Big news here in Victoria last October when a 12 year busker had some of her loot stolen by a druggy passing by.

The thief has now been sentenced, and ostensibly received a 9 month jail term for stealing $5!:

Nine-Month Sentence for Robbing Busker

A woman charged with robbing a 12-year-old busker in October has been sentenced to nine months in jail. Tammy Stanley apparently "snapped" when someone stole her crack pipe so when she passed the young busker she saw the money and took a $5 bill. The girl tried to stop her but during the struggle a window was broken at a local coffee shop. No one was injured physically but the young girl, who cannot be named due to court order, was hurt that an adult would treat her like that. Stanley will receive credit for the time she has served in jail to date and will be on probation after she is released.

Bit of a contrast to this story I read on BBC yesterday http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...on/6232343.stm. I like the judge's comments: "He said while a custodial sentence was justified, exceptional personal circumstances meant he could suspend nine-month prison sentences against each of them" - is this another way of saying the prisons are too full so you get to walk?!