Man denies robbery

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34123, 8 April 1976, Page 10

Man denies robbery

When the police inter- ' ' viewed a man whose fingerprints were found at a garage < where a masked robbery took *i ! place they found $531 hidden i in the boot of his car and |1 $l5OO in his shirt pocket, Mr 1 Justice Somers and a jury < 1 were told in the Supreme Court. \ The accused, aged 26,-who is)' represented by Mr< K. N. Hamp-!, ton, has pleaded not guilty to a j charge that with another unknown person he robbed Robert , Mauchline of $6596 and cheques and petrol vouchers to the value’ of $5OO, of a total value of $7096/' the property of Andersons Auto 1 Centre, Ltd. Opening his case, Mr William- . son said that the offence took place at the garage of Andersons i' Auto Centre, Ltd, at the corner/ of Victoria and Dorset Streets which was open for long hours 1 and at week-ends. < About 12.40 aaji. on December <

• 15, Mr Mauchline, the garage 1 attendant, was putting the week- 1 end takings, about $7OOO, in aj ■floor safe. He put the money/ into the safe and closed tire door J (but before he could spin the com- i 'bination lock he heard a noise i : outside the sliding door. < On looking up he saw a manp •with a stocking mask over his ' ! face push the sliding door open. He attacked Mr Mauchline, j 'who fought back. Then a second ; man joined in and struck Mr : Mauchline a number of times on I the head with a bottle. While Mr Mauchline was semi- ] !conscious hr heard the two men talking as one of them took the , money from. the safe. Mr j Mauchline was told that unless • he remained quiet and gave them ( time to get away his children |< '.would be “got at”. After the men left Mr Mauch- ] line dragged himself to (he door t and called out to the driver of 1 a car which had driven up toi 1

the darkened service station and the police were called. ; When the police arrived they found a mess in the interior of ,the garage and foot impressions on the floor and on a plastic rubbish bag. Fingerprints discovered on the sliding door were ilater identified as being the ! accused’s. The police went to see the accused and under the floor of the boot of his car they found $531 in notes. When spoken to I the accused had $l5OO in his shirt pocket. He said that he always carried large sums of money. The accused told the police that the last time he had been to Andersons Auto Centre was about a week before. A shoe ;of the accused exactly fitted ■ the impressions found at the; garage and masks made from pantyhose were found and one contained a hair similar in colour to the accused's hair, Mr (Williamson said.