TOP STORY: `Cowardly' bashings anger police

Reon Suddaby
Police will step up the number of patrols in the Hastings central business district after a weekend attack which left a man in a critical condition in Hawke's Bay Hospital with head injuries and another nursing cuts to his head.
The assault, which police described as a "cowardly attack", took place in Heretaunga Street in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Detective David Sutherland, of Hastings police, said the two men, aged in their 30s, were making their way home from a night in town just after 3am when they were confronted by a group of people.
Police believe one person approached the two men, and they were then both struck from behind with some sort of weapon.
The two men were left lying on the Tomoana Road-Heretaunga Street roundabout, and were lucky to have not been run over.
Video footage shows a group of people running off in the direction of Charles Street, and police are keen for anyone living in the area south of Pak n' Save to check their gardens for the blunt weapon used in the attack.
Police would like to hear from anyone in the area at the time of the assault, particularly two groups of young people seen on video footage at various points along Heretaunga Street.
Opposite the roundabout is the Liquorland car park. Police would also like to speak to anyone who was in the car park in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Police have obtained video footage of a young female in the ramp area of the Pak n' Save carpark.
She is described is a female Maori, between 14 and 18 years wearing a dark, long-sleeved top with the letters KLA on the front.
Police are keen to speak to this woman as part of their investigations.
Hastings CIB head Detective Senior Sergeant Sam Aberahama said there appeared to be no particular motive for the attack.
Mr Aberahama said police inquiries were focusing on witness information, and they were keen to hear from anyone who knew anything about the attack.
"It appears it (the assault) has been spoken about among various groups, and if anyone has information we'd love to hear from them" Mr Aberahama said.
Mr Aberahama said the assault was extremely concerning to police, and that police patrols in the Hastings central business district would now be increased.
Despite this, Mr Aberahama said people were safe walking the streets of Hastings at night, but recommended they keep in groups, or look at other ways of getting to where they wanted to go.