Year’s jail for robbery

Press, 22 February 1980, Page 5

Year’s jail for robbery

A man, who took part in; an aggravated robbery was; so intoxicated and under tliei influence of drugs that he]] had no idea of what he had! done until evidence was given in the Magistrate’s] Court at the -taking of; depositions, Mr Justice] Casey was told in the Su-i preme Court yesterday, ; His Honour jailed Maurice! Allan Pahl, aged 27, a prison ; inmate, for a further year on a charge that on August 16 at Ashburton with Russell Douglas White he robbed Colin Jensen of a radio casette player and a watch valued at $619. Pahl pleaded guilty io the charge on arraignment.' Evidence was given that Pahl and White arrived at the home of Mr Jensen in the early hours and demanded a meal. Both men were very drunk, and after stealing the two articles they beat Mr Jensen up and forced him to write a note stating that he had given them the goods. Mr Jensen was forced to rewrite the note several

times because he was bleediing from facial injuries and, ithe blood dripped on the paper. ; Mr C. B. Atkinson, for 'Pahi, said the prisoner came f 'from a very disadvantaged! (background. During most of I his formative years he was 'in custody or under soma. I type of supervision. He was| iin danger of becoming institutionalised. Both the probation officer and a psychiatrist saw some prospect of Pahl salvaging, his life. His co-offender haa been jailed for a year. Mr Atkinson said. His Honour said that with Pahl’s extensive list of convictions he did not leave much for counsel to say. Both Pahl and White were on an alcoholic and drugtaking binge when they committed the offence. Pahl’s record was far worse than White’s. Pahl had been involved in some' sordid and unpleasant epi-' sodes of violence. However, he would be sentenced to the same term as White, his Honour said.