could've at least given him "a bligh" and a stern warning, even if this was the second time he was being caught.
The man admitted he was stupid for doing it again. Must we always overreact to the situation to exercise our might and power? We want to get it right but end up overdoing things and looking ridiculous. There was no compassion, not even from the store owner who got him arrested and took him to court to stand trial over a tube of toothpaste. What a waste of time and valuable resources.
Why not ban the man from the pharmacy premises if you must? Is this an effective way to teach someone who obviously cannot afford to buy basic necessities not to steal? If only we had the same level of authority and passion to find and convict murderers. We need to find better ways to teach right from wrong. God help the man.
With all due respect for the courts and the judiciary system, let's try to get things right, but not get carried away and look ridiculous at the same time.
P Chin
chin_p@yahoo.com
3 months for stealing toothpaste?
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