Brenton Tarrant, the Australian man who murdered 51 Muslim worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019, is seeking an appeal against his conviction
Brenton Tarrant, the Australian man who murdered 51 Muslim worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019, is seeking an appeal against his conviction. The Australian man is knocking on the doors of New Zealand’s highest courts to withdraw his guilty pleas and hold a new trial in the case.
It is pertinent to note that Tarrant pleaded guilty to 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and terrorism charges in March 2020. Before this, Tarrant told the media that he would defend the charges. In August 2020, Tarrant became the first person in New Zealand under the current laws to be sentenced to life in prison without the chance of ever walking free.
However, in 2022, he filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal for both his convictions and sentences. With the latest appeal, the court will now consider whether the appeal can proceed as it was filed outside the legislated time frame to do so.
Tarrant to deliver evidence
As he withdraws his guilty plea, the 35-year-old will be giving evidence to the court via video link during the week-long hearing in Wellington, which begins on February 9. According to court documents, the court will be primarily considering the application to vacate the guilty pleas.
“The central issue before the Court will be whether at the time Mr Tarrant entered his guilty pleas he was incapable of making rational decisions as a result of the conditions of his imprisonment, which he says were torturous and inhumane,” the doccument read.
It is important to note that if the court grants the application to vacate the pleas, the case will be returned to the high court for the terrorist to stand trial. If this appeal declines, the court would consider the sentence hearing. The hearing for the same is scheduled later this year.
Security was ramped up outside the court of appeals as soon as the news was made public. The counsel and authorised people are permitted to attend the hearing inside the courtroom. Limited space for the public has been made in an adjoining room, while provision has been made for victims and family members to view the hearing in Christchurch via a delayed broadcast.
About the case
According to the police record, Tarrant was moved to New Zealand in 2017, planning to carry out a white supremacist attack. In 2020, the court learned that the convict had planned the mass shooting for months, conducted reconnaissance at the mosques, distributed a manifesto expressing his racist views before he opened fire, and live-streamed part of the assault on Facebook.
In the wake of the attacks, New Zealand’s former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern-led government banned military-style semi-automatic rifles and created a firearms registry. An inquiry into the attacks is the largest coronial investigation New Zealand has seen and is still underway.
In October 2025, the country’s High Court left the door open for Tarrant to be called as a witness at the inquest, despite objections from survivors and families of the victims.
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