Strong leads in Kaikohe stabbing

The stabbing victim is recovering at home while police seek the group of youths behind the attack. Photo / file

Police are following "very positive lines of enquiry" in their investigation of a stabbing in Kaikohe on Saturday night.

Detective Senior Sergeant Rhys Johnston said the victim, a 24-year-old local man, had been admitted to Whangarei Hospital with a non-life-threatening wound to the stomach.

He was unable to say whether the stabbing and an earlier incident involving an alleged attack on German tourists in the town were connected.

"At the moment we're concentrating on the later incident," he said.

A Kaikohe resident, who did not wish to be identified, had no doubt that they were connected, however.

A "new group of about 10 kids" had been seen in the main street at about 6pm on Saturday, and again 45 minutes later, fighting amongst themselves near the New World supermarket.

Later that evening a large group of youths reportedly confronted six German tourists in the Lindvart Park freedom camping area, allegedly stealing shoes, smashing a van windscreen and assaulting at least two of the victims.

Later still a number of youths entered premises where workers were enjoying an after-work beer.

The victim's mother said on Facebook that her son had simply been trying to move the offenders on from a party they weren't invited to.

"Once he got outside he was mob-attacked," she said.

"Sounds to me like a pack of feral dogs. They had knuckle dusters and knives. If it hadn't been for a loyal mate it could have been multiple stabs by the sounds of things.

"Those poor tourists. No one has a chance when they are running in packs like that. I am tempted to put up a reward, but let's see if anyone has a conscience and can PM you some names. They were young and all scarfed up, and a lot of them."

The victim has been discharged and is recovering at home.