TAS: Santa bandit sentenced to four years' jail

AAP General News (Australia)
02-03-2004
TAS: Santa bandit sentenced to four years' jail

By Libby Sutherland

HOBART, Feb 3 AAP - An amateurish Tasmanian bank robber who dressed up as Santa Claus
and armed himself with a fake gun was today sentenced to four years jail.

Gregory John Hartland-White, 40, had earlier pleaded guilty to robbing a northern Tasmanian
branch of Westpac of $13,451 on December 20, 2002.

In passing sentence today in Launceston, Tasmanian Supreme Court Justice Ewan Crawford
said Hartland-White had decided to commit the crime when earlier withdrawing money from
the bank's ATM.

"He purchased a Santa Claus …