Death threats before attack

Matthew Blomfield. Photo / Doug Sherring

A businessman who suffered facial injuries during a vicious fight in his home with a masked gunman had received anonymous death threats prior to the incident.

Matthew Blomfield, 38, suffered facial injuries after being hit with a rifle and is understood to have narrowly avoided being shot when the gun went off during the terrifying ordeal last Saturday night.

The gunman, wearing a Spiderman mask, tried to gain access to Blomfield's home, where his wife and two small children were, it is understood.

A police manhunt with armed officers failed to locate the offender. Forensics officers spent a day at the house searching for any DNA traces.

Several neighbours witnessed part of the attack. Blomfield was admitted to North Shore Hospital with facial injuries and was discharged on Sunday.

Blomfield said he had been advised by police not to comment.

But writing on blog site The Standard last year, he told how he and members of his family had received anonymous, violent threats. Blomfield, a former Hell Pizza advertising executive, launched defamation action against Whale Oil blogger Cameron Slater for a series of posts written in 2012.

The case is ongoing.