Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Baggage handler avoids jail after stealing jewellery

Priti Sthankiya was given a suspended sentence

Baggage handler avoids jail after stealing jewellery

HEATHROW baggage handler has spared prison after stealing £29,000 worth of jewellery from a misplaced suitcase, reported MyLondon.

Priti Sthankiya moved the bag from Terminal 2 and concealed beneath a carousel in January last year, the Old Bailey heard on Thursday (11).


Subsequently, she retrieved designer handbags containing £500 in cash, Ray-Ban sunglasses, a designer watch, a MacBook, and a diamond ring.

The victim, Sandhya Gunesh, and her partner, returning from a vacation in Mauritius, inadvertently left their hand luggage unattended at the airport.

Despite several inquiries to Heathrow staff regarding the misplaced items, they were repeatedly informed that the luggage was yet to be located.

It was only after Gunesh sought assistance from the police and a subsequent review of CCTV footage that Sthankiya's actions came to light.

Upon her arrest, Sthankiya falsely claimed ownership of the jewellery. She also said that the bag belonged to her.

Although most of the pilfered items were recovered from her residence and workplace locker, approximately £4,000 worth of belongings, including the diamond ring, cash, and sunglasses, remain unrecovered.

During the trial, Sthankiya admitted her mistakes, citing personal difficulties as a contributing factor.

Her defence counsel, Jonathan Whitley, stressed her remorse and attributed her actions to distress stemming from a divorce and financial burdens.

Recorder Ian Stern KC, however, dismissed the argument.

"She has direct responsibility for baggage. That's what she is there for. It could not be a higher breach of trust, could it?," Stern was quoted as saying.

According to Whitley, Sthankiya, who worked in the role for eight years before being fired, was extremely upset due to a divorce and had a lot of debt.

He added that the accused was known to be hardworking and honest, and couldn't explain why she stole the items.

Despite a probation report suggesting she wasn't fully accepting responsibility, Whitley argued that she felt sorry and asked for a suspended sentence, stating she was deeply ashamed.

Ultimately, despite acknowledging Sthankiya's contrition, Recorder Stern imposed a 12-month suspended sentence for 12 months. In addition to this, she is mandated to complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and undergo a six-month mental health treatment requirement.

No order for costs or compensation was issued.

More For You

british-muslims-iStock

The study noted that this identification was not due to any doctrinal obligation but was influenced by the perception that many Muslims do not feel fully accepted as British. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Majority of British Muslims identify by faith first, study finds

A STUDY by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL) has found that most British Muslims identify primarily with their religion rather than their nationality.

The research, based on a survey of 815 British Muslim adults by Whitestone Insight, revealed that 71 per cent of respondents identified as Muslim first, while 27 per cent identified as British, English, or Scottish first.

Keep ReadingShow less
Car Tax Changes: EV Owners Now Required to Pay for the First Time

Owners of electric vehicles registered on or after 1 April 2025 will pay £10 for the first year, followed by the standard VED rate of £195 from the second year. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Car tax changes take effect: EV owners to pay for first time

FROM today, 1 April 2025, electric cars, vans, and motorcycles in the UK will be subject to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for the first time.

The change, introduced in the 2022 Autumn Statement by former Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, aims to make motoring taxation fairer.

Keep ReadingShow less
scotland-minimum-wages-iStock

Full-time workers on the National Living Wage will receive an annual pay increase of £1,400 in real terms. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Wage increase takes effect for thousands of workers in Scotland

HUNDREDS of thousands of workers in Scotland will see a pay increase as new National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates take effect from Tuesday.

The changes will benefit approximately 220,000 people, according to STV News.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk-energy-bill-iStock

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

April bill increases put financial strain on single parents

A RANGE of essential household bills are increasing from April, with Citizens Advice warning that single parents will be among the hardest hit.

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased, BBC reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools
Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper in 'Adolescence'
Netflix

Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools

THE NETFLIX drama Adolescence will be shown in UK secondary schools as part of efforts to address harmful online influences on young boys, officials announced on Monday.

The show has sparked debate over the impact of toxic and misogynistic content on the internet. Prime minister Keir Starmer met the show's creators, charities, and young people at Downing Street, calling the initiative an important step in starting discussions about the content teenagers are exposed to online.

Keep ReadingShow less