Christchurch Mosque Attack: Appeal to Withdraw Guilty Plea Dismissed
The New Zealand Court of Appeal has dismissed an application by Brenton Tarrant to withdraw the guilty pleas he entered for the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks.
Tarrant pleaded guilty in March 2020 to 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder, and one charge of engaging in a terrorist act. He was sentenced in August 2020 to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole—a sentence that had not previously been imposed in New Zealand.
Decision of the Court of Appeal
A three-judge panel dismissed the appeal application, describing it as "utterly devoid of merit."
Tarrant filed his appeal 505 days after the legal deadline, which in New Zealand is typically 20 working days. The court also rejected Tarrant's subsequent attempt to abandon his appeal, citing significant public interest in finalizing the case.
The court found no evidence of coercion or mental incapacity at the time Tarrant entered his guilty pleas.
The judgment stated that Tarrant "endeavoured to mislead us about his state of mind" and that his evidence was inconsistent with observations from prison authorities, mental health professionals, and trial lawyers. The court determined that Tarrant made an informed and rational decision to plead guilty and failed to adequately explain the delay in filing his appeal.
A separate application to appeal his sentence was withdrawn with court approval.
Grounds of the Appeal
The appeal hearing took place in February 2025 over five days. Tarrant argued that his guilty pleas were not voluntary due to his mental state, which he claimed deteriorated as a result of conditions in a special high-security unit at Auckland Prison.
Tarrant described his confinement as involving solitary confinement, limited reading material, and reduced social contact. He stated that he suffered from "nervous exhaustion" and "wildly fluctuating beliefs and identity" at the time of his plea.
He claimed he felt compelled to plead guilty and that he concealed his mental state partly due to the "political movement I'm a part of." He stated that going to trial would have been "a nightmare" and that he felt he "had no choice" but to plead guilty.
Evidence Presented
During the hearing, testimony was heard from Tarrant's former lawyers, psychologists, and prison staff. Experts had ruled Tarrant fit to enter pleas at the time of his guilty pleas.
A clinical psychologist who provided a report on Tarrant's mental state stated that his "emotional wellbeing, judgement, and ability to make informed choices" were impacted by his incarceration conditions. However, the psychologist clarified that he did not believe Tarrant was unfit to plead.
Crown lawyer Barnaby Hawes called Tarrant "an unreliable witness" and noted the overwhelming evidence of guilt.
Hawes noted that documentation of Tarrant's behavior by mental health experts and prison staff provided limited evidence of a serious mental crisis. Tarrant's former lawyer testified that Tarrant never wanted to defend the terrorism charge and was not perturbed when the death toll rose to 51.
Security measures for the hearing were stringent. The identities of Tarrant's legal team (referred to as Counsel A, B, C, and D) and several witnesses received name suppression for safety concerns—a measure described as a first for New Zealand legal proceedings.
Background of the Attack
On March 15, 2019, Tarrant attacked two mosques in Christchurch during Friday prayers. He used semi-automatic weapons and livestreamed the attack. Fifty-one individuals were killed and dozens sustained injuries.
The attack prompted New Zealand institutions to implement measures to restrict the dissemination of Tarrant's ideology, including legal orders and a ban on possessing his manifesto or video of the attack.
Tarrant, an Australian national, pleaded guilty in March 2020 to all charges, avoiding a trial. Victims' families had expressed relief at the guilty pleas, fearing a trial would provide a platform for his extremist views.
Ongoing Proceedings
An inquiry into the attacks—described as the largest coronial investigation in New Zealand—remains ongoing. In October 2025, the High Court left open the possibility of calling Tarrant as a witness despite objections from survivors and families.
Legal experts have suggested Tarrant may pursue further challenges through the Supreme Court or United Nations bodies.