A Mongrel Mob member wanted by police for kidnapping a woman and using her as a sex slave has been captured by Rotorua police.
Lance Waite was on the run from Gisborne police on serious sex charges relating to a woman who was held against her will and sexually abused by him and allegedly by others.
Waite, a 51-year-old fruit picker, pleaded guilty to three serious sex charges in relation to an incident on Saturday and appeared in the Rotorua District Court before Judge James Weir.
Waite admitted one charge of detaining a woman without her consent for the purpose of her having sex with unknown persons and two counts of sexually violating the woman at Gisborne on February 13.
The court was told Waite drove around Gisborne for a couple of hours before letting her go.
When he first appeared in court on Monday, lawyer Harry Edward asked for the case to be stood down to discuss the charges with police and have the matter resolved.
After his guilty plea, police withdrew firearms and drugs charges against Waite.
Mr Edward yesterday requested that a restorative justice meeting be held between Waite and the victim.
Judge Weir recommended the meeting go ahead, if the victim chose to take part.
Waite has been remanded in custody for a pre-sentence report and sentencing in the Gisborne High Court next Monday.
Rotorua police stopped a car Waite was travelling in on Saturday afternoon in Fenton St. Senior Sergeant Ed Van Den Broek of the Rotorua police told The Daily Post yesterday the people inside the car were spotted by police on Saturday and were recognised as patched gang members, which raised police suspicions.
Mr Van Den Broek said that as a result of the stop, police searched the vehicle and allegedly found a well-concealed sawn-off shotgun and a small amount of cannabis.
"After the arrest we found the man [Waite] was wanted for arrest in Gisborne."
additional reporting by Matthew Martin