A real estate agent will be sentenced in the High Court at Auckland in May after admitting he kidnapped a five-year-old girl last year.
Deqiong Deng, 25, today pleaded guilty in North Shore District Court to kidnapping Cina Ma, also known as Xin Xin, from outside her Albany home on July 14 last year.
Deng was charged after Cina Ma was allegedly bundled into a car by a masked man and driven away.
She was found unharmed five days later in a walk-in wardrobe in a new but unoccupied house within 200m of her home.
"Guilty, and I am sorry, sorry to the family and the little girl," Deng told the court when he was asked to plead today.
Deng could have been sentenced in North Shore District Court but Judge David McNaughton agreed to a crown application to have him sentenced in the High Court at Auckland.
"The District Court has jurisdiction but because it is such a serious case the crown sought to have it transferred to the High Court," crown prosecutor Simon Moore told reporters outside court.
The police summary of facts against Deng were expected to be read to the court today but it was adjourned until sentencing as there were about three details which Deng's lawyer Ron Mansfield said were in dispute.
Judge McNaughton asked for the two parties to get together to ensure they could work out a summary of facts which they agreed upon before Deng is sentenced on May 12.
The girl's father was in court today but did not wish to speak to reporters afterwards.
