RUTHLESS KILLER

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1932, Page 7

RUTHLESS KILLER

HEAVY SENTENCES

MELBOURNE JUDGE’S VIEWS

MELBOURNE, May 3

Described as a ruthless killer, Hugh Martin, 29 years, of Gipps Street, East Melbourne, who pleaded guilty to having, at -Richmond on August Id last, in company, robbed William Robert Lewis, of Bridge Road, Richmond, pawnbroker, of money and jewellery valued at £600; with having, at South Yarra on September 23, robbed, m company, Norman Sylvester Byrne, assistant manager of the Southern Cross Service Station, of £ll 10s; and on October 16, at Colling wood vith having robbed, in como.uiy, two employees of the Commercial Bank ng Company of Sydney, Ltd , of a bag containing £769, appeared before Judge Poster in the Court of General .Sessions for sentence. Martin is at present serving sentences amounting to twenty years in connection with the Flinders Lane hold-up. Mr Fazio, who appeared for Martin, ■said it had gone abroad that his client was a ruthless killer. He wished to

S point out that he was not anything of || the kind. In connection with the || three charges he had pleaded guilty to || his object was if ' -His Honor : The depositions -show fl what his object was. ||| \Mr Fazio: That was robbery. « ’ His -Honor : No. Murder if nocos- | sa ry. j

Mr Fazio: -T do not think so

His Honor said the crimes to which Martin had pleaded guilty were serious, and Martin was aware of their seriousness. He did not. intend to say anything further about them. To mark tiis sense; of the seriousness of the

crimes, he would pass a sentence of ten years’ imprisonment on each of, the .charges. As Martin was under-

going a -sentence of twenty years in connection with other crimes on which -ho had Been found guilty, the sen- ! tenees on f'-e. three charges would ho J made concurrent, and concurrent on the sentences of twenty years. j