Thank you so much for your help!! I'm 20 years old.

Thank you for that. I've looked through posts but I just want to make sure that RLP can't use what i've said on the phone against me.

Hello everyone. A month ago, me and my friend stole from primark. I am extremely ashamed of this and was pushed into doing it, although I take full responsibility for my actions. I took a pair of shorts and my friend took about 5 items. As soon as we put a foot out of the door, we were ushered back in by a security guard and taken to a back room. The security guard was rude, bullied us and was basically mocking us. We had all our cards photocopied (my friend had his NI number photocopied amongst other things and I had my university card copied) to which i'm not sure is even allowed. After we had given back the Primark items we had stole, we were told to empty all our bags, and to show receipts for other things we had genuinely purchased during the day. The security guy then told us unless we were able to show a receipt for those items that he would keep them. I had lost the receipt for some cream I had purchased and was told that he was going to keep the cream because I probably stole that too. In the end he gave it back, but I did not find that funny. The police were never called. Anyway, before we were allowed to leave we had to give our address's and was told that we would be fined. Although the security guard rang up both mine and my friends parents, my friend was able to give a fake address to which his mum gave aswell on the phone. Because of this, I have been the only one who has recieved the fine letter. The letter is from RLP stating that they want a fixed amount of £174.39!!! I was dumbfounded when I saw this as I only took some shorts worth about £12. I'm guessing the fee is so high because of what my friend took. Anyway, being scared, I rang RLP up right away telling them I would pay when I get my student loan, but realistically I cannot afford to pay such amount! I then rang them again a few days ago and told them I can only pay half of the amount and that they should contact my friend for the other amount. The woman then said that even if I pay half I will still receive letters demanding the full amount because of dual liability, she said it doesn't matter who pays but someone has to. I was quite angry by this and so just put the phone down. When I told my friend about the fine he didn't seem interested and seems unwilling to pay (although he put me in this predicament!), so I've been running around like a headless chicken thinking of something to do. I've read loads of threads saying not to call RLP, but i've called them twice and said that i'd pay the full amount first of all and then rang again stating i'll pay half, so i'm worried they can use this against me in a court, as now I don't want to pay as i've read RLP are bullies and you do not have to pay them. Can someone please please help me, thank you.