Man admits to putting axe through Prime Minister's window

The axe in Helen Clark's electorate office window last November. Picture / Fotopress

A Grey Lynn man has admitted being part of a political protest during which an axe was smashed through the Prime Minister Helen Clark's electorate office window.

Timothy Selwyn, 31, appearing in the Auckland District Court this morning, admitted a charge of being a party to a conspiracy with person or persons unknown to commit intentional damage.

However, he denied two charges of being a party to a seditious conspiracy and publishing statements with seditious intent.

Sedition is defined as "speech, writing or behaviour intended to encourage rebellion or resistance against the government".

The charge of publishing seditious statements refers to leaflets found in Ponsonby Road, 2km from the Prime Minister's office in Sandringham Road, Auckland, after the axe attack. The office was attacked on November 18 last year.

A date for his trial on the charges he denies is to be fixed next month. A date for sentencing on the axe attack will also be set then.

Selwyn first appeared in court in December, where he was allowed bail on conditions that included not going within 50m of Ms Clark's electorate office in Mt Albert.

- HERALD STAFF