A man who tried to throttle a police dog during a chase has pleaded guilty to trying to injure the animal.
Alex Tereroa, 32, appeared in the Hamilton District Court on Friday on a charge of intentionally injuring a police dog.
In February last year, police chased Tereroa and another man in a car to the outskirts of Hamilton, before the men fled on foot.
Tereroa was tracked by a police dog and when its handler caught up, he found Tereroa trying to choke the dog.
It quickly regained consciousness and was able to help capture Tereroa.
He will be sentenced in the Auckland District Court on 23 July.
Last month, Tereroa was jailed for eight years and 10 months for aggravated robbery, assault and threatening to use a gun against a police officer.