Woman Involved In Royal Kidnapping Avoids Jail Time

According to Odaily, a 24-year-old woman named Catherine Colivas, with the assistance of three accomplices, kidnapped a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family and threatened to cut off his fingers unless he paid $40,000 in Bitcoin. Despite pleading guilty, Colivas has not been sentenced to prison. During a hearing in Victoria, Australia, she faced a potential sentence of up to 25 years for charges including kidnapping, extortion, reckless injury, theft, and firearm possession. The judge, however, considered several factors in determining her sentence. Colivas's age, her challenging upbringing, mental health issues, prospects for rehabilitation, and the death of her brother while awaiting trial were all taken into account. These circumstances were deemed "exceptional," leading the judge to conclude that a 30-month community service sentence was sufficient punishment for her actions.