Taranaki man Raymond Edwards has pleaded guilty to the savage attack and kidnapping of a Waitara taxi driver.
Edwards, 28, of New Plymouth, admitted charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, aggravated robbery and kidnap when he appeared in the High Court at Auckland last week.
His plea came less than a week before his trial was due to begin in New Plymouth.
Edwards had always denied dragging Tony Brosnan, 49, out of his cab, trying to strangle him, repeatedly stomping on his head and throwing him into the boot of his own car in New Plymouth early on January 23.
After the beating Edwards stole $600 cash, as well as Mr Brosnan's cellphone and logbook, before he drove him around north Taranaki, eventually dumping the car, with his victim still in the boot, at Urenui School.
Mr Brosnan suffered serious head injuries in the attack and spent several days close to death in intensive care. He was finally released from hospital several months after the attack.
Justice Joseph Williams remanded Edwards in custody for sentence in the High Court at New Plymouth on November 6.
NZPA