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Community work for fraud Britons | Community work for fraud Britons |
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Two British law graduates accused of falsely claiming their belongings had been stolen in a robbery in Brazil have been sentenced to community service. | Two British law graduates accused of falsely claiming their belongings had been stolen in a robbery in Brazil have been sentenced to community service. |
Brazil's TV Globo earlier reported that Rebecca Turner, of Berks, and Shanti Andrews, of Sussex, told a court they were robbed but exaggerated the theft. | Brazil's TV Globo earlier reported that Rebecca Turner, of Berks, and Shanti Andrews, of Sussex, told a court they were robbed but exaggerated the theft. |
They were said to have told police that goods worth £1,000 were stolen from them during a bus journey in Brazil. | They were said to have told police that goods worth £1,000 were stolen from them during a bus journey in Brazil. |
The women, both 23, will now have to stay in Brazil for several months. | The women, both 23, will now have to stay in Brazil for several months. |
The BBC's Gary Duffy in Rio de Janeiro said the two women listened anxiously as the sentence was read to them via a translator, and they were told a 14-month jail term had been converted to community service. | |
'Relief and dismay' | |
Our correspondent said they showed "a mixture of relief and dismay - relief that they wouldn't go to prison, but dismay that they will have to stay and probably launch an appeal". | |
He said their defence lawyer had prepared them for a prison sentence, which could have been anything from one to five years. | |
The two women have already spent several days in an over-crowded jail in Rio de Janeiro - an experience they would be very relieved not to have to repeat. | |
Their lawyer said the appeal was likely to start as soon as next week. | |
Miss Turner, from Woolton Hill near Newbury, and Miss Andrews of Frant near Tunbridge Wells, were due to return to England after a nine-month trip around the world. | Miss Turner, from Woolton Hill near Newbury, and Miss Andrews of Frant near Tunbridge Wells, were due to return to England after a nine-month trip around the world. |
However they were arrested after officers from a specialist tourist support unit apparently became suspicious that they had waited several days before reporting the theft. | |
Police allegedly uncovered some of the items reported stolen in their Rio hostel room. | |
Miss Andrews and Miss Turner were on bail until their trial. | Miss Andrews and Miss Turner were on bail until their trial. |