Robber in street jailed

Press, 11 June 1977, Page 5

Robber in street jailed

( A young man involved in the assault and robbery of a youth whose leather jacket was stolen was jailed for 18 months by Mr Justice Casey in the Supreme Court yesterday. The prisoner, Joseph Ward Harris, aged 21, was found guilty by a jury on a charge that on March 16 with Sonny Junior Te Pari he robbed Paul Champion of a leather jacket valued at $7O.

Mr J. J. Brandts-Giesen appeared for the Crown. Mr R. B. Venning, for the prisoner, said that since he iwas jailed in December, (1975, he had only two very (brief spells of freedom. Soon ! after his release in March, (the prisoner had offended twice with Te Pari who had (been sentenced to 18 months (on the same charge of aggravated robbery.

i The prisoner had acknowledged that alcohol had been a factor in all his offending. He had played a comparatively minor role, as it was Te Pari who had invited him to “hassle” the young man so that he could get his leather jacket. Twice the prisoner had tried to re--strain Te Pari. He had taken no part in the theft of the jacket nor had he assaulted its owner. The only glimmer of hope in the probation officer’s report was the reference to the prisoner’s art talent, and that he hoped to go into a tattooing business. His fut-i ure did not look very hope-1 ful. I His Honour said that the; prisoner had “a pretty disImal record” for a person of '2l. Since December, 1975, he (had had only two weeks of

- liberty. He had appeared on i charges of burglary, car con- . version, theft, assault, and - wilful damage and all the L offences had been associated I with alcohol. ; The prisoner was old > enough to know better. He 5 had received counselling and - [help, but to no avail. i “You got involved in this j i offence involving the assault f and robbery of a young man I simply because Te Pari : wanted his leather jacket,” • his Honour said. “As a rej'sult, the man spent some II time in hospital with head iland facial injuries. Both you ■(and Te Pari were in it to- • Igether. ; “The time has come for lithe community to be pro-; (tected from your depreda-. fitions,” his Honour said.