ARMED HOLD-UP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23156, 30 September 1938, Page 16

ARMED HOLD-UP

TAXI OFFICE BOBBERY

TWO MEN SENT TO GAOL FOUR AND THREE YEAR TERMS GRAVITY OF THE CRIME Sentence was passed by Mr. Justice Fair in the Supreme Court yesterday on Arthur Sticking, seaman and taxidriver, aged MO, and Harold Last Gray, fireman, aged II), the two men who had confessed to the armed hold-up of tin? Atta Taxi Company's night attendant in Upper Queen Street on the morning of August 8. One man was armed with a sawn-oif shot gun and the other with a piece of lead piping, and they escaped with over £226. Stickings was subsequently arrested in Sydney and Gray in Christchurch. His Honor sentenced Stickings to lour years" hard labour and Gray to three years. The charge against tliem was robbery with arms, and .Mr. S. C. Clarke appeared for thein both. In response to Mr. Clarke, His Honor said he was prepared to disregard convictions against Stickings, one of 11 years and one of nine years ago. Mr. Clarke said Stickings denied the charge of theft. Until this year he had a good reputation. He had been a seaman all bis life with the exception ol two periods with the Atta Taxi Company, Limited. He was married in February, 11K31, and had one child. Out of Employment Prisoner was in steady employment until April last, when the ship he was on was laid up. He was unable to get another ship. His money ran out and he started drinking. He was deeply repentant and bad saved much expense by pleading guilty. Jn order to make restitution he had given security over his vested interest, worth some £BOO, in the estate of bis father. His Honor said the major matter was that these two men set out to effect this crime by violent means. Mr. Clarke said Gray had made a statement that the weapons were to be used only for intimidation. His Honor: What was the purpose of carrying a length of- lead piping it it was not intended to use it!' Drink Blamed As far as Gray was concerned, it seemed clear that he was led into the matter by Stickings, said counsel. He was a first offender, apart from a conviction of .'lO years ago. He also was a seaman and seemed to have led a useful life, ft seemed that drink had played a big part in getting him led into this matter. Fie was a married man with six children ranging in ago from 22 to live. He had made a clean breast of everything. Mr. Clarke said iL was perhaps fitting that he should pay tribute to the police in this matter. Within 10 days of the crime both men were arrested and they told him they had been treated with scrupulous fairness bv the police. Mr. G. S. R. Meredith, for the Crown, said the offence was one of the very gravest character, for which the accused were liable to imprisonment for life, and, indeed, in certain cases to flogging, ft was obvious that the offence was premeditated, particularly in the case of Stiekings. lit addition to carrying -weapons, both men wore masks atul gloves. Deliberate Crime His Honor said every crime accompanied by violence and threats to the lives of others must be met by a substantial term of imprisonment. The considerations put forward by counsel did not, in His Honor's view, afford any sort of excuse. Both these men deliberately sot out after careful preparation to commit robbery with weapons, which showed their intention to elloet their purpose by violence if they were resisted. Sentence must be imposed that would made it clear that this type of crime would always be punished by a substantial term of imprisonment,. The circumstances were not such in this caso as to require a flogging to be imposed. His Honor then passed sentence, and made an order tor the restitution of £26 found on Stickings at the time of his arrest.