ROBBERY UNDER ARMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 September 1931, Page 5

ROBBERY UNDER ARMS

JUDGE REPLIES TO COUNSEL

[PEE PEEBB ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, September 10.

Seven years’ imprisonment with hard labour, Was imposed by Chief Justice Myers, in the Supreme Court, on Jack Morton and Florence Cooper, who appeared for sentence on charges of robbery under arras, two of which concerned the recent hold-ups at Miramar arid Day’s Bay road. Against Cooper there was also a charge of robbery and wounding at Wanganui. Morton was also sentenced on a charge of theft at Wellington, receiving • two years’* hard labour, to be served concurrently with the seven years. Mr P. Jackson, who appeared for the prisoners,, said the male prisoner was ari Englishman, born in Yorkshire. 21 years ago. He had been in New Zealand about six months. Prior to coming to this country he had riot been in (rouble. At Miramar Morton fired a shot at the feet of the persons who had been held up, but Morton stated he fired the' shot not with the intention of doing any injury or harm, but to frighten the persons. At the Day’s Bay hold-up, no injury was done. The Chief Justice: They weren’t bla'nk cartridges they had with them, yOu know. Mr Jackson: Oh no. What I say is that the shot was fired with the intention of showing they really meant business and nothing else. The Chief Justice: Exactly. Continuing, Mr Jackson said that Morton had informed him the was ac tuated with a desire for some excitemerit. The thrill of the idea of stickup became uppermost in his mind. He seemed to have been urged to do something to relieve the monotony of things.

The Chief Justice: All that doesn’t mak the position any better. Excitement of that kind and thrills of that kind .must be discouraged. . "Yes, no doubt; Sir,” replied Mr Jackson. “He is a Yorkshire man. Perhaps he has some strain of Dick Turpin in his make up. Perhaps it is that, and after these many years it has manifested itself in him. At the expiration of his sentence he would probably leave, the country.” Dealing with the case of Florence Cooper, Mr Jackson said he thought this class of crime by a woman was liniqud in Now Zealand. Cooper was a young woman, divorced from her husband. She stated she was between 26 and 27 years of age. She was Aus-tralian-born but had lived the greater part of her life in New Zealand. Cooper became acquainted with Morton in July last, and strange to say, she war also actuated by che desire for some thrilling excitement. When it was suggested to her by Morton that they embark on these escapades she reaflily fell into line. The Chief Justice: I believe the boot was! on the other foot: that she made a suggestion to the male prisoner. She is the’ ifrorse of the two if there is any difference at all. Do you know that so far from expressing or showing any repentance she says the only regret she has is she didn’t get more out of her crimes? Mr Jackson:, More thrills probably. The Chief Justice- No, more material gain, in the way of money.

Mr Jackson said that Cooper did not desire to hide herself behind the man. As far as the Wanganui affair was concerned. Cooper did that on her own, Morton being in New Plymouth. Although one of the two shots she fired entered the man’s leg, she said it was not her intention when she fired to do injury. The Chief Justice: What is the use of telling me she didn’t mean this and that, and she didn’t mean to hurt him. I don’t accept a. word of it. Counsel said that Cooper, whose parents resided at Wanganui had not been before th<\ Court previously. Addressing the prisoners, his Honor said that highway robbery, or robbery under arms is an offence of a most serious character. It is the offence of a class which fortunately is uncommon in New Zealand, but when two persons take it into their heads to commit a series of robberies under arms, the sentence imposed must be such as - is calculated not only to punish offenders, but to deter other persons minded to commit the same class of offence. “My first impression was that the sentence to be imposed should not be less than ten years, but I propose to take into account, the fact that you are both young, the female prisoner being 26 and the male prisoner but 22. Nevertheless, the sentence must be severe. The sentence of the Court is that you be kept in prison with hard labour on these robbery charges for seven years, and as to you, Morton, on the charge of theft, you will be kept in prison with hard labour for a period of two years. These sentences however, to be concurrent.’’