Yacht Thieves Gaoled

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30147, 3 June 1963, Page 13

Yacht Thieves Gaoled

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright)

SYDNEY, May 31

Two men were each sentenced to a year’s gaol today for stealing the yacht. Cythera. Judge Arnsberg, in the Sydney Quarter Sessions, described the theft of the yacht from Lord Howe Island or. April 10 as “daring and heartless." The men were Derrick Brewia, aged 31, a labourer, and Daniel Barrie, aged 25, a salesman, both of King's Cross, Sydney They pleaded guilty to stealing the Cythera and other property in the yacht worth £17.000. Judge Arnsberg said if the heft had occurred at sea. the men could have been charged with piracy and, possibly, sentenced to death. He said the owners of the yacht, Mr and Mrs Peter Fenton, had left Sydney for a long cruise on March 31 with their small daughter, and Barrie, Brewin and Charles Sriber. a journalist, as crew members.

On April 10. while the vacht party was attending a ziance on Lord Howe Island. Barrie and Brewin returned

surreptitiously to the yacht which was anchored in the lagoon.

They sailed away in the yacht and left the others stranded.

The judge said the theft was carefully and deliberately planned and the men had purchased charts of the whole of the south Pacific before starting the trip. They intended to sail the Cythera to an island south of Tahiti and then to South America

Judge Arnsberg said he did not believe Barrie’s claim that Mr Fenton was an incompetent sea-rinan. as there was direct evidence to the contrary

He would also disregard Barrie's claim that Mr Fenton was a “Captain BUgh No 2 " In a plea for leniency. Mr H A. Veron (counsel for Brewin) said that after an unhappy childhood Brewin became a merchant seaman and developed a “mania” tor the sea.

During the trip from Sydney, Brew in was ‘supremely happy” when allowed to take the wheel.