Tauranga assault case: Man pleads guilty to attacks, harmful posts

Patrick Paul Moloney pleaded guilty to four charges in Tauranga District Court. Photo / Ayla Yeoman

A Tauranga man has admitted his role in a series of assaults and posting videos of them online.

Patrick Paul Moloney, 19, initially pleaded not guilty to four charges in December.

During a case review hearing in Tauranga District Court today, Moloney pleaded guilty to one charge of common assault, two charges of injuring with intent and one charge of posting harmful communication.

The assault charges carry a maximum sentence of three years in jail.

The digital communication charges carry a maximum sentence of two years in prison or a $50,000 fine.

Judge Paul Geoghegan called Moloney’s acts “frankly despicable” and made the seriousness of his crimes clear.

Moloney was one of three people arrested following a police investigation into an alleged Tauranga vigilante group targeting people they believed were contacting minors online.

The others were Aucklander Ethan Marc Jeffs, and a third person who has interim name suppression.

Moloney was released on bail and is due to reappear in court for sentencing on July 29.