"Pressure" from partner led woman to steal from dad

Sunday 24 December 2023

A woman who stole her father’s bank card, cheque book and mobile phone and took them to London with her has avoided jail after the court heard that she had been manipulated and felt "deep remorse".

Instead, Relief Magistrate Sarah Fitz imposed a nine-month probation order and added a community service order of 90 hours because it was a second offence.

Lara Carol Hill (34) stole the items in June, but said she had been put under pressure by her then-partner to obtain money.

It came after she had already stolen £2,500 from her previous employer, Roberts West garage in St Peter, and paid a cheque for £830 to which she was not entitled into her bank account, the Magistrate's Court was told.

Advocate Howard Tobias, prosecuting, said of the recent offences: “The three items that were taken were from her father. She went to London and tried to use the card there.”

Pictured: The case was heard in the Magistrate's Court this week.

Hill was deemed to be at moderate risk of re-offending, but Advocate Allana Binnie, defending, said that Hill had been put under “a great deal of pressure” to obtain money by a former partner.

She said: “She had already taken out a number of loans for him. He used all available methods to get money out of my client.”

She added: “She is a genuine, caring, kind and compassionate person but she was facing guilt, fear and manipulation.

“It is clear that it was an extremely abusive relationship. She has turned her back on the relationship.”

Advocate Binnie added that Hill had been glad that the bank card had been refused when she tried to use it in London. And she said: “She returned to Jersey knowing that she would be met by the police at the airport.

“She gave full co-operation and admitted the offence in interview. She has shown genuine and deep remorse.”

Hill was also ordered to pay compensation of £169.