CHARGES DENIED.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 69, 22 March 1928, Page 8

CHARGES DENIED.

BY TWO YOUNG MEN.

ALLEGED ROBBERY WITH

VIOLENCE.

BOTH COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.

The hearing of the charges of robbery with violenee against two young men, James Tui Nicholson and Phillip Eric Charles Allen, concluded at the Police Court this morning.

Both were charged with robbing Peter Smith of £7, using personal violence, while Allen was further charged with robbing Andrew Byrne of a gold watch and chain worth £7. using violence.

The case was commenccd on Saturday last when the evidence of Byrne and Smith, two seamen belonging to the steamer Waitemata, was taken before the vessel left Auckland. Both complainants, who were badly knocked about, alleged that they had been assaulted and robbed, Smith stating that Nicholson and Allen were his assailants as he was leaving a party, which had taken place in a Ponsonby house at 1 o'clock on the morning of March 13. Byrne alleged that he went for a walk with Allen, who assaulted and robbed him of his watch and chain on a vacant section near Cargen Hotel.

This morning Acting Dctective Waterson produced statements which had been made and signed by both accused. On the morning of March 17 witness went to Allen's house and there recovered the watch and chain belonging to Byrne.

Nicholson and Allen pleaded rot guilty and were committed to the Supreme Court for trial.

Allen, for whom Mr. G. P. Fiulav appeared, was allowed bail in the sum of £200. Nicholson did not ask for bail and will remain in custody.