The sentencing for former Green MP Golriz Ghahraman’s shoplifting has been postponed until Thursday.
The 43-year-old appeared in the Auckland District Court to be sentenced for the crime to which she had previously pleaded guilty.
Crown prosecutor Alysha McClintock argued that Ghahraman’s mental health, specifically her undiagnosed PTSD, was not a direct cause of her shoplifting, stating that the connection between the two is weak.
Due to the seriousness of the offense, Ghahraman’s level of responsibility was deemed medium.
Her lawyer, Annabel Cresswell, requested a discharge without conviction, pointing to her early acceptance of responsibility, remorse, and low likelihood of re-offending.
Ghahraman resigned as MP earlier this year after the charges came to light. She was charged with stealing $695 worth of clothing from Wellington’s Cre8iveworx Store on 22 October 2023, a navy cardigan valued at $389 from Standard Issue in Newmarket on 22 December, and two counts of shoplifting from Scotties Boutique in Ponsonby.
