A man found guilty of robbing two French tourists who were hitchhiking to Rotorua has been jailed for four years nine months but continues to maintain his innocence.
Che Teraumate Bridger, 25, was sentenced in Tauranga District Court today after he was found guilty of two counts of aggravated robbery at a jury trial last month.
Bridger, together with his cousin Bo-Tamati Rawiri, 26, was found guilty of bashing and robbing two 21-year-old Frenchman hitchhiking from Tauranga to Rotorua on July 7, 2012.
The two victims who have permanent name suppression told the court they were picked up by two men in a light-coloured sedan at Te Maunga who offered to take them to Rotorua.
Bridger and Rawiri demanded money during the journey, then attacked and robbed the tourists of most of their possessions, after parking up behind the disused Shell service station near Welcome Bay turnoff.