BVI News

Woman fined, gets suspended sentence for stealing $$ from law firm

An unemployed woman has been fined $4,500 and given suspended prison sentences after she reportedly stole thousands from a local law firm four years ago.

Denise Stanley had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of theft and two counts of false accounting in the Magistrate’s Court.

She reportedly stole the sum of $1,875 from a male client and $1500 from a female client.

In handing down the sentence on Friday, Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards said her early guilty plea, her corporation with the police, and her expressions of remorse went in her favour as mitigating factors.

On the other hand, the abuse of trust, the seriousness and prevalence of the offences were considered as aggravating.

Sentence breakdown

Stanley was fined a total of $4,500 on the first three counts of theft. In default of not paying, she will spend 10 months in prison.

For the remaining two counts of theft, she was given a custodial sentence of six months at Her Majesty’s Prison.

She was also given a 15-month custodial sentence for the two counts of false accounting. But because of the extended time that has passed since the offence, the court ruled for the prison sentences to be suspended for two years.

This means she will only face a custodial sentence if she reoffends in the next two years.

What the court heard happened

The court heard that between July to November 2015, Stanley stole more than $3,000 belonging to a law firm that she worked for at the time.

She reportedly made payment arrangements with two of the clients of the firm and furnished them with false receipts.

The clients learnt that the funds were reportedly stolen by Stanley when they received correspondence from the firm that their payments were still outstanding.

The matter was subsequently reported to the police who then launched an investigation into the matter.

When questioned, the court heard that Stanley admitted to the offences.

“Let me be honest … yes, I took the money,” she reportedly said.

Tough spot

Through her attorney Jamal Smith, Stanley said she was facing financial difficulties because she was not being paid consistently by her employer.

“While this does not excuse what she has done, her employers put her in a position where she could not meet her living expenses … She could not pay her rent,” Smith told the court in a previous court appearance.

Smith further said his client had every intention of returning the stolen cash. The court, however, heard that the amounts remain unpaid because she is still unemployed.

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30 Comments

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  1. Hmm says:

    Total BS, of course, she has to be remorseful and cooperative if she is caught red-handed. She needs to spend time in Jail.

    Like 25
  2. SMH says:

    I really shaking my head. The People in the System . What a big difference between stealing and looting?

    Like 35
    Dislike 1
    • ??‍♀️ says:

      If it ain’t yours and you tek it up it’s stealing. Point blank. Call it all the fancy words you want.

  3. Anonymous says:

    If every thief, from the throne to the rat in the sewer, was to be caught, there would be not sufficient judges to judge them, not enough lawyers to defend them, nor enough prisons to punish them.

    Sadly, that is the way of human nature.

  4. Wow says:

    Lets hope she has learned from this experience.

  5. Mr Shovels says:

    And to think they gave that guy 2 years for a TV…

    Like 25
    Dislike 2
  6. Wow says:

    So she downright steals people’s money, gave them a false receipt and probably caused embarrassment to these people when they are being contacted to say they still owe monies. All this damage done, the malicious intent doing it multiple times and she gets fined and suspended sentence. Young man after Irma when everyone thought that was it for the BVI, saw a store busted open, people taking TVs and said hey, let me take one. He was wrong of course and should have been punished with a fine, community service and probation. Now he is in jail for 26 months over a f*****g TV and this woman stole not once, but TWICE, covered it up, caused these people financial harm and gets fined.

    Like 27
    Dislike 1
  7. Lady please says:

    Let me tell you something, I worked for a wicked employer who on several occasions did not pay us on time causing a few of my utilities to be disconnected and my rent to be late causing me additional late fees, but do you think I resorted to stealing?nope, I sucked it up until I was able to find another job..and I’m a single parent so don’t come with your sorry excuse just cause the caught you.

    Like 23
    Dislike 1
  8. WTF says:

    Something is very wrong with the Justice System is this territory. Who can I speak to ask for an overhaul of this system? This is some BS here. I know that every situation is different but I fail to see how murdering your wife in front of her children gets you 6 years in jail, looting a TV gets you 2 years in jail, and stealing/defrauding your customers of over $3000 gets you a fine. Something is very wrong here and I’ve personally had enough of the nonsense, unfairness and injustice in this country.

    Like 25
    Dislike 1
    • U know says:

      The justice system in the BVI varies in accordance with who is caught, where they are from and who they know. There is no equality. Only racism and apartheid. If a Belonger commits a crime, he gets slapped on the hand and told next time don’t get caught. If an expat does the same crime it’s jail, fine and then deportation. He pays to be a Belonger Criminal. That’s why the locals deal drugs. If they happen to get caught no big deal. Better than working a real job

      Like 6
      Dislike 5
      • Oh shut up says:

        So what about the Vincentian that killed his wife and got a tap on the wrist of 6 years? I guess in your crazy mind he is local. Get from here with your unjustified bs.

        Like 4
        Dislike 1
        • @oh shut up says:

          and go learn what racism and aparthied are and who practice them against who. Bouy, hatred and ignorance is a blinding mix.

          Like 3
          Dislike 1
  9. Biggie Smalls says:

    Government please intervene why is Dagou getting 2yrs for picking up a tv and this is going on here?

    Like 21
  10. Wow oh Wow says:

    Dress to Kill everyday and unemployed?

    Like 28
    Dislike 3
  11. Reality says:

    While this is a very flimsy excuse, some of these employers do not know what they but workers through while they enjoy liverish lifestyles and refuse to pay employees on time. There is late payment on loans, Late payment on rent, nonpayment of NIH, Nonpayment of TAX, nonpayment of Social security, disconnection of utilities couple with psychological/emotional stress and the worker must still come work and smile with customers.

    Like 10
  12. Streets says:

    T—- u take your bother out a murder case were as his name is in the recording but putting people in jail for BS. Just wait for it T—– just wait……..

  13. Just a Question says:

    Well well where is the justice in this place this young lady selling — every week why haven’t she paid back the people they monies from her earnings from that rather than giving her a tap on her wrist where is the justice for this little island and then she always doing her nails and toes and hair…… wow its very SAD!!!!!!

  14. local says:

    well saw

  15. Some S**t says:

    Dude go 2 years for taking a TV. Ms.G***to Fabulous wannabe walks for scamming a law office.

  16. Real Macoy says:

    She love the glamour and glitter so she prefer to darl up as the old people will say and not pay her bills.
    Believe it or not, my alternative was worked two to three jobs in order to survive.
    She don’t need work permit so she could have thought about that.

  17. :) says:

    So you telling me that if Badboy son had leave the $200 tv and go somewhere else and steal over $3,000 he would have been worthy of no jail time? How can justice truly be blind when the difference between serving time and freedom is wholly dependant on which judge sits on your case or what mood are they in on any given day.

    • All games on her part says:

      So the excuse is she is unemployed So that is the reason she can’t pay back.got you loud and clear. The girl is playing the system. A man took a TV which was not cool and he have to sit in prison for 2 years. She did something far worse and she get a Pass.She must have done some serious D**k r****g.

  18. Don't worry says:

    Homie is going to get her just desert real soon. KARMA IS A SWEET B**CH WITH SPRINKLES ON THE TOP.

  19. Hmmmm says:

    Only sorry because she was caught

  20. Reality says:

    10 months in jail for a crime she confessed to! I assume she’s not a Tolan local then!

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