Australia gets it-now the rest of the West must do likewise:A WOMAN was forced into a spate of crimes because of her Muslim beliefs, a court heard today. Shahida Karim-Hawchar, 24, sold stolen cars to unsuspecting buyers because she was obeying the orders of her father and husband, the County Court was told.
But Judge Felicity Hampel rejected the claim, describing it as an abuse of religion.
"It's a very sad and debasing thing to hear it suggested that adherence to a religious tenet can justify criminal behaviour,'' Judge Hampel said.
The mother-of-three was ordered to pay $89,800 in compensation to six buyers who purchased the stolen cars from her between June 2001 and June 2002.
Judge Hampel spared Karim-Hawchar, of St Albans, a stint in jail because she had three sons under five and had committed the crimes when she was aged 18 and 19.
She pleaded guilty to six counts of handling stolen goods and six counts of obtaining property by deception.
Karim-Hawchar was sentenced to two and half years in jail, wholly suspended.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22530468-661,00.html
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