Auckland school threat trial: Mother changed story about where accused lived
During the trial of Tiedan Huo, who is accused of threatening Auckland schools and police stations, his mother retracted her earlier statement regarding his residence. She claimed she was pressured by police to implicate her son, while the prosecution argued she is lying to protect him.
Why it matters
The case involves serious allegations of domestic terrorism and highlights the complexities of witness testimony in high-stakes criminal trials.
The mother of a man accused of threatening to carry out attacks on two Auckland schools and destroy public buildings changed her story about where her son lived.
Tiedan Huo is on trial in Manukau District Court, where it is alleged he threatened to kill students and staff at Waiuku and Rutherford colleges, and to damage or destroy two police stations and Parliament buildings.
He is also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and of explosives, and possession of objectionable material.
The charges stem from a manifesto, which it is alleged Huo distributed in another person's name early on the morning of 12 March last year.
The court heard evidence that his mother Pengxiao He told police in a statement in March last year that it was her son's bedroom in which a firearm had been found at the Waiuku farm.
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