Home invasion guilty plea

A third Rotorua man has pleaded guilty to charges related to the Labour Weekend home invasion of Peter and Maggie Bentley's cattle farm east of Te Puke and an earlier burglary at the property.

Mano James Tamati, 30, unemployed of Rotorua, yesterday admitted the burglary in August last year and charges of aggravated robbery and wounding Peter Bentley on October 23.

During Tamati's brief appearance in the Rotorua District Court, Judge Paul Geoghegan convicted and remanded him in custody for sentencing in June.

Crown solicitor Amanda Gordon said she would apply to the court to have Tamati's sentencing date reset to the same day as two co-offenders also waiting to hear what their penalties would be.

Hopihana Epiha, 40, pleaded guilty in January to charges of aggravated robbery and wounding in the Labour Weekend attack.

Ronald Hira, 28, has admitted the August burglary.

The unemployed men are being held in custody.

Rotorua man Desmond Eru, 22, was committed for trial on charges of aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary after a hearing early this month. He is on bail and awaiting a trial date.