“CAT” FOR BANDITS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 543, 27 August 1932, Page 22 (Supplement)

“CAT” FOR BANDITS.

THEFT OF £23,477. FLOGGINGS FOR VIOLENCE. BRITAIN’S STERN MEASURES. The “ cat ” and the birch have come back as a punishment for crimes of violence in Britain. Five men were sentenced last month to fifteen strokes with the “cat”; and others to twelve strokes. Four youths were sentenced to the birch—-two of them to eighteen strokes, two to fifteen. Flogging and penal servitude sentences were passed by Mr. Justice Avory at the Winchester Assizes on the three motor bandits who stole £23,477 from a Portsmouth bank messenger. It was stated that none of the money had been recovered. Stern Measures. “ The time has come,” said Mr. Justice Avory, “ when it is necessary that stern measures should be taken to repress this class of offence. It is difficult to imagine a worse case of its kind. It was a carefully' planned robbery ot £23,477, none oi which has been recovered.” The men, who all gave London addresses, were sentenced as follows:—John Parker, aged 48, five years’ penal servitude and fifteen strokes with the “cat. Alfred George Hines, aged 43. tour years’ penal servitude and fifteen strokes. Benjamin John Bennett, aged 30. three years’ penal servitude and fifteen strokes. They were accused of robbery with violence, and the theft of £23,477 in notes, the money of Lloyds Bank, Ltd., at Portsmouth, on April 23. It was stated that as the bank treasurer and a messenger. Mr. George Poor, were taking a bag containing the money to the post office, a car, in which were four men, pulled up. One man jumped out, struck down the messenger with a blunt instrument. and snatched the bag, and the car drove away at a terrific speed. The accused men gave evidence supporting alibis, and witnesses for the defence sought to prove that the men were in London all day' on April 25. “An Adolf Beck.” Parker protested strongly against thfi conviction, and said that the police had “a down” on him; Hines also protested, and said that he was “ an Adolf Beck Bennett protested against his conviction. Mr. Justice Avory said that, ii# order to mark Tiis appreciation of the courage of the messenger. Mr. Poor, by holding to the back of the car even when he was being beaten about the head, he granted Tiim :i frrat.iiit.v of