A Northlander has admitted carrying out a violent home invasion and assaulting the occupant in retribution for perceived past grievances.
Raymond Robert Gilmour, 21, pleaded guilty to a swag of charges before the start of his jury trial in the Whangarei District Court last week.
The charges include kidnapping, injuringwith intend to injure, intimidation, possession of a firearm, disguising for burglary, and burglary.
Gilmour and Dillyn Nicholson broke into a Ruawai home about 12.30am on August 15, 2015, assaulted the 51-year-old occupant while he was sleeping, bound his legs with duct tape and threatened to kill him.
In June, Nicholson was sent to jail for four years and four months for his part in the attack.
Gilmour pleaded not guilty and opted for a trial by jury in the Whangarei District Court. However, he admitted all the charges before the jury was empanelled.
A police summary of facts stated Nicholson and Gilmour hatched a plan to carry out the home invasion to frighten the victim as a way of seeking retribution for past perceived grievances.
In the early hours of August 15, both men entered the victim's house and struck him on his head with fists after putting bedcovers over him.
They said they had a gun and a hard pointed item was pushed against the man's right ear. He struggled to breathe but managed to get his mouth and nose out of the bedcovers to get some air.
Gilmour bound the man's legs around his ankles using duct tape. They stole the victim's cellphone, a computer tablet and a wallet which contained his bank cards that were later used to buy food and drinks.
Police found the stolen items in the home the accused shared and an air pistol was found in a vehicle. The victim received cuts and bruises to his face and ear and was traumatised by the attack.
Gilmour initially denied any involvement but later admitted some of the offending and claimed he went to the victim's house to only scare him. He was remanded in custody for sentencing on December 19.
Judge Anne Kiernan referred Gilmour to restorative justice but said it was up to the victim to accept the offer. She ordered a probation report before sentencing.
