Baby-formula thief discharged

Good decision on the judges part here. If anyone should be discharged it's this man.
Shame on wal-mart security for not showing some compassion. Junkies and habitual thieves don't typically steal baby formula.

I certainly can sympathize for the reasons, but, it's still theft. An absolute discharge is as irresponsible on the judges part as a jail sentence would have been.

A couple of hours of community service would have been appropriate. Not too many, just to show theft is theft...

That said, I don't think this should have been gone to court in the first place. Waste of taxpayers money, while Walmart could have solved it. On the other hand, their policy is clear. You steal, we call the cops...

(Maybe he should have applied for a job there instead of stealing... )

I agree it's still theft, but what would you have done. Given this man probation and a criminal record? I think the judge used remarkable good sence and saved a good person from a tarnished image.
If my family was starving and I had no other options I would have done the same.

The judges hand? Why???

An absolute discharge was the right thing to do. This wasn't a crime of greed. It was an act to feed his 7 month old child. Giving him a criminal record where he didn't have one before would be detrimental to his returning to the work force when times improve. Seems a very reasonable and compassionate ruling on the part of the judge.

I agree it's still theft, but what would you have done. Given this man probation and a criminal record? I think the judge used remarkable good sence and saved a good person from a tarnished image.
If my family was starving and I had no other options I would have done the same.

A conditional discharge and cleaning the street for a couple of days would have been appropriate. I certainly would have tried a local food bank before stealing something. It's not that there were no other options, it was just a bad decision.

I agree it's still theft, but what would you have done. Given this man probation and a criminal record? I think the judge used remarkable good sence and saved a good person from a tarnished image.
If my family was starving and I had no other options I would have done the same.

A conditional discharge and cleaning the street for a couple of days would have been appropriate. I certainly would have tried a local food bank before stealing something. It's not that there were no other options, it was just a bad decision.
Who says he didn't try a food bank first? Baby formula is one of the fastest things to go at a food bank. When they get any that is. At least that's what my wife told me when she was volunteering at one.

Do you know that he did?

I agree it's still theft, but what would you have done. Given this man probation and a criminal record? I think the judge used remarkable good sence and saved a good person from a tarnished image.
If my family was starving and I had no other options I would have done the same.

A conditional discharge and cleaning the street for a couple of days would have been appropriate. I certainly would have tried a local food bank before stealing something. It's not that there were no other options, it was just a bad decision.

Any sentence involving community service would have led to a criminal record, this is a man that worked in Alberta and when things went bust moved back to NL and can't for whatever reason provide.
I agree it was a bad decision, there are food banks, social services and welfare but consider that perhaps this mans bad decision originated from his pride? Perhaps he wouldn't feel like a man being unable to provide for his family, perhaps he's been raised in a sence to be too proud to accept or look for outside help (there are alot of guys like this) or to ask for help from his family/friends. Perhaps he already feels like a failure at this point and figured that if he got away with it his wife and kids and otheres wouldn't have to know how the got this formula.

I can tell you that I for one have had to use the food bank, it's not a great feeling to rely on the handouts of others, especially when you are willing and used to providing on your own, or already working your ass off and unable to make ends meet.

The article didn't state he was unemployed either, perhaps he is working at some menial dead end 9-5 and still unable to pay all the bills and put food on the table, how would a criminal record affect his current job if he has one?

Ok I'll play the same game. Do you know that he didn't???

Is this another topic that must circle the bowl?