Man jailed for robbery of Otara milk vendor

Press, 19 December 1985, Page 18

Man jailed for robbery of Otara milk vendor

PA Auckland A man, aged 19, was jailed for four years for robbing a milk vendor of $395 while armed with a semi-automatic rifle and a shotgun. In sentencing the man, Francis Ernest Young, unemployed, of Otara, in the High Court at Auckland, Mr Justice Sinclair said that aggravated robbery was beginning to be a habit of life Young appeared for sentence after earlier pleading guilty in the District Court at Otahuhu to robbing the milk vendor, Willian Boyd Anderson, of $395 while armed with a .308 calibre semi-automatic rifle and the shotgun. He also admitted being in unlawful possession of the rifle.

The robbery occurred at the Amburys Milk Company depot, Otara, on October 23. Shots were fired and about 12 bullet holes were found in a milk truck at the depot, his Honour said. The crime was planned with Young and an associate converting a getaway car, and wearing dark clothing, balaclavas, and crash helmets to conceal their identity, he said. They had even gone so far as to remove the back win-

dow of the converted car so that they could shoot at anyone who pursued them after the robbery. The plan was to rob each vendor as he returned to the depot after doing his round. Mr Boyd was robbed and locked in the coolstore with his two young helpers. Defence counsel, Mr Chris Field, said the robbery had been planned to a degree on information his client had gained while working at the

depot some years ago. Mr Field said Young was under financial pressure before the robbery, having just lost a job. He spent his share of the robbery proceeds on food and dnnk. His Honour sentenced Young to four years imprisonment on the aggravated robbery charge with a further two years, to be served concurrently, for unlawful possession of the rifle.