MAN ROBBED OF £l5

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 249, 18 July 1942, Page 3

MAN ROBBED OF £l5

Soldier And Civilian Found Guilty A jury in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday, after a retirement of IS minutes, found William Robertson Hislop, a New Zealand soldier, aged 23, and John Reuben Samuel Shepherd, labourer, aged 25, guilty of having, in the Masonic Hotel, Cuba Street, Wellington, on April 16 last, robbed John Harold Wood, tramway motorman, of £l5 by violence. The case was beard before the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers)., Mr. W. H. Cunningham conducted the prosecution for the Crown, and Mr. W. J. Stacey appeared for Hislop, and Mr. W. PShorland for Shepherd, both of whom pleaded not guilty. Wood said that on April 16 he drew £2l and a few shillings from the office of the tramway department, as he was going on leave. He admitted having had two whiskies that morning at a city hotel, and later had a whisky and four glasses of sherry at the Masonic Hotel. The accused were present in the bar with two women, and witness had an argument with one of accused. Later, on going into the lavatory, Hislop attacked him and held him while Shepherd came in, and stole three £5 notes from one of his trouser pockets. The police evidence went to show that Wood later picked out both accused at identification parades. No evidence was called for either accused, but counsel addressed the jury. His Honour remanded both accused for sentence till next Friday.