The man who allegedly knocked out an Auckland police officer to escape being collared for driving while suspended has been denied bail.
Kelston 21-year-old Joseph Robert Vaoga-Emile came before Waitakere District Court this morning facing charges of aggravated wounding and wounding with intent to injure.
His lawyer Clint Rickards applied for bail on behalf of the father of one, but Community Magistrate Lauolefale Lemalu was not prepared to allow his release.
The arguments raised during the hearing cannot be reported.
Vaoga-Emile cried when Ms Lemalu made her ruling, while family in the dock also wept.
He blew a kiss to them as he was led away to the cells.
Yesterday, Constable Matthew Wickens was knocked out in what police described as a "gutless" attack by the driver he had pulled over.
Two officers from Waitakere CIB pulled over a "suspicious" car with three men inside at 11.30am in Henderson.
It is alleged Mr Wickens placed Vaoga-Emile under arrest after he admitted his licence had been suspended.
Police said he became aggressive and as the officer tried to handcuff him, he punched him in the face.
Mr Wickens was knocked out and collapsed, bleeding from his nose and mouth.
"The second officer, who had been speaking with the two passengers in the car, tried to restrain the offender but a struggle ensued, during which time the offender had to be pepper sprayed. The offender then fled," a police statement said.
Other police units flooded the area and a short time later an eagle-eyed member of the public phoned police to report that there was a man washing his face in a nearby creek area.
"This was the offender attempting to wash his face after being pepper-sprayed," said police.
The injured officer was taken to Waitakere Hospital with concussion, facial and lower back injuries.
It is understood Mr Wickens required stitches and may need dental surgery.
"This was a gutless assault on an officer who was simply doing his job," said Inspector Steve Kose, acting area commander of Waitakere Police.
"These two officers were in fact doing what we call 'prevention activities' -- performing a high visibility patrol to deter criminals and keep our communities safe.
"An assault like this should not be seen by anyone as simply being part of a police officer's job and I know the public will share their disgust at this."
Police Association president Greg O'Connor said serious assaults on cops had increased but that was deliberately played down by top brass.
He told Newstalk ZB the association had collected statistics since February and Mr Wickens was the 33rd officer to be assaulted in the line of duty.
"They generally come out of routine pieces of policing and you don't get more routine than yesterday," Mr O'Connor said.
"You've got a whole generation of criminal now who's grown up knowing the police couldn't do much about it if they had a go."
He accepted general assaults had decreased and put it down to the introduction of the Taser, but said serious assaults had climbed by about 100 per cent since the 1990s.
Vaoga-Emile will be back before the court next month when he will enter pleas to the two charges.