An Opotiki man has pleaded guilty to raping a male French tourist at gunpoint and will be sentenced in November.
Teiro Ngaa Kitai, 32, admitted three charges of sexually violating the tourist when he appeared in Tauranga District Court this week, The New Zealand Herald reported.
Kitai picked up the tourist who was hitchhiking on State Highway 35 in eastern Bay of Plenty in May.
Kitai offered him a bed at his derelict home near Opotiki and took him out drinking at a friend's place before returning home and attacking him.
Kitai threatened the 24-year-old with an air pistol and forced him to carry out sexual acts, while the victim tried unsuccessfully to talk him out of it.
The court was told the Frenchman had intended to travel throughout the country, but he was traumatised by the incident and returned to France soon afterwards.
He had been prepared to return to New Zealand to testify against Kitai.
