Woman convicted of £20 note theft says life ‘turned upside down’

Nicole Bailey did not hear anything for three months after she found the money in a One Stop shop.

A woman convicted of theft after pocketing a £20 note she found in a shop has said her life has been “turned upside down”.

Nicole Bailey, from Stoke-on-Trent, said she did not think she had done anything wrong when she found the cash on the floor of a corner shop.

The media storm around the case has brought a mixture of sympathy and condemnation for the 23-year-old.
Ms Bailey said she “really wished she could turn back time”.

She said the legal action and subsequent attention has jeopardised her job.

“The whole process has been very upsetting and I wanted it put behind me as soon as possible,” she said.
What do you do if you find £20?

Ms Bailey visited the One Stop in Blurton and picked up the cash after it was dropped by a fellow customer.

Three months later she was asked to attend a police station as a witness, which she did voluntarily.

She said she had no memory of finding the money and was initially told by police that nothing would happen.

Nicole Bailey was told to pay £20 compensation, a £20 victim surcharge and £135 in court costs.

Three weeks later, she was asked to go back to the police station where she was shown CCTV of the incident and accepted she took the money. She said she was again told not to worry about it.

It was only when she got a letter asking her to attend court she realised she needed legal advice, she said, and realised she was potentially guilty of theft.

When faced with the prospect of a trial and having to pay legal fees, she said, Ms Bailey instead decided to enter a guilty plea at her first appearance in front of magistrates.

Ms Bailey, of Highfield Drive, Blurton, was told to pay £20 compensation, a £20 victim surcharge and £135 in court costs.

Her solicitor, Jason Holt of Stevens Solicitors, said anyone could find themselves in her situation and added he was sure she would not have ended up in court if she had sought advice from the start.

Staffordshire Police has been approached for comment.

Source: BBC