was yesterday told by a judge her conviction was not the end of the world.

But Acting Senior Magistrate Cheryl Mapp warned Monique Ming that she should take the opportunity of two years' probation to get her life back on track.

She also ordered counselling with regular reviews every three months to be placed before the court.

And she said: "It's not an easy option -- in some cases it's worse than getting a fine and getting on with your business.'' Ming pleaded guilty at an earlier appearance to stealing $37 in groceries from her former employers, Shelly Bay MarketPlace, on June 16 last year.

She was working as a check-out operator and allowed the groceries -- picked up by a friend -- through without ringing them up.

Ming, 18, of Cedar Park Road, Devonshire, further admitted ringing them through without charging. Sentence had been deferred for reports.

Mrs. Mapp told the defendant that the reports showed she had been brought up by her grandmother in a stable environment and taught right from wrong.

She said: "You allowed yourself to be influenced by other people to do things you knew were not right.

"What happened might have been an oversight and you had time to correct it before it went any further.

"It was a 50/50 chance you took and you the wrong side of that 50 because you have found yourself before the court.'' Mrs. Mapp added that the reports noted that Ming had drifted apart from her grandmother.

But she said: "It's important you maintain that contact with your grandmother -- there have been difficulties as you became older, but I think it wisest for you to step back and let her wisdom prevail.''