Top lawyer leaves Rotorua

Fletcher Pilditch.

The man who brought justice to some of Rotorua's worst criminals is leaving his high-profile role.

Rotorua Crown Solicitor Fletcher Pilditch has resigned and will move to Auckland at the end of the year to pursue new career opportunities.

Mr Pilditch, of local law firm Gordon & Pilditch, has been the Rotorua Crown Solicitor for eight years and a prosecutor for 16.

During his time in Rotorua Mr Pilditch has successfully prosecuted high-profile cases, including the killing of Rotorua toddler Nia Glassie. He also prosecuted murderer Menzies Hallett, helping bring Hallett to justice 34 years after he gunned down Rodney Tahu in Turangi.

Mr Pilditch said he had always planned on becoming an independent barrister in Auckland and recently announced funding changes meant now was a good time to move on.

"There are changes on the way to the way Crown solicitors are structured and funded [that will mean a] reduction in funding to this office.

"We had to look at the model that we had and the number of senior people that could be maintained. We had to restructure.

"It's always been my plan to make a move anyway. [The changes] just brought that forward by no more than two years."

Mr Pilditch emphasised it was not a "sour grapes decision" to leave and he had enjoyed his time here.

"The changes in the system were a great time to reflect on where I was and my plans long term," he said.

He was looking forward to the challenge and flexibility of being an independent barrister where he expected to do a mix of criminal and regulatory work, prosecutions and white collar crime.

He will also remain on the Serious Fraud Office panel.

Mr Pilditch said he had given Crown Law months of notice to ensure a smooth transition for the incoming Crown Solicitor.

While he wouldn't comment on whether anyone within his firm had applied for the Crown Solicitor warrant, he said Gordon & Pilditch was "well placed to continue providing the service".

"The current intention of the firm is to continue to offer the service but that's up to the Government to decide," he said, adding he had no say on who his replacement would be.

Crown Prosecutor Amanda Gordon is the other partner of Gordon & Pilditch.