ARMED ROBBERY

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 December 1929, Page 2

ARMED ROBBERY

CONFESSION BY YOUTH When George Gratan aged 29, a bootclicker was on trial in Sydney recently on a charge of having, while armed with a revolver; robbed Frederick Yott of a watch and 4/-, a youth in the witness box admitted that he had committed the offence and not Gratan. The youth said he had held up a man on the night of July 26 and robbed him of a watch and 4/-. Judge Maclndoe: Do you know what yau are saying and that you are laying yourself open to a criminal prosecution? Witness: Yes. Gratan: Can you see the man in Court? Witness: Yes. There he is (pointing to Yott)'. The youth said that he had read in a newspaper that Gratan was being charged with the offence. He admitted conviction on two charges of robbery under arms for which he was now serving a sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment, with subsequent detention in a gaol reformatory. The Crown Prosecutor: I think that in these circumstances Gratan should be discharged.

Judge Maclndoe said there seemed to be little doubt that the wrong man had been charged. He directed the jury to bring in a verdict of not guilty. The jury did as directed, and Gratan was discharged.