Eli Epiha meant to cause Constable Matthew Hunt's death, judge rules

Eli Bob Sauni Epiha will be sentenced on October 1. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The man who admitted killing Constable Matthew Hunt in West Auckland - but denied it was intentional - will be sentenced on the basis that he meant to cause the death of Hunt, a ruling issued today said.

Justice Geoffrey Venning said Eli Epiha meant to cause the death of the young officer when he shot and killed him in Massey in June 2020.

Epiha is being sentenced on October 1 for Hunt's murder, the attempted murder of Constable David Goldfinch, and dangerous driving causing injury.

A majority jury found Epiha, 25, guilty of the attempted murder of Goldfinch after 11-and-a-half hours of deliberation, following nearly two weeks of testimony.

Co-defendant Natalie Jane Bracken, 31, was found guilty of being an accessory after the fact to wounding Hunt with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Diane Hunt, mother of slain Constable Hunt, was surrounded by family and supporters outside the High Court at Auckland following the guilty verdict.

"Listening to what happened to Matthew and Dave on Friday the 19th of June 2020 can't be described in words. The loss of Matt has been made all the more traumatic by having to hear every possible detail that happened that day," Diane Hunt said.

Constable Hunt was the 33rd New Zealand police officer to be killed in the line of duty when Epiha shot him four times with a military-style semi-automatic rifle.