Leniency plea fails

Press, 8 December 1988, Page 20

Leniency plea fails

PA Auckland Community fear about aggravated robberies outweighed a mother’s plea for leniency in the High Court at Auckland. Donna Marie Shortcliffe, aged 33, of Mount Roskill. was jailed for 2>/ 2 years for her part in the robbery of a dairy, in spite of her defence counsel’s plea for her to be punished outside jail.

Mr Justice Tompkins said Shortcliffe’s case was another example of the epidemic of armed robberies sweeping Auckland. “The community is becoming intensely alarmed

at these almost daily events.

“The obligation of the court is to impose penalties on those found guilty of participating in one of these armed robberies of such severity that person otherwise minded to be involved in crimes of this kind will decide it is not worth the risk,” the Judge said.

Although Shortcliffe, a single parent, had a 13-month-old daughter to care for, the Judge said, her counsel’s plea for periodic detention and supervision would not reflect the seriousness of her offence.