A woman convicted of pickpocketing elderly victims avoids a custodial sentence after a court decides imprisonment is not appropriate. Stefka Gishanova, 55, is described as targeting pensioners and in one case taking £1,900 in cash after a victim withdraws money to buy Christmas presents for family.
The coverage frames the outcome around sentencing considerations, including the condition of prisons and their limited capacity. In place of jail, the court issues an alternative penalty, which reflects a wider constraint on availability of places in custody. The reports also emphasize the financial impact on the victims and Gishanova’s alleged pattern of targeting older people.
While the sources largely focus on the same defendant and incident details, the key difference is the emphasis on why she is spared imprisonment—one account highlights that prisons are too full—along with the broader characterization of her as a “professional” pickpocket.
