A pickpocket who targeted elderly individuals on public transport has received a suspended sentence, a decision influenced by recent legal changes that are also impacting other cases, including those involving the killers of PC Andrew Harper.
Stefka Gishanova, 55, a Bulgarian national, was apprehended at Stansted Airport as she was preparing to board a flight to Cologne. She had previously stolen cash, mobile phones, and a bus pass from elderly victims. In one incident in November 2023, Gishanova took £1,900 that a pensioner had withdrawn for Christmas presents. The victim stated in a court impact statement that the theft had profoundly altered her life, leading her to reduce her outings and avoid busy buses.
During sentencing at Harrow Crown Court, Judge John Lodge described Gishanova as a "professional thief" who "target[s] the vulnerable." However, the judge noted that under the Labour party's Sentencing Act, which came into effect on March 22, custodial sentences of 12 months or less are now automatically suspended.
Her 12-month sentence for the offenses, which included six thefts and attempted thefts, was reduced from a potential two years. Six months were deducted due to her ill health and lack of previous convictions, with another six months granted for her guilty plea. Gishanova had been in custody since her arrest on July 22.
The court heard that in August 2025, Gishanova also stole a mobile phone valued at £1,400 from a disabled Muslim pensioner. In December 2022, she had stolen £50 in cash and a Freedom Pass, used by individuals aged 60 and over for free public transport.
Judge Lodge warned Gishanova that if she appeared before the court again within the next two years, she would face an immediate 12-month custodial sentence. He also expressed hope that she would return to Bulgaria as planned.
The Sentencing Act is intended to alleviate pressure on crowded prisons. However, reports indicate that a new £400 million prison, HMP Millsike, with a capacity of 1,500, is operating at a reduced capacity of around 1,100 due to a shortage of prison officers, a common issue across the prison system.