From NZPA:

Three men found guilty of tourist’s kidnap
Friday, 13 July 2007

A jury has found three men guilty of kidnapping a Canadian tourist in Wellington in April last year.

One of the men was also found guilty of bashing and robbing the man – 26-year-old Jeremie Kawerninski – while the third man was also found guilty of robbing him.

At the end of a trial that started on July 2, a jury returned to the High Court in Wellington after 10pm, having been released at midday to consider their verdicts.

Benjamin Peter McPadden, 19, Jaydon Russell Borland, 31, and Jason George Gregory, 20, had all pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, causing grievous bodily harm and robbing Mr Kawerninski of his wallet, clothing, watch and rings.

Mr Kawerninski spent eight days in Lower Hutt Hospital recovering from his injuries.

A fourth man, Mark Alexander Gage, 31, was discharged from the case on Wednesday because of a lack of evidence.

The Crown said on his first day in Wellington Mr Kawerninski had hooked up with the men in the city and after drinking with them was driven back to McPadden’s house in Naenae to drink bourbon.

After drinking too much, Mr Kawerninski fell asleep in a bedroom and was later savagely attacked and robbed before being put in a car and dumped in a cul-de-sac.

McPadden was tonight found guilty of kidnapping Mr Kawerninski, Gregory was found guilty of kidnapping and robbery, while Borland was found guilty on both those charges, along with a further count of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to rob.

Despite Crown opposition, Justice Jillian Mallon granted McPadden bail, but with strict curfew conditions.

Gregory and Borland were remanded in custody and all three are due to reappear in the High Court at Wellington for a pre-sentence report on August 10.