Theft admitted from fire-death house

A man has admitted stealing cannabis from a house where a man died in a suspicious fire.

Richard Anthony Ell, 42, appeared in the Rotorua District Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary at Stephen George's Tirohanga property on October 9 last year.

Ell, of Tokoroa, was jointly charged with 42-year-old Te Awamutu man Alan Howard Brewer, who has since died.

The burglary took place on the night Mr George's Paerata Rd house burned down in a suspicious fire. Mr George's body was later found in the house.

The police summary of facts was not read out in court.

However, Ell's lawyer Harry Edward said the extent of Ell's involvement in the burglary was that he went to the property with Brewer.

He did not enter the property but he helped Brewer load cannabis seedlings into the back of a vehicle and he drove off.

Mr Edward said the rest of the three-page police summary of facts was not relevant to the charge Ell had admitted.

Judge Phillip Cooper remanded Ell in custody until tomorrow for sentencing.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)