SHOP-BREAKING TRIO

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 413, 23 July 1928, Page 1

SHOP-BREAKING TRIO

GANG PUNISHED THREE YEARS FOR LEADER “It seems a shocking state of affairs when we have shops broken into by gangs of young men. It is impossible to look upon these offences as anything but serious.** This was the view Mr. Justice MacGregor expressed in the Supreme Court this morning in sentencing three young men for breaking and entering and theft. They were Neville Clifford Moller. 21, Edward William Keymer, ; 21. and William John Robinson. 22. On behalf of the prisoners. Mr. J. I F. W. Dickson said that Moller and Keymer had two charges preferred against them and Robinson only one. This was really their first appearance in a court, although Moller had appeared once for swearing. All were on the threshold of life, said counsel, pleading for probation. The probation officer had recommended probation in the case of Keymer and Robinson. “All three are of exemplary character,” counsel assured the court j “Character?” asked his Honour. “You : must mean reputation. How can you tell their character?” ! Mr. Dickson was convinced of the i good character of the pr'soners. j “This is another case of iho deprei dations of young men,” said Mr. V. j R. Meredith, Crown Prosecutor. Moller, j he considered, was prime mover. ProI perty to the value of £3O had been stolen and restitution had been made for most of itI In passing sentence his Honour said it was perfectly clear that Moller was the ringleader. He would undergo three years' reformative detention. Keymer and Robinson would each be similarly punished for 18 months.