SENTENCED TO “CAT”

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19461, 28 December 1934, Page 2

SENTENCED TO “CAT”

CONVICTS WHO ESCAPED. ' ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE. Two convicts who escaped from Dartmoor Prison on October 12 were sentenced at Devon Assizes at Exeter to penal servitude of the “ cat,” says the Manchester Guardian. The men, Ernest Collins (42) and Leonard Hollins (32), were recaptured at Moreton-Hampstead, fourteen miles away, within an hour of their escape. Th§y were found guilty of assaulting Jabez Frank Petherick on October 12, robbery with violence, stealing a motor-van belonging to Petherick, and wounding Petherick with intent to do him bodily harm. Most Serious Offence. Addressing tde prisoners, Mr Justice Humphreys said: “Whatever may be said by people who call themselves humanitarians as to those who take up a life of crime, no one can have anything good to say about people who- in order to assist their own ends cause grievous bodily harm to others. Robbery with violence is one of the most serious offences. If people must rob they must be taught by severe lessons to rob without violence. “On the count of robbery with violence I sentence you to three years’ penal servitude and to receive twelve lashes with the cat-o’-nine-tails. On Hie count of stealing a motor-car you will receive the sentence of twelve months’ imprisonment, to run concurrently, and on the third count of unlawful wounding a sentence of three years’ penal servitude, to run concurrently. All these sentences are to begin when you have finished your present terms. On the other charge of escaping while in custody I sentence you to three years’ penal servitude, but this sentence is to begin at once and so you will not be punished for it." Hit With Iron Bar. Mr F. S. Laskey, prosecuting, described how the men ran away and stopped a motor-van driven by Mr Petherick. Mr Laskey alleged that when Mr Petherick refused to turn the van and drive the men the other way they struck him on the head with an iron bar which had been taken from a prison shed. Mr Petherick received cuts on the head and was dazed, and the men-drove off. J.abcz Frank Petherick, giving evidence, said that lie could not tell who struck the hl-Ows. At' the close of the prosecution’s case Collins gave evidence. He said that Hollins slopped the van by waving the red flag anc! Hollins got into the seat and sLarted Lhe car at speed. Mr Petherick. said Collins, was just getting ouL and the door swung hack and “ gave him a big wallop ” and he slithered out of Lhe van. Collins denied ever handling the iron bar or that he intended to steal the van. Gollins said that he was not disposed towards violence. “ But Hollins is,” he added. “He came out of the quarry because of violence. Ho set about : another man there." Hollins, in evidence, said that Collins took the Iron bar. “ When the driver refused to turn round Collins picked up the iron bar and struck the driver three times,” he declared. The Judge said he did not wish to hear the men’s records, but would like to know how they behaved in Dartmoor, and Chief Officer E. Bartlett said they both had good characters in ' prison. The Judge: Collins said Hollins was transferred from the quarry because of violence.

Chief Officer Bartlett: That is untrue. It was a fight between two prisoners.

The Judge: Just a little disagreement? —Yes.