Guilty pleas entered over attack on campervan tourists at Ahipara

One of the attackers on Ahipara Beach rocked the campervan almost to the point of tipping it over. Photo / File

Two Northlanders have pleaded guilty to seriously assaulting and stealing groceries from overseas tourists in an unprovoked attacked which left one with a fractured rib and another with a black eye.

Harley Williams, 23, and Mark Nathan, 20, entered guilty pleas in the High Court at Whangarei yesterday to two charges of aggravated robbery.

Both went to a carpark on the Ahipara foreshore where an Argentinian man and Polish woman were sleeping in their campervan about 4am on March 25 last year.

The tourists were on a working holiday in New Zealand.

Williams rocked the campervan almost to the point of tipping it over, prompting the male tourist to yell out.

Williams then punched the tourist when he got out, resulting in a cut to the man's chin.

Williams demanded money and when the tourists said they did not have any, the Argentinian was punched to the head and kicked multiple times while he lay on the ground.

The Polish tourist was punched in the face twice, causing her to fall and bleed from the nose. The demand for money continued and Williams later removed groceries from the campervan.

Calls for help from the tourists were not heard but the woman managed to run to a nearby house and raise the alarm. She suffered a black eye and severe bruising to her face.

The other tourist had a fractured rib, and injuries to his back, torso, and chin. The international visitors were taken to hospital, but were discharged later the same morning.

Williams was remanded back in custody while Nathan is on bail. Both will be sentenced on April 27.

Justice Kit Toogood has called for pre-sentence reports for both men and a home detention report for Nathan prior to their sentencing.