Ethical dilemma

Wow, this thread has taken on a life of its own. Perhaps it's just worth clarifying a few points.

1. As I stated in post #1, and again in post #25, I had already decided what I was going to do before I started this thread. I wasn't asking for advice but was merely interested in how other people would approach it.

2. What I'm doing is that I will comply fully with any legal obligations - e.g. to provide documents as required by GDPR, so long as I have explicit authorisation from my customer to do so - but I will not lift a finger beyond the bare minimum which is legally required. So for example GDPR gives me 30 days to fulfil a valid data access request, so I will take 30 days.

3. There really is no meaningful possibility of doubt regarding this person's guilt. I know we shouldn't necessarily trust what we read in the newspapers, but the facts are that these crimes took places over stretch of years, and that she did not deny them. Her sentence is a matter of public record, and it is a very long custodial one. I have researched the sentencing guidelines for these types of offences and her sentence is right at the top end of the scale, which indicates that the crime was deemed to be extremely serious and that she was found to bear a very high degree of culpability. This is perfectly consistent with the newspaper reporting.

4. I cannot for the life of me imagine how details of her transactions with my business could be of any use to her. It's certainly noting dramatic like an alibi - as I said, her crimes took places over several years and are not denied. I assume she is trying to get some sort of parole hearing or something, but that bit is none of my business and it doesn't need to make sense to me.

Anyway, it's been interesting seeing how other people view the situation. My heart says I would rather not have to do this at all, and let her rot in prison. She's ruined people's lives. But my head says I must co-operate, at least minimally, for the reasons articulated so eloquently by @soeren in post #24.
 
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I understood your original post from the start, it's hardly rocket science.
If you are legally obliged to sumbit the invoices then that is the end of it, matter closed.
If there is no legal obligation then the choice is yours.
If I was in your shoes, as the person has already been sentenced, personally if I wasn't obliged to supply the invoices I wouldn't want to aid the appeal for someone who I believe is guilty.
The only thing that matters is your decision, some here would take the same opinion as me and others would say morally it's the opposite.
 
Now I am very curious especially as some of you obviously know what this is all about. I agree with that post by soeren too.
 
I think you mean that some have made assumptions a plenty, I see no evidence of anyone *knowing* anything other than Stewart who's had the sense to keep it out of the thread.
 
Chipper said:
Now I am very curious especially as some of you obviously know what this is all about.
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Nobody here knows anything whatsoever about this, apart from me. All the speculation you've seen here is a million miles from the reality.
 
I have had similar approaches in the past for invoices/details of turnover by councils investigating benefit fraud. As long as there is a legal basis/requirement to provide the info (for example the DPA had a specific provision for legal enquiries by public bodies) I just get it sent ASAP and off my desk.
 
It sounds like, since you say she didn't deny her crime(s), then she entered a guilty plea. If that's the case then the appeal is for a sentence reduction only.
Do what the law dictates you must and no more...but then I'm a big advocate for maximum sentences.
 
StewartR said:
Nobody here knows anything whatsoever about this, apart from me. All the speculation you've seen here is a million miles from the reality.
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I thought that photography + prison = worst case scenario.
Yes I did jump the gun and glad it bears no connection to what I said in in an earlier post.
 
StewartR said:
Wow, this thread has taken on a life of its own. Perhaps it's just worth clarifying a few points.



4. I cannot for the life of me imagine how details of her transactions with my business could be of any use to her. It's certainly noting dramatic like an alibi - as I said, her crimes took places over several years and are not denied. I assume she is trying to get some sort of parole hearing or something, but that bit is none of my business and it doesn't need to make sense to me.

Anyway, it's been interesting seeing how other people view the situation. My heart says I would rather not have to do this at all, and let her rot in prison. She's ruined people's lives. But my head says I must co-operate, at least minimally, for the reasons articulated so eloquently by @soeren in post #24.
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If the prisoner is serving time in the UK I think that at least 3 - 4 years must be served before there can be an application for parole. Therefore, if the conviction is recent then it cannot be that reason. Maybe there are other offences under consideration and the defence are getting prepared. Could it be that any receipts/invoices have been used for some nefarious purpose.
 
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