HARD LABOUR TERM

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 264, 4 August 1936, Page 11

HARD LABOUR TERM

Affair in Auckland Bank By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, August 3. “The jury has probably been guided by the belief that others had been associated with the prisoner and had escaped apprehension,” said Mr Justice Fair this morning in the Supreme Court when sentencing to two years’ hard labour James Billing on a charge that with intent to commit theft he attempted to render incapabie of re-, sistance J. G. Worboys, manager of the Point Chevalier branch of the Auckland Savings Bank on the afternoon of May 14. The jury had added a strong recommendation to mercy. The prisoner’s counsel, Mr. Sullivan, made a strong plea for mitigation on the ground that Billing was not normal.

Mr. Hubble, for the Crown, said that the offence of attacking a bank official with intent to facilitate a crime was a very serious one. His Honour said that the crime was a very grave one. The weapon used was a heavy piece of lead piping and had Mr. Worboys been struck full on th<x head instead of a glancing blow the consequences might have been fatal. In spite of prisoner's previous ill-health and inclination to give way to drink he apparently- knew what lie was doing. Crime of this kind must be met by adequate punishment.