A 21 year old man charged with killing Whakatane school principal and regional councillor Hawea Vercoe has pleaded guilty to his manslaughter.
Mr Vercoe, 36, died after he was assaulted outside a Whakatane bar last November.
Isaiah Johnson Richard Tai was originally charged with his murder but that charge was downgraded to manslaughter in the High Court at Rotorua today.
Tai was convicted and remanded on bail for sentence in June.
