New Zealand court rejects appeal by mosque gunman to abandon guilty pleas

Tarrant’s bid to withdraw his guilty pleas and seek a trial was “utterly devoid of merit”, they wrote

Brenton Tarrant killed 51 people in the atrocity in Christchurch in 2019 (Pool Photo via AP)

Thu, 30 Apr, 2026 - 07:39

Associated Press reporters

The white supremacist who shot and killed 51 Muslims at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, has lost an attempt to undo his guilty pleas in an appeal court ruling.

The panel of three judges at New Zealand’s Court of Appeal dismissed Brenton Tarrant’s claim that harsh prison conditions prompted him to make an involuntarily admission to terrorism, murder and attempted murder charges.