Graham Philip, the first person in New Zealand history to be charged with and plead guilty to sabotage, attempted to bring down the power grid across the entire North Island in protest against the Covid-19 restrictions and vaccine mandate.

Stuff have revealed Transpower infrastructure was the target of his sabotage efforts after some of the legal suppression into the details, requested by the Crown over copycat fears, lapsed in the wake of Philip's sentencing at the High Court in Hamilton on Thursday.

He was sentenced to three years and one month's imprisonment after earlier entering guilty pleas to seven charges of sabotage, which carry a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment.

He also pleaded to one charge of entering agricultural land with intent to commit an imprisonable offence, which also carries a 10-year jail term maximum.

Suppressions remain, however, on reporting specifics such as how Philip conducted the sabotage and the extent of the damage, though it can be reported the repair bill was in excess of $1.2m.

It can also be reported that one act of sabotage resulted in a fire.

The legal restrictions in place until now meant the target of Philip's sabotage efforts remained suppressed, a vacuum that was filled by conspiracies he was a 'political prisoner” jailed for simply opposing Covid restrictions and the vaccine.

Philip, who was charged with the offences in December 2021, has been in prison on remand since.

The Crown Charge Notice revealed that between November 6 and November 27 last year Philip 'with intent to prejudice the safety of New Zealand, damaged property. . . which it is necessary to keep intact for the safety of the public”.

Before his change of plea Philip has made appearances at both Rotorua and Taupō district courts, at one hearing asking the judge 'are you a Freemason?”

According to information from the Ministry of Justice, obtained by Stuff via an Official Information Act request, Philip is the first person to face sabotage charges in New Zealand legal history.

'The Ministry's Case Management System holds records from 1980 onwards,” the OIA response said.

'A search of the Case Management System for records for the period of January 1, 1980 and December 31, 2021 for charges or convictions of sabotage produced no results.”

Stuff understands that even before 1980, no New Zealander has ever faced charges of sabotage

Philip also faces a separate Covid-19 infringement charge of $300, which he has opted to defend in a judge-alone trial set for December 19 this year, where he said he will cite the Magna Carta and 'the wisdom of Charles II” as his key defence arguments.

-Benn Bathgate/Stuff.