Police are appealing for witnesses to a serious assault outside a Havelock North petrol station early on Sunday morning.
A man in his early twenties received a fractured skull in the assault, which occurred on the forecourt of the Mobil service station around 3.30am on Sunday.
A 34-year-old Hastings man was been arrested in relation to the assault. He appeared in the Hastings District Court on Tuesday charged with injuring with intent to injure and was remanded on bail until next Monday.
Detective Sergeant Heath Jones said an altercation took place between two males from two groups on the petrol station forecourt near the diesel pumps. The victim was punched without warning by a male who approached him from the side.
"This was a cowardly and unprovoked attack where the victim posed no threat to anyone. He was punched without warning and fell to the ground, hitting the concrete forecourt. As a result he has received a serious head injury," Mr Jones said.