Police arrested a 27 year-old man in relation to an assault on Sunday morning. Photo / NZME
Police arrested a 27 year-old man in relation to an assault on Sunday morning. Photo / NZME
A woman who witnessed the alleged assault of a man walking dogs says she was "gobsmacked" that it could happen in central Hastings.
Police were called to the roundabout at King Street Sth and Heretaunga Street West at around 11am on Sunday.
A police spokeswoman said members of the publiccalled emergency services and helped the victim until an ambulance arrived.
They also followed the alleged offender and helped police find him nearby, and as a result a 27 year-old man was arrested.
He appeared in the Hastings District Court on Monday facing charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to the man and two separate charges of assaulting women within 24 hours in Hastings.
The man, who was granted interim name suppression, did not plead and was remanded in custody until his next appearance in July.
Initially police stated the victim was in his 70s, but on Monday Hawke's Bay DHB confirmed with Hawke's Bay Today that he was in his 60s. He was discharged on Sunday evening.
The eye-witness, who asked to remain anonymous, said she was sitting at a cafe with her husband in the area at around 10.45am when she saw an assault on the man, who was walking two "little" dogs on a lead.
She said the man in his 60s was pushed to the ground in the middle of the road, held down and punched and kicked.
While the assault took placed, the woman called the police and told her husband to follow the offender, who he tracked until police arrived.
"It was terrible, people were visibly upset. I was gobsmacked that something like this could happen in the centre of the city.
"It's really sad that people can't be safe on a Sunday morning in the city."
Police have asked anyone who witnessed the alleged assault, and had not spoken to them, to get in touch by calling 105 and quoting event number P046841854.
