GRAYS SENTENCED

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19854, 15 February 1930, Page 11

GRAYS SENTENCED

TEN YEARS AND SEVEN YEARS.

DECLARED HABITUAL CRIMINALS. A crowded Courthouse heard hi® Honour" Mr Justice Adaths in Supreme Court yesterday morning sentence the youthful Gray brothers, whose crimes, extending over a period of some months, have caused a S 1 "?® deal of interest, not only in Chris - church, where they were committed, but also throughout the DominionCharles Robert Gray, aged 17, wa sentenced to ten years' imprisonmen , and James Wilfred Gray, two years his senior, to seven years, both being declared habitual criminals. Mr M. J. Burns, who appeared for the prisoners in the earlier proceedings, was present, but did not address the Court. "The prisoner, Charles Robert Gray, stands charged, with James Wilfred Gray, with having committed arson, with breaking and entering and theft, attempted arson, breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime, a,nd attempted breaking and entering with intent," said his Honour. "There are no fewer than seventeen convictions for arson, seven for breaking and entering and theft, three for attempted arson, three for breaking and entering with intent, and one for breaking and entering with intent, in which both prisoners are included.

Attempted Murder. "Charles Robert Gray stands convicted, in addition to these offenoeß, or the crime of attempted murder, one case of arson, four cases of breaking and entering with theft, two_ cases ot breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime, and one case of mischief, namely, damage to a motor-car, estimated at more than £IOO. The total list of crimes in respect of which Charles Robert Gray has to be dealt with this morning is 4'J. Precocious Criminals. "The long list of serious crimes, committed during a period of about six' months, demonstrates that each or these prisoners, although young in years, is, in fact, a precocious criminal of the most dangerous class. Their wanton destruction of property has suited in a loss to the insurance companies and owners of property in Christchurch of an amount estimated at no less than £50,000. Both prisoners have shown callous disregard or human life by their attempt to set nr© to St. Luke's Schoolroom, an old wooden building very easily destroyed by fire, at a time when a social was being held in the upper rooms. If their attempt had been successful, one shudders to think what the result would have been. Callousness Shown.

"Charles Robert Gray showed the same callousness in shooting Mr Hammond. By great good fortune, the bullet did not penetrate far enough to kill him, but the act indicates the extreme gravity of what was done when one realises that the bullet only stopped in its passage when it reached to within an inch of Mr Hammond a heart. "But for his youth Charles Robert Gray would have been sentenced to imprisonment for life for the crime of attempted murder and the numerous cases of arson." Hiis Honour then sentenced the prisoner to ten years', imprisonment for attempting to murder Mr Hammond,seven years on each charge of arson, five years on each charge of attempted arson, two years on each charge of breaking and entering and theft, two years on each charge of breaking wo entering with intent, one year on each charge of attempted breaking and entering, and one year on the charge of mischief, with tiard labour in each j case, the sentences to be concurrent. His Honour also declared the prisoner an habitual criminal.

Elder Brother. Continuing, his Honour said that Jatnes Wilfred Gray was associated with his brother during a considerable portion of his career. While not involved in the most serious of the crimes, particularly the attempted murder of Mr Hammond, he was, nevertheless, associated with the crimes and was a willing coadjutor ana helper in them with his brother. His Honour then sentenced James Wilfred Gray to seven years' lmpnsonment with hard labour on each charge of arson; five years on each charge or attempted arson; two years on each charge of breaking and entering ana theft; two years on each charge or breaking and entering with intent, and one year on each charge or attempted breaking and entering, the sentences being concurrent, and the prisoner being declared an habitual criminal. „ Recalling the prisoners, hw Honour said that he had omitted to deal with the cases of attempted arson, the maximum for which was fourteen vears. On these charges he sentenced Charles Robert Gray to seven years, and .Tnmcs Wilfred Gray to five years. FURTHER CHARGES.

The Gray brothers, Charles Robert | Gray and James Wilfred Gray, after i being sentenced in the Supreme Court yesterday morning, appeared before 1 Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court, to answer further charges and to meet sentence tor °*Char'les Robert Gray was charged that on June I6th, 1929, at Christchurch, he stote two pearl necklets, two gold bracelets, one Eversharp pencil, and 10s in money, of a total value or tw 10b, the property of Agnes Cunneen. lie pleaded guilty and was convicted and sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. Charles Robert Grav and James Wilfred Gray were charged that on May 15th, 1929, at Christchurch, they stole one brooch, valued at £2, the property or some person or persons unknown. They pleaded guilty and were convicted and sentenced to three months imprisonment. # These 'two new offences, said CnieiDetective Carroll, were committed in two prominent hotels. Sentence was passed on them for several other charges, to which they had previously pleaded guilty. On three charges of theft, they were sentenced to three months' hard labour on each charge. . Charles Robert Gray was convicted and sentenced to six months' imprisonment on two charges of theft. On a further charge of theft he was convicted and sentenced to three months imprisonment with hard labour. _ On t.wn of wilful damage he was convicted :i'nd sentenced to months' imprisonment with hard labour on each charge. . On two charges of mischief against both, the brothers were convicted and discharged. , .• Charles Gray was convicted and discharged on a charge of giving a raise alarm of fire, and another or bei g an idle and disorderly person, in that he carried a fire-arm by night. James Wilfred Gray, on a giving a false alarm of fire, was a - convicted and discharged.