Boy aged 15 jailed for four years

Press, 24 December 1980, Page 5

Boy aged 15 jailed for four years

PA’ Auckland A boy, aged 15, who took part in the armed robbery of the Leabank Post Office in Manurewa in August has been sentenced to four years imprisonment by the High Court at Auckland. “Fifteen-year-olds, must be shown that if they participate in crimes of this kind, a deterrent sentence must be imposed,” said Mr Justice Holland, as he sentenced the youthAppearing with the youth on charges related to the robbery, in which $5650 was taken from the Post Office, were Arthur Joseph Tapiki, and Alan Nelson Wati, both aged 18 and both unemp loved. Wati was sentenced to six years jail on the armed robbery charge, and a further 18 months jail to be served cumulativelv, on charges pf unlawfully taking cars. His Honour said that what concerned him was that Wati had shown no indication of remorse.

Tapiki was jailed for six! years. ; His Honour said that although the youth was only 15, he had tried to act as an adult. He said that because he was satisfied that, young people were being drawn into this type of crime, he was unable to extend the normal sympathy and for-

giveness expected for one aged 15. His Honour said that some of the sentence might be served in Borstal, but said, "The maximum of two years is too little for your reform.” In the High Court at Wellington, an act of “planned gangsterism” — an armed robbery of a Palmerston North bank — has resulted in a four-year jail sentence for Vaughan Hikaka, aged 19. Hikaka and another man had pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery of the Broadway branch of the Bank of

s New Zealand at Palmerston! North on November 5. = A total of $15,179 was » stolen. All but $135 has been ;, recovereds Mr Justice Hardie-Boys - said Hikaka and his associate had terrorised the staff - and customers of the bank, ii making them all lie on the ijfloor. a I The accused had had a JI loaded and cocked .303 rifle e and the other a butcher’s 1 knife. The fact that there had been neither injury nor n fatality was a result of good |. luck rather than “good manf agement.”