6 Jul 2018

Morrinsville shooter Rollie Heke pleads guilty

11:29 am on 6 July 2018

The man who fired at police near Morrinsville after being on the run has pleaded guilty in the High Court in Hamilton this morning.

A photo that police say shows Rollie Heke, left, and a photo taken by RNZ of a car with visible bullet holes left at the scene.

A photo of Rollie Heke released by police at the time of the manhunt, left, and a photo taken by RNZ of a car with visible bullet holes left at the scene. Photo: NZ Police / RNZ

Rollie Heke admitted a representative charge at the High Court in Hamilton this morning of using a firearm against law enforcement officers in August last year.

In August last year, Heke went on the run, and fired a military-style semi-automatic rifle at a patrol car after officers stopped him in the Waikato town of Morrinsville.

He was arrested at a property in the Kaingaora Forest township about two weeks after firing shots at a patrol car.

He gave himself up after a tip off lead police to the property and it was surrounded by armed officers.

At the time he was charged with three counts of attempted murder.

These charges will be dropped when he appears for sentencing next month.

Heke originally pleaded not guilty and a trial was expected in October.

Heke was sentenced in September last year at the High Court in Wellington and jailed for five years and five months on charges of importing methamphetamine and conspiracy to import it.

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