Stealing food is not crime, Italy’s highest court rules

If the poor steal food to beat hunger it is not a crime, Italy’s highest court ruled on Monday.

Judges overturned a theft conviction against a homeless man who had stolen cheese and sausages worth €4.07 (489 Pakistan rupees) from a super market.

Since Roman Ostriakov of Ukranian descent had stolen in the wake of  “essential need for nourishment", he had not committed a crime, the court ruled.

In 2011 a customer informed a supermarket management that Ostriakov had hidden cheese and sausages and had only paid for breadsticks.

In 2015 he was put convicted of theft and sentenced to six months in prison and €100 fine.

The ruling was hailed by newspapers across the country who said the in times of economic hardships humanity should prevail over everything else.

Source: BBC

Picture Source: Veepy.com