Man faces trial after officer hit with wheel rim

By Bay of Plenty Times court reporter
A Tauranga policewoman was left bleeding and howling in pain at an out-of-control Welcome Bay party - but witnesses say they did not see who threw a metal wheel rim that caused her injuries.
The riot at Welcome Bay hall on January 8 had its sequel in court yesterday when a 27-year-old man, who has interim name suppression, was committed to trial.
If convicted, the accused, who is charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, faces a maximum penalty of 14 years jail. He has pleaded not guilty.
Witnesses who testified during yesterday's depositions hearing at Tauranga District Court did not see who had thrown the wheel rim but claimed police used unnecessary force in trying to quell the riot.
Police were called to the 21st birthday celebration at the Welcome Bay Hall about 12.30am to break up a series of fights.
It is here, amid a barrage of bottle throwing and abuse that the Crown alleges the defendant was seen to hurl the metal wheel rim "like a discus" at the woman.
The constable, who also has name suppression and only recently returned to work, suffered a fractured skull, nose, collar bone and broken teeth.
Taking her place in the witness box yesterday, Thames 20-year-old Renee Terina Tamanui told the court the night started as a great birthday celebration for friend Damien Anderson before the fight.
"There was just people everywhere. Police everywhere. I just seen many all my friends dropping all on the ground. The police were hitting them," she said.
The young mother said the violence was far from warranted.
"We didn't want no trouble," she said.
But witnesses allege that's exactly what the partygoers got.
"Everywhere I looked there were just policemen and fighting. I just saw police hitting other people."
Ms Tamanui has laid a complained with the Police Complaints Authority.
She saw the wheel rim strike the female constable less than five metres away. However, she said she was unsure who had thrown the weapon.
"I didn't see it, it was too dark. I was panicking, freaking out."
Serving prisoner, 34-year-old Morris Percy Poata, saw a fight break out in the hall foyer and went to help a police officer.
A "good few partygoers - 10 to 15, maybe 20," were involved.
Minutes later Mr Poata saw the wheel rim hit the female constable.
"All I saw was a rim flying across my vision and hit the police officer in front of me ... she just fell in a heap." Poor lighting meant he was unsure where the object had come from.
Because of this he questioned "how they [police] saw him [the defendant] and I didn't?"
Yesterday afternoon a 16-year-old woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, confirmed earlier evidence saying she too was unsure who had thrown the rim.
The three were the only Crown witnesses who took the stand for what was meant to be a two-day depositions hearing. But Crown prosecutor Larry Meredith finished presenting the prosecution's case - with 12 witnesses, including a statement from the injured officer, being dealt with by written depositions.
Community magistrate Heather White said a prima facie case had been established and remanded the accused on bail to appear in the High Court at Rotorua for callover on August 3.