One of three men charged with setting a series of dry-ice bottle bombs around Christchurch has pleaded guilty.
A trial date has been set for two other men charged with the bombings that brought part of central Christchurch to a standstill on August 17.
Raymond Gary Coombs, 26, from Dunedin, pleaded guilty before today's pre-trial conference that was to set a date for the District Court jury trial.
He admitted two petrol thefts on the day of the bombings, four charges of setting a man trap, and a charge of injuring with intent.
The injuring charge related to a cleaner at the Bus Exchange who picked up one of the bombs and it exploded soon after when he started to unscrew the top.
At the depositions hearing in January, the court was told Coombs had admitted to police that he had made the bombs and had experimented with them at a Barbadoes Street address before the Friday afternoon bombings.
The bombs -- made with dry-ice and soft drink bottles --were left at Northlands Mall, a service station in Papanui Road, a rubbish bin in the city, a planter box at the Palms Mall, and at the Bus Exchange that afternoon.
Coombs, who has now been in custody for about five months, was further remanded in custody to April 23 for pre-sentence reports and sentence.
The trial of Damien Gary White, 24, and Scott James Wreford Kelly, 25, unemployed, was today set down to start on July 7. According to Kelly's defence counsel, Michael Starling, it is expected to last a week.
NZPA
source: newshub archive
