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Original poster

Will I go to prison

215 replies

user1496147688 · 28/01/2018 15:12

Hi,
So I’m 19 years old and I got caught with fraudulent receipts.
So I created fake receipts, with stolen items on them. Then these items were returned by me and someone else. It would at least be £200 worth of this. I told them I had done it because they had CCTV of everything and it was so clear I couldn’t deny it. They called the police and said that the police would come to my house or call me soon which could be any day. Maybe today, tomorrow, weeks, I don’t know.
This is the first time I would be in trouble with the police, and I go to college.
Would I be sent to prison for this or what else would happen?

OP posts:
Original poster
user1496147688 · 28/01/2018 17:27

Because I have no one else to talk to. My boyfriend pushed all my friends away. I don’t speak to any of my family. I can’t talk to my mum and dad about it, and on here there are so many people so I’d be able to see everyone’s opinions

OP posts:
ArsenicNLace · 28/01/2018 17:28

What KitKat said. This is more than just 'petty shoplifting' than some people seem to think. It will be 'theft by employee' which as it includes a serious breach of trust is regarded as much more serious than straight forward shoplifting. Also there is the additional crime for fraud.

If Primark do decide to prosecute (and they may not bother with the hassle as long as they've got rid of her) they are likely to do a full audit first and if there are any other financial discrepancies they may point the finger for those at the OP who has shown herself to be a thief.

Greensleeves · 28/01/2018 17:29

Get rid of him OP

Talk to Women's Aid, talk to your college. Make something good come out of this.

YerAuntFanny · 28/01/2018 17:29

Do your parents know @user1496147688?

SandyDenny · 28/01/2018 17:32

I think I understand a little better although your posts are still confusing.

You say you rang something through the till so you had a receipt (how come no one queried a till £50 short?) But then you say you kept the receipts from actual customers and stole those things to order and returned them.

Is that right - you did two different methods to steal?

Primark must have pretty rubbish checks on staff, I worked in a big chain department store and we weren't allowed to take anything onto or off the shop floor and the tills were tightly controlled. I don't think anyone could have got away with a scam like that.

Do they really have CCTV of you or did they say that to get you to confess?

SandyDenny · 28/01/2018 17:34

Also, the receipts weren't fake, they were actual receipts, I think that might be confusing people.

Ginorchoc · 28/01/2018 17:36

Do you think that they might not call the Police, seems unusual they haven’t done so at the time, are you going to be called back if you’re currently suspended? If the Police are called you’re entitled to free legal advice at the Police Station so ask for the duty solicitor. I’d agree with offering to pay it back. Where you are now doesn’t reflect where you’ll be in later years so deal with it as you can now with the correct advice and then move on, I don’t know what your history is but you can move on and up from this.

Original poster
user1496147688 · 28/01/2018 17:39

Yeah they do know because my mums a supervisor there aswell

OP posts:
JustanotherJP · 28/01/2018 17:39

Kursk
Given the state of public finances it’s not economically viable to sentace someone for a low level crime.

I disagree. I have seen this sort of thing in court. The state of public finances does not impact on sentencing. The only way it does impact is that we are encouraged to suspend custodial sentences where appropriate. It would still be a custodial sentence on her criminal record.

Mogginthemog · 28/01/2018 17:41

user i am probably way off the mark here but I’m wondering if at some level you wanted to be caught? Sort of a cry for help? You have so much going on that sounds really hard to deal with. You need some support to help you through by the sounds of it. You’re young, you have your whole life to live and deserve help both practically and emotionally to deal with the ongoing abuse and this latest situation. Do you feel able to tell your GP what’s going on and to phone Women’s Aid. You sound frightened and really struggling and it’s not surprising with everything you are trying to cope with.

Original poster
user1496147688 · 28/01/2018 17:41

They did ask me about it after it happened, and I said I didn’t know
They told my mum (a supervisor there) that they had watched me since the first time it happened and just gathered even more evidence.
And yes they do have CCTV because they showed me it :(
The first meeting I had I denied it all and said I didn’t remeber, but they suspended me to look into it further, and the second interview which was yesterday I just admitted it

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 28/01/2018 17:41

Op, are you in Scotland or England?

Original poster
user1496147688 · 28/01/2018 17:42

I’m in England, living near London

OP posts:
Dizzybacon · 28/01/2018 17:43

Have you actually been arrested yet? plead guilty and put your ‘never been in trouble before’ case to the police and they may not prosecute. They will offer you a free duty solicitor. If they decide to charge you, you will go to court. Probably a magistrate. You will be fined and probably get a community service order. Prison is highly doubtful, however, IF you did get a prison sentence your solicitor would appeal and you be out the next day. Don’t worry about prison though.

Look forward to a fine and working in an old folks home for a bit.

flumpybear · 28/01/2018 17:44

You've been a fucking idiot! You know that!

You'll probably get access to the duty solicitor when the police arrest you. They'll likely search your house for other stolen items or evidence but I suspect you'll just get a year conviction but not jail time or a caution which I don't think goes on your record (I know little about this)
If you go get charged you'll need to put this in application forms til it's 'spent' .... probably a year... but it'll
Come up on future DBS or CRB checks if you work with children or vulnerable people in the future in which case it'll be judged whether it's relevant to the job you're getting eg if I see a person for a job they has say a spent conviction for petty theft and they'll be an administrator then it may not matter but say if it was violence then perhaps they would be more likely to not get a job
Do yourself a favour and keep your nose clean ffs - you can't just wipe the board clean and for the sake of a few quid it's just not worth it!

Italiangreyhound · 28/01/2018 17:44

@user1496147688

Sounds like you have had a tough time, speak to Women's Aid and get help. Get away from any abusive relationships. Your life is worth so much more. Find a way forward and learn from this, let this be a turning point.

Thanks
Original poster
user1496147688 · 28/01/2018 17:44

I honestly don’t know why I done it. Yes I have a lot going on, but I’m not using it as an excuse. So I have my parents which are quite abusive and always pressure me. An abusive boyfriend, practically no friends. Even at college I never showed up but that’s started to get better as I’m doing the work now.
So I guess I’m just going to wait to see what happens

OP posts:
OOOOOOOOOOO · 28/01/2018 17:46

.

Original poster
user1496147688 · 28/01/2018 17:46

I know I’ve been an idiot, I don’t know what I was doing

OP posts:
Italiangreyhound · 28/01/2018 17:48

"So I guess I’m just going to wait to see what happens"

Do that about the theft situation but get help to get away from these abusive people. Do you live with your parents/this guy? Is there any way you can move and live elsewhere?

Dizzybacon · 28/01/2018 17:49

Sorry it looks like the police haven’t been involved yet.

Go to your bosses (well ex boss now) plead your backside off, show remorse, cry, offer to compensate them. Do everything you can do stop them taking this further.

We don’t need to tell you not to be so stupid again!

CritEqual · 28/01/2018 17:49

Plain as day why she did it. She wanted to get caught. It's not an uncommon pathology, and the way she did it practically invited getting caught. She has a shredded self esteem and sense of self and has committed a crime to reinforce this negative view of herself. In essence she's on a precipice on who she is going to be for the rest of her life. Why she posted on here? Easy she wanted the condemnation to reinforce that negative view of herself, and possibly a real experience of being parented properly.

Greensleeves · 28/01/2018 17:51

It's self-destructive behaviour and a cry for help. That's not meant as an insult Flowers but you need to use this as a turning point. Things can't go on as they are, you are clearly deeply unhappy. You need to get away from the abusive people in your life and into a safe place - Women's Aid can help you, or there may be a welfare officer at college, or even the CAB. You'll feel better as soon as you start making moves towards getting yourself out of this situation, honestly. The boyfriend is a dead weight - get support to get rid of him.

You haven't fucked your life up. You're 19 and you've made a bad mistake, which in my opinion is because you're desperately unhappy - that is what needs to change. And it can!!

Nicknacky · 28/01/2018 17:51

Or maybe with a more basic reason that she wanted the money. Which she said herself was the case.

GreenTulips · 28/01/2018 17:51

Go and see student services at college and speak to the listening Service

They will listen and offer you some support

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