YOUTHS SENTENCED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 136, 11 June 1938, Page 13

YOUTHS SENTENCED.

ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE.

THREE YEARS' DETENTION.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. , Two youths, both under 20 years of age, Douglas William Barlow and William Hamilton Noonan, stood in the Supreme Court dock to-day to receive sentence for robbery with violence. , "This is a particularly grave crime; one of the gravest," Mr. Justice- Northcroft toM them. "You may know now, if you ;lid not know before, that you are in danger of a flogging, f have it in mind that English judges have recently ordered a flogging for this offence." On Noonan's behalf Mr. Quigley said that it was an unfortunate lapse on the part of a 17-year-old boy. The trouble seemed to have conic about through the Itoys congregating ami going about, in old motor cars and getting <lrunk. "They have been able to get drink with surprising facility," remarked Mr. Quigley. "When arrested they had several bottles of whieky in the car. Boys of such age. taking whisky, would probably get full of Dutch courage and do things they would not otherwise do." A tragic family history was related by counsel, Mr. Young, on Barlow's behalf. After a bout of heavy drinking, he said. Barlow's father had criminally assanlted his mother, and had then "committed suicide. His father's brother had also committed suicide, and his sister had been confined in a mental hospital. Barlow admittedly had a bad list, h» remarked although he was not yet 20. There seemed to be a strain of "mental weakness in his blood. "I cannot but regard you as dangerous and mischievous youths," said his Honor in sentencing both to detention in a Borstal institution for not more than three years.