Golriz Ghahraman pleads guilty to shoplifting charges
Former Green MP Golriz Ghahraman has pleaded guilty to shoplifting charges in Auckland District Court.
Ghahraman's first appearance was brought forward to Wednesday after it was delayed twice before and pushed to 20 March.
The 43-year-old former politician faced four shoplifting charges for separate incidents at stores in Auckland and Wellington.
She was charged with stealing $695 worth of clothing from Wellington's Cre8iveworx Store on 22 October and a navy cardigan valued at $389 from Standard Issue in Newmarket on 22 December.
She was also charged with two counts of shoplifting from Scotties Boutique in Ponsonby - $5773 of items on 21 December and $2060 worth of goods on 23 December.
Former Green MP Golriz Ghahraman appearing in Auckland District Court on shoplifting charges. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi
The 21 December charge originally related to more than $7200 of items, but the amount was downgraded in court on Wednesday.
Ghahraman stood quietly in the dock of Auckland District Court, dressed all in black.
Annabel Cresswell, Ghahraman's lawyer, entered guilty pleas to the charges on her behalf.
Ghahraman has been remanded at large and will be sentenced in June.
The charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of seven years.
Golriz Ghahraman outside Auckland District Court on Wednesday. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi
Ghahraman resigned as an MP after the shoplifting allegations came to light.
In a statement in January, she said stress relating to her work had led her to "act in ways that are completely out of character. I am not trying to excuse my actions, but I do want to explain them".
"The mental health professional I see says my recent behaviour is consistent with recent events giving rise to extreme stress response, and relating to previously unrecognised trauma," she said.
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