Teenager who used friend's gym membership convicted of fraud
Discussion
Anyone else think this was an utter waste of time and money?
Could the police not have offered him a caution instead of taking it to court?
Could the police not have offered him a caution instead of taking it to court?
Express said:
A DECISION to spend £1,200 of taxpayers’ money prosecuting a teenager over a 53p fraud has been labelled “barmy”.
Nathan Sparrow, 18, pleaded guilty to using a friend’s gym pass for just over an hour on one occasion in October.
But Olwen Davies, defending, told Leicester magistrates the case had cost £1,200 in legal fees, court time, and police preparation.
In contrast, she said, the value of the fraud was 53p, as the gym charged £15.99 a month for membership.
Sparrow, who claimed he didn’t know he was breaking the law, was given a 12-month conditional discharge, and ordered to pay £185 costs.
Charlotte Linacre, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: “It is totally barmy to waste taxpayers’ money by spending over £1,000 chasing such a small sum.”
Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/216547/-1-200-...
Nathan Sparrow, 18, pleaded guilty to using a friend’s gym pass for just over an hour on one occasion in October.
But Olwen Davies, defending, told Leicester magistrates the case had cost £1,200 in legal fees, court time, and police preparation.
In contrast, she said, the value of the fraud was 53p, as the gym charged £15.99 a month for membership.
Sparrow, who claimed he didn’t know he was breaking the law, was given a 12-month conditional discharge, and ordered to pay £185 costs.
Charlotte Linacre, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: “It is totally barmy to waste taxpayers’ money by spending over £1,000 chasing such a small sum.”
Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/216547/-1-200-...
Ayn Rand said:
There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.
Not forgetting pointless and petty enforcement of any law that makes an easy catch for lazy policing and law enforcement in general, meaning the CPS and braid not front line BiB.It would be a more useful waste of money to prosecute the relevant CPS eejit for misconduct in public office.
Can't we offer conditional cautions? Caution him on the condition he signs up to the gym for 12 months. Done.
ETA: Seriously. Although I'm against the principle of police being judge/jury/executioner, surely if all parties involved felt the conditions were fair then it would be acceptable.
ETA: Seriously. Although I'm against the principle of police being judge/jury/executioner, surely if all parties involved felt the conditions were fair then it would be acceptable.
Edited by Stevenj214 on Friday 10th December 14:15
The one thing people seem to have missed (including The Express and the Police etc) is that in order for him to be prosecuted, the Gym in question must have known that he wasn't the person who 'owned' the gym membership, yet, still let him in for an hour and/or allowed him to stay, and only then involved the constabulary.
Call it a simple solution if you like, but surely not giving him access when he came in would have been far simpler and less expensive solution (albeit less sensasionalist for the papers of course). Considering the soulution is so simple, I rather suspect theres more to this than meets the eye. (but then that doen't make a good story does it).
Call it a simple solution if you like, but surely not giving him access when he came in would have been far simpler and less expensive solution (albeit less sensasionalist for the papers of course). Considering the soulution is so simple, I rather suspect theres more to this than meets the eye. (but then that doen't make a good story does it).
neilr said:
The one thing people seem to have missed (including The Express and the Police etc) is that in order for him to be prosecuted, the Gym in question must have known that he wasn't the person who 'owned' the gym membership, yet, still let him in for an hour and/or allowed him to stay, and only then involved the constabulary.
Call it a simple solution if you like, but surely not giving him access when he came in would have been far simpler and less expensive solution (albeit less sensasionalist for the papers of course). Considering the soulution is so simple, I rather suspect theres more to this than meets the eye. (but then that doen't make a good story does it).
Many gyms have automated barriers - perhaps he just walked through it.Call it a simple solution if you like, but surely not giving him access when he came in would have been far simpler and less expensive solution (albeit less sensasionalist for the papers of course). Considering the soulution is so simple, I rather suspect theres more to this than meets the eye. (but then that doen't make a good story does it).
neilr said:
The one thing people seem to have missed (including The Express and the Police etc) is that in order for him to be prosecuted, the Gym in question must have known that he wasn't the person who 'owned' the gym membership, yet, still let him in for an hour and/or allowed him to stay, and only then involved the constabulary.
Call it a simple solution if you like, but surely not giving him access when he came in would have been far simpler and less expensive solution (albeit less sensasionalist for the papers of course). Considering the soulution is so simple, I rather suspect theres more to this than meets the eye. (but then that doen't make a good story does it).
My gym has a swipe card. Anyone could in theory use my card and would only be found out if questioned.Call it a simple solution if you like, but surely not giving him access when he came in would have been far simpler and less expensive solution (albeit less sensasionalist for the papers of course). Considering the soulution is so simple, I rather suspect theres more to this than meets the eye. (but then that doen't make a good story does it).
TonyHetherington said:
I agree - the 53p fraud is completely irrelevant. With a minimum year's membership period and 15.99 a month you could equally claim it a near £200 fraud.
I'm a member of 'The Gym' and they don't operate contracts. You just pay £15.99 a month and cancel whenever. They do offer £5 a day access, though. If that's what you want.
I used someone elses membership yesterday by accident. f
ked up my pin number, started again and half way through the door opened. No idea whose I used. Lol.Frankeh said:
TonyHetherington said:
I agree - the 53p fraud is completely irrelevant. With a minimum year's membership period and 15.99 a month you could equally claim it a near £200 fraud.
I'm a member of 'The Gym' and they don't operate contracts. You just pay £15.99 a month and cancel whenever. They do offer £5 a day access, though. If that's what you want.
I used someone elses membership yesterday by accident. f
ked up my pin number, started again and half way through the door opened. No idea whose I used. Lol.I don't get the logic. But then again Tony didn't know where Brissle was either!
Mojooo said:
For him to have been given a caution he would have had to have admitted guilt.
My guess is he denied it all the way to court and put a guilty plea in at the last minute.
Chances are the costs have been run up by the defendant and his solicitors.
Quite correct. Also, we don't know what the chap's offending history is like. He might have umpteen recent convictions which made him ineligible for a caution, regardless of whether or not he admitted it.My guess is he denied it all the way to court and put a guilty plea in at the last minute.
Chances are the costs have been run up by the defendant and his solicitors.
In addition, nobody is obliged to accept a caution. So another possibility is that he was offered one, declined it, and chose to take it to court, perhaps hoping that it would be thrown out or that the CPS would drop it.
Not enough facts in the article to be sure how this situation developed.
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