Shooter gets longer to change plea

A man who admitted shooting at police and kidnapping an elderly couple has been given more time to think about changing his plea.

Leonard Archer Hall was found not guilty of the attempted murder of two policemen in an Auckland shopping mall carpark in June 2005, but he pleaded guilty to a range of 14 other charges including kidnapping and using a weapon against police.

He was due to be sentenced in the High Court in Auckland in May but was told medication appeared to be working and he should have the chance to apply to the court to change his plea and use insanity as a defence.

He was given until today but when he appeared without a lawyer, he told Judge Graham Lang he needed more time to think about it.

Part of the conversation between Hall and the judge was suppressed.

Hall asked for copies of three psychiatric reports and was remanded in custody to appear again next month.

- NZPA