Tauranga man knocked unconscious in unprovoked attack over can of booze

Sioelo Faaui appeared in the Tauranga District Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to seriously assaulting another man over a can of booze. Photo / File

A Tauranga man has admitted knocking another man unconscious with one punch in an unprovoked attack after the victim tried to get his can of booze back.

Process worker Sioelo Faaui, 21, pleaded guilty to one charge of wounding with reckless disregard for the safety of other persons in the Tauranga District Court on Wednesday.

Faaui admitted to police he was the offender captured in CCTV footage assaulting the victim in Sunny's carpark in Hamilton St, Tauranga about 12.30am on January 13.

But Faaui had "no memory of that night" or assaulting anyone in Tauranga, the court heard.

The incident began after Faaui and his associate approached the victim and, as they were talking, Faaui took an unopened can of pre-mixed alcohol from the victim's hand.

Both men continued to talked for about five minutes, but when the victim tried to get his can of drink back, Faaui refused.

Faaui then stepped back slightly, placing himself in a fighting stance before closing his fist and punching the victim on the left side of his face.

The force of the punch knocked the other man unconscious, and the victim's head hit the ground. Faaui walked away and left in a vehicle.

As a result of the assault, the victim was unconscious for about five minutes and taken to Tauranga Hospital by ambulance staff.

He suffered two intracranial haemorrhages (brain bleeds), abrasions to the inside of his mouth, spilt and swollen lips and a haematoma to the back of his head.

The victim, who was hospitalised for three days, complained of feeling an abnormal upper limb sensation and an inability to walk unassisted.

On discharge, the injured man was told not to drive and work for three weeks.

Judge Thomas Ingram remanded Faaui on bail pending sentence on April 11, and called for a restorative justice meeting report if the victim was willing to participate in one.