HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 207, 22 August 1908, Page 2

HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

I'l'ME (OIUVIISTOHUHUH -JiKAVJiB By Telegraph.—Presß Association. Christchurch, Last flight. At tlho Suprome Court this morning before his Honor Air. Justice Hemiston, Joseph Johnston, aged Ho, Frank Bolton, aged 22, anU James Jieegan, aged li), were .brought up for sentence on various convictions oi robbery uuilor airms and breaking and untcniig. In sentencing Johnston, liis Honor said: "i'ou have been convicted in four casus of robbery from the person while bearing arms, or, j a oilier words, robbery under arms. iou have also been convicted in two casus of burglary, n you 'had ibecn convicted lor ro'ubery alone 1 might have looked upon your ! oll'ences us less aerious, and but lor the fact lima one of you actually lired upon a man 1 would have looked upon the bearing of firearms as meivly a piece of bravado, and not as a serious atloinpt to use the weapons. Could it have been ascertained which man used the weapon tlhat man would have been charged with a much more serious offence."

(Mr. Russell, Crown Prosecutor, said , that in fairness to the accused, he must mention that in the ease of Mathers, whicji had not come before \ the Court, 'no firearms laid been used, ' although Ma.th.ors assisted the accused. ] His Honor said that the use of firearms at all was a serious thing, anr) sHioulil be so treated. In addition to the robbery charges there were two cases of .burglary. Johnston had unfortunately a very bad record, notwithstanding his age. He knew nothing about the early years of Johnston's life but lie had become a criminal early) Johnston was liable under the recent Act to be treated as an habitual crim- ■

inal and dealt with, as stic-h. Looking at his comparative youth, however, his Honor said he felt reluctant to put tflie prisoner in a position which would leave it to the discretion of the Execitivo to treat Uiiii" practically as a criminal for life, but even eliminating as far as possible the weapon element from the case it wa3 a case for a substantial sentence. Should Johnston be convicted of any crime in future toe might be absolutely certain that the greater part of the rest of his Jite would he spent under restraint. In .sentencing him to five years' imprisonment, he was treating him with great leniency in the hope that the weight of tllic throat held out against him would deter him from further crime. He. sentenced Bolton to four years' imprisonment, and Keegan to twelve months' imprisonment, the sentences ibeing on each charge and to run concurrently. On ttuj application of Mr. Russell, his Honor made an order for the pro rata division of £4 15s lOd found in ' I Uhe possession of the prisoners.