Rotorua man Qiang Liu pleads guilty to kidnapping | T-10 NEWS

Rotorua man Qiang Liu has admitted his role in a kidnapping incident that was intended to hold a person for ransom.

Liu, 41, appeared in the Rotorua District Court this morning and entered a guilty plea to a charge of procuring a person unknown to unlawfully take away Lei Pan without his consent, with intent to hold him for ransom.

Charge sheet details show the offence happened on June 16 last year at Henderson, Auckland.

Liu’s lawyer, Philip Morgan KC, asked Judge Maree MacKenzie to consider allowing Liu to remain on bail until his sentencing, despite the fact it was a serious charge.

Morgan told the court Liu immigrated from China 20 years ago and was now a New Zealand citizen who worked in the community.

Judge MacKenzie granted bail on the condition he didn’t associate with the victim unless it was for the purpose of restorative justice.

The court didn’t have an available sentencing date that suited Morgan so Judge MacKenzie directed the matter would be recalled on March 1 at 2.15pm for a sentencing date to be found.