KEY POINTS:
Brett Stuart Wellm tricked his way into an elderly widow's home with a Bible before attacking her with a spade and a pair of hedge clippers, leaving her tied up and semiconscious.
Then, as his 83-year-old victim played dead in the hope the attack would end, Wellm stole her jewellery and alcohol - which he later gave to his girlfriend - before setting her Howick house alight and leaving her for dead, the Manukau District Court heard yesterday.
Dinah Gavin's injuries which included a skull fracture, two broken ribs, broken fingers and thumbs and skin wounds so serious she required 25 days in Middlemore Hospital, skin grafts and plastic surgery.
Wellm, 43, and unemployed, admitted charges of attempted murder, arson, assault and two counts of aggravated burglary when he appeared before Judge Semi Epati yesterday.
His girlfriend, charged with being an accessory after the fact to aggravated burglary, did not appear.
Crown prosecutor Shane Jones said that on November 26 last year Mrs Gavin, known as Frankie, opened her security door to Wellm, who was holding a Bible, because the wind was loud and she could not hear him.
Wellm was later arrested after approaching people in a nearby home who he asked to call him a taxi.
When occupant Brett Aspden arrived home from karate training, he detained Wellm until police arrived.
Mr Jones said Wellm told police he entered Mrs Gavin's house with another person to commit a burglary and said he beat her with a piece of wood because his accomplice - whose identity he refused to reveal - would have given her a worse beating.
Defence counsel Lorraine Smith invited the Crown to drop charges relating to an alleged assault on a policeman at Middlemore Hospital while Wellm was treated for cuts.
She then said Wellm admitted the other charges.
"After lengthy discussions with his counsel, Mr Wellm is taking full responsibility for his behaviour which has its nexus in the drug P," she said.
"He will not put the 83-year-old complainant through any more pain."
Judge Epati called for pre-sentence, alcohol and drug and psychiatrist's reports on Wellm and an emotional harm report from Mrs Gavin.
Wellm was remanded in custody to reappear High Court at Auckland in May for sentencing.
