Teen left critical after brutal mystery assault

It had been a whirlwind evening of ballroom dancing and Christmas celebrations at the Bethlehem Hall when two 18-year-old friends stepped outside for some fresh air.
Within minutes, the Katikati dancers were lying on the front steps of the hall, clinging onto consciousness after an unprovoked and vicious beating.
Their alleged attackers were seen driving away, yelling obscenities as other guests rushed to help the teenagers.
Today, no one has been able to say why three males allegedly beat the pair so badly one of them is still in a critical condition in Waikato Hospital.
The victims were among 80 people attending a Christmas function on Saturday night for the Tango and Cha Dance Studio at the Bethlehem Hall, opposite the Bethlehem Shops.
They had spent the evening sipping soft drinks and enjoying ballroom and Latin American dancing before they went outside for a breather.
Three occupants of a nearby vehicle approached them outside the hall and a fight broke out.
The pair were allegedly knocked to the ground and beaten before the trio fled in a car, travelling north.
The victims were taken to hospital and one transferred to Waikato Hospital shortly afterwards, with serious head injuries.
He was put into an induced coma and remains in a critical but improving condition and will probably not need surgery.
The other victim was treated in Tauranga Hospital for fractures to his nose and was discharged yesterday morning. By yesterday afternoon, police had arrested three males aged 15, 19 and 22 over the unprovoked attack.
The 15-year-old was arrested in the morning while the older two presented themselves separately at the Katikati and Tauranga police stations by 1pm.
The trio were due to appear in Tauranga District Court today, jointly charged with assault and injuring with intent to injure.
One of the attackers was believed to be known to the victims and all three had connections to Katikati. The 22-year-old lived in Rotorua.
Russell and Heather Cooper, owners of Tango and Cha Dance Studio, were running the evening event.
They were just about to give out a spot prize when Mrs Cooper noticed the commotion outside.
She ran out to the pair lying on the ground, just as the alleged attackers were driving off.
She said it would have been a completely unprovoked attack.
"They were just standing there talking, they are quite good friends. And these hoons got out and came over. I think they thought they were going to ask them something and then boom, they attacked them."
Fortunately, a trained medic was at the event and looked after them until the ambulance arrived.
Mr Cooper described the two 18-year-olds as talented dancers who "wouldn't say boo to a fly".
The victim with lesser injuries had been coming to dance lessons in Katikati for around a year and wanted to start competing in ballroom dancing competitions next year, he said.
The teenager still coming out of an induced coma in Waikato Hospital was due to start studying a Wellington performing arts school early next year.
Mr Cooper could not believe the attack had taken place outside the dancing event, saying it was just about everyone having a good time.
"We weren't serving alcohol ... It's mainly Coca-Cola and lemonade."
"It certainly wasn't a rowdy group."
"It's just an unfortunate incident that happened to take place at our event."
Detective Sergeant Darryl Brazier said he was satisfied that everyone involved in the incident had been arrested - but it was a completely avoidable incident.
"The victims were going about their own business and these people attacked them. It's obviously going to be a pretty bad Christmas for their families."