LIFE PRISONER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21579, 25 August 1933, Page 11

LIFE PRISONER

LEAVE TO APPEAL SOUGHT APPLICATION REFUSED (Received August 21, 8.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, Auk. 24 An application by Paul Grierson for special leave to appeal against his conviction and sentence to imprisonment for life was refused to-day by the High Court. Grierson was convicted on a charge of blinding a postal official with corrosive liquid and robbing him of a largo sum of money in September, 1032.

In one of the main streets of Sydney on September 20 last a postmaster, Mr. Francis Seckold, who hod chnrgo of the William Street post office, was carrying a bag containing £s.')o to a neighbouring office for the payment of old age ami invalid pensions, when thieves secured the money by what apparently was a carefully arranged coup. Mr. Seckold was accompanied by an assistant, Mr. Alfred Johnson, who was armed. . , , , im When the two officials had gone JOO yards through the crowded thoroughfare, one of two men dressed in overalls, protending to be working as cleancrs, throw the con ten is of ii bucket or liquid in their faces. Blinded and choking, apparently from fumes of some sort, Mr. Johnson' was knocked down and disarmed. Mr. Seckold was felled to the ground and his bag was seized. The attackers then ran away. Subsequently, Grierson was arrested and at his trial on December 16 was found guilty of blinding Mr._ Johnson and of assaulting and robbing Mr. Seckold. Ho was sentenced to years imprisonment on the first charge and to 10 years' imprisonment on second, the terms to be concurrent. J he Full Court on March 10 unanimously dismissed Grierson's appeal against his conviction but altered the sentence to imprisonment for life..