Four accused of North Shore attacks guilty

Jono Wilson has now admitted seven charges in total relating to attacks on two couples on the North Shore last year. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Four young men accused of a violent rampage on the North Shore last year have pleaded guilty today.

Harlem Haynui Kirton, 19, Piri Valli Kirton, 18 and Ruamoko Taiapa, 21, this afternoon pleaded guilty to all charges in the Auckland District Court.

The three were accused of aggravated robbery, intent to cause grievous bodily harm, wounding with intent and assault with intent to rob.

Earlier today Jono Paul Wilson pleaded guilty to three counts of grievous bodily harm, one of robbery and one of assault. He had previously pleaded guilty to four other charges relating to the same attacks.

Their pleas came on day two of an expected four week trial.

The charges were related to events that occurred on the North Shore on January 15 last year when two couples were violently attacked.

Taiapa's mother, Kiriana Taiapa, also pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact.

The four men were remanded in custody for sentencing on October 3.

Ms Taiapa was released on bail.

Judge Christopher Field convicted them and asked for pre-sentence reports and victim impact statements.

In the opening case for the Crown yesterday, prosecutor Sarah Mandeno said on the night of the attack, the accused were bored, had no money and were "looking for trouble".

At about 1.30am they came across Denis Khotchenko and Valerie Nesterova who were sitting in Mr Khotchenko's car at Milford Beach.

The Crown said Wilson went up to the car and asked Mr Khotchenko if he had ever met a real gangster. Wilson then asked for a beer as the others surrounded the car.

When Mr Khotchenko tried to start his car he was repeatedly hit in the head and body with a metal bar.

A screaming Ms Nesterova tried to protect Mr Khotchenko with her arms.

She was hit too and blacked out. When she regained consciousness, she ran to get help by running across a carpark and then swimming across an inlet.

About two hours later, Ericka Rancourt and Oskar Carroll were walking along Lake Rd when the four accused allegedly pulled up in their silver Toyota Corolla.

Ms Mandeno told the jury that the couple received serious head injuries and remember little from what happened to them.

"They thought they had been hit by a car and it would have felt like it," Ms Mandeno said.

Ms Rancourt could remember someone standing over her before she blacked out. She also saw Mr Carroll lying unconscious on the ground.

- with NZPA