27 March 2020 12:00 am
The Australian man charged with murdering 51 people in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, has suddenly changed his plea to admit all charges at a hastily arranged court appearance.
On March 15 last year, a man dressed in military fatigues and armed with several automatic weapons shot dead 51 worshippers at Al Noor and Linwood mosques in inner-city of Christchurch. Forty-nine people were also injured in the attacks, which were live-streamed online.
The horrific attack shocked New Zealand and is regarded as the worst massacre in the country’s modern history, as well as the country’s largest ever criminal prosecution.
The man accused of the shootings, Brenton Tarrant, a former gym instructor from Australia was charged with the killings and had maintained a not-guilty plea throughout. His trial was set down for June 2 at the Christchurch High Court. This has now been called off and he has been convicted of all charges, with sentencing to occur later this year.