A recent court case in the UK has left a female judge seething after it was suggested that if a woman’s handbag was stolen is was merely a crime of “inconvenience”.

According to the Daily Telegraph today Judge Zoe Smith of Reading Crown Court said when the victim had her handbag stolen she was left suffering from stress, anxiety and fear.

The case was against a former drug addict who has previously pleaded guilty to stealing a number of women’s handbags.

The barrister defending the accused pleaded for leniency and Judge Smith rejected this plea.

The judge went on to say that there are a lot of serious consequences for a woman getting her handbag nicked in contrast to a man’s wallet.

A woman’s bank cards, mobile phone, make-up, jewellery, cash for a taxi home, keys to her car and house are amongst things to lead to the lady in question being left on her own and the fear of her house being broken into or car being stolen.

So how important is a woman’s handbag?