ROBBERY UNDER ARMS.

Grey River Argus, 14 February 1929, Page 5

ROBBERY UNDER ARMS.

WESTFIELD HOLD-UP. Accused Gaoled. (Per Press Association). AUCKLAND, February 13. Dffvid McKenzie Stewart, and Boy Patrick Kitching, appeared for sultence to-day, in connection with the Westfield hold-up of Sam. Henderson und cither jockoys on the night of the Tc Kuiti races. Kitching’s Counsel said if that prisoner were allowed to leave jNew arrangeni/'uts had been for him to go to his brother |fn(rm in Western (Australia, where he would kept for at least six or seven years. His family’s trustees had been advised to allow Kitchi ng money up to £lOO if he demanded it, ond were empowered to give him £lOOO if for some reason able ven tuff?,. {Stewart’s counsel said that prisoner was not only guilty oi being in possession of a revolver with intent to 1 commit robbery, but was also guilty of dragging the younger man into nefarious ways, in America, Str wart was an air-pilot, and in Australia gpt a pilot’s ticket. Stewart had told an Auckland paper he- came to New* Zealand to atari some aeronautic ventuiO. J With the publicity, influential people began to call on the pair at the hotel, and Stewart was consult! d ,on aviation. Socially they were presentable. Social calls resulting, Stewart passed a cheqUJ for £23 at the hotel, and when money did not arrive from America to meet it, they went, to devise ways and means. TMa( Westfield hold-up was the outcome. The obstruction they, put on the road, at Westfield was negotiated, by s|.weral motors, till the pair tried Henderson’s oar with t jockej>s aboard. Stewart had ; present l x d a revolver, but. the pair’s appear ance was not intimidating. Stewart cabled his mother /for 500 dollars, ’’’he only reply was * ‘ Love and cympalhy 'Trust in God—Mother. ” Th© Crown Prosecutor declared that this sort of crime should not be permitted to start in New Zealand. Both prisoners Wfdre sentenced to one year’s reformative detention, and Stewart to an additionol six months for fals 0 pretences. AUCKLAND. February 13. When David McKenzie Stewart, aged 27 f . and Roy Patrick Kitching, aged 20, appeared in the Supreme Court to-day for sentence fo r attempted robbery under arms, their counsel pleaded for leniency.

Mr Cocker, who appeared for Kitching, said the Westfield hold-up had certain Gilbertian touches. Both prisoners were thoroughly frightened, and they allowed several cars t 0 pass before they had the courage to hold one up. The shooting was entirely accidental. There was no evidence which would have identified them, and if they had brazened it out, there would have been no evidence on which to convict. Instead of that, they confessed. Judge Blair: I don’t know about that. The police have a nasty habit of remembering these things. Mr Leary, who appeared for Stewart, said his client ut no time presented a revolver, and the offence was really a very foolish prank. The Judge said: This case is not one in which I cau grant probation. I think both men were amateurs in crime, aud did it more or less on the spur of, the moment but from the point of view of the people held up, it was a premeditated attempt at highway robbery. 1 propose to give you both terms of reformative detention. but even then I have some doubt as to whether I am not too lenient. You both require a sharp lesson, and I would be failing in my duty if I did not give it to you. You will both be sentenced to one year’s reformative detention,, and Stewart will serve an extra six months on the other hount of obtaining money by false pretences, to which he pleaded guilty.