Green MP Golriz Ghahraman charged with $10k shoplifting spree from NZ clothing stores

A Green MP, who resigned last month, has been charged with stealing nearly 10,000 of goods from two high-end clothing stores.

A New Zealand MP could face up to seven years in jail after being charged with stealing nearly $10,000 of goods from two high-end clothing stores.

Green MP Golriz Ghahraman, who served as the party’s justice spokesperson, resigned last month amid allegations she stole from boutique stores in Auckland and Wellington.

The former UN human rights lawyer has been charged with stealing $695 ($A646) worth of clothing from Wellington’s ‘Cre8iveworx’ store on October 22.

She has also been charged with stealing clothing from Scotties Boutique in Ponsonby, an inner-city suburb of Auckland, on two separate occasions.

The MP is accused of stealing $2,060 ($A1,915) of clothing from the store on December 21. Days later she returned and allegedly stole $7,223 ($A6,715) worth of clothing on December 23.

Ms Ghahraman was due to appear in court on Thursday. However, her hearing has been rescheduled for February 28.

The 43-year-old previously announced her resignation in a statement on January 16.

She did not address the specific allegations but claimed work-related stress has caused her to behave “completely out of character”.

“It is clear to me that my mental health is being badly affected by the stresses relating to my work,” Ms Ghahraman said in the statement.

“I am not trying to excuse my actions, but I do want to explain them.”

Ms Ghahraman added she had ‘fallen short’ of the standards of behaviour expected from an elected representative.

“I’m sorry. It’s not a behaviour I can explain because it’s not rational in any way, and after medical evaluation, I understand I’m not well.

“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.

“I have let down a lot of people and I am very sorry.”

CCTV footage had earlier emerged allegedly showing Ms Ghahraman stealing a designer handbag from Scotties Boutique.

In her statement, Ms Ghahraman thanked the store for “the kindness and empathy” they had shown her.

CCTV footage shows Ms Ghahraman allegedly stealing a designer handbag. Picture: YouTube/New Zealand Herald

‘Death threats’

In a press conference following her resignation, Green Party co-leader James Shaw said Ms Ghahraman had been subject to “pretty much continuous threats of sexual violence, physical violence, death threats since the day she was elected to parliament”.

“That has added a higher level of stress than is experienced by most members of parliament,” Mr Shaw said.

“There have been police investigations into those threats almost the entire time that she has been a member of parliament, and so obviously if you’re living with that level of threat in what is already quite a stressful situation then there are going to be consequences for that”.

In a joint statement, Mr Shaw and Green co-leader, Marama Davidson, said it is clear Ms Ghahraman is “in a state of extreme distress”.

“She has taken responsibility and apologised.

“We support the decision she has made to resign.

Ms Ghahraman made history in 2017 as the first refugee to be elected to parliament in New Zealand after seeking asylum with her family from Iran.

Two years later, she was allocated a security escort after receiving death threats.

Her Green Party portfolios included justice, foreign affairs, defence, ethnic communities and trade.