Accused admits Hawke's Bay home invasion

One of two men who invaded an elderly Pakowhai Rd couple's home last year admitted his guilt in the Hastings District Court on Tuesday.
Richard Neil Rameka, 22, pleaded guilty to the aggravated burglary.
The police summary of events said Rameka was familiar with the home shared by 82-year-old Allan Radburnd and his 78-year-old wife, Dorothy, because he had laid flooring there earlier in the year.
Rameka and his co-accused, Anthony Gerbes, 26, of Hastings, took a taxi to Pakowhai Rd around 2am on November 30 and put on their disguises as they walked down the driveway. Rameka picked up an axe and Gerbes a wooden fence batten found on the property.
They tried to force a door at the rear of the house, then moved an orchard ladder from which Rameka unsuccessfully tried to force a window.
Rameka exchanged his axe for a sledgehammer, broke the glass in the ranch slider, and they went directly to the bedroom.
The couple awoke to find Rameka holding the sledgehammer aloft while Gerbes stood behind him with the fence batten.
"I don't want to hurt anyone," Rameka said.
Mr Radburnd got out of bed and confronted them.
Rameka said he wanted the car, money cards and money.
Mr Radburnd told them he had no money and wrestled with Rameka for the sledgehammer.
"I don't want to hurt anybody," Rameka repeated.
Mr Radburnd relented, taking Rameka to the kitchen where he demanded food and was given bread and milk.
Concerned for his wife, Mr Radburnd gave them the keys to his blue Range Rover and locked the door behind them before phoning police.
Rameka and Gerbes dropped off the bread and milk in Mayfair and Rameka used a stolen credit card to credit his cellphone.
About 4am, Gerbes tried unsuccessfully to obtain cash from an ATM in Havelock North and Rameka knocked over full wheelie bins. They rammed fences at the rear of Karamu High School and abandoned the vehicle near Splash Planet.
Police prosecutor Nigel Wolland said Rameka and Gerbes dobbed each other in.
Rameka had denied his involvement but said Gerbes and a patched Mongrel Mob member were the offenders and that stolen property located at his address was there because of Gerbes.
Gerbes admitted his involvement in full and named Rameka as his accomplice.
Rameka was remanded in custody and was due to be sentenced on February 18.
Gerbes is due to appear in the Napier District Court for sentencing on Friday.