FATHER’S GOOD ANGEL

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 502, 3 November 1928, Page 1

FATHER’S GOOD ANGEL

But Was Led Astray GAOL FOR ROBBERS ONE of the Mount Eden robbers came over here to be his father’s “good angel” but he was led astray. The other told the Supreme Court to-day that “he was sorry it happened, and all that.” “You have disgraced your manhood by a deliberate attack on a man and his wife who are somewhat elderly,” Mr. Justice Smith told the robbers, and he sentenced them each to two years’ imprisonment to be followed by reformative detention for not more than two years.

Roy Edward Trask and Norman Travers came up for sentence at the Supreme Court for robbery with violence at Mount Eden. They had commandeered a motor-car and snatched the week’s takings from a Symonds Street mercer who was walking home with his Wife. Mr. F. W. Schramm said that Trask was a New South Welshman, 22 years of age, who had been sent over to New Zealand to look after his father, who was addicted to drink. Instead of keeping his father straight, he had fallen into crime himself. The son was already serving three months’ imprisonment for unlawful conversion of the motor-car which had been used in the hold-up. He had not been before the Court before, and counsel asked for probation after the current sentence had been served. “NOT SO SERIOUS”

“The offence, robbery on the highway, was not so serious as it first appeared,” said counsel. “A pistol was not used and the violence was not great. Trask was short of money, for he llhd been out of work, and he did it rather

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to get funds than because it was a criminal offence.”

“It was a deliberate arrangement carefully planned to hold up a tradesman when he was returning to his home on a Friday night,” said the Crown Prosecutor, Mr. Meredith. “The attack on the tradesman and his wife is no light matter. Although no firearm was used the people were intimidated by a pretence of firearms. It was an act of violence to force the man gff the running-board of the car and it was fraught with danger to the people attacked. These men were prepared to carry out violence to get their purpose. It is impossible to treat the offence lightly, in the interests of the community. “NO HARM” MEANT Asked if he had anything to say, Travers replied simply: “I have been out of work for six months. I didn’t mean no harm, and I didn’t think we would do any harm. I’m sorry it happened, and all that.” His Honour stressed the seriousness of the offence. The men had deliberately planned the coup and had resorted to various devices to obtain what they "wanted. “It was carried out after the fashion of an American hold-up,” continued his Honour. “Both required a lesson to act as a deterrent to others who may be like-minded. “I trust it will be a lesson to you to give up criminal ways,” he told the prisoners. Both accused received the sentence placidly.