Dunedin man brutally assaulted in ‘racially motivated’ bus hub attack

A man was punched and kicked by a drunk in a racially motivated attack at Dunedin’s bus hub, police say.

Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said police were alerted to an incident at the hub at 8.15 pm last night.

A man sitting at the bus hub was approached by a 27-year-old man, who was intoxicated and starting acting abusively towards him.

The 27-year-old started throwing punches and kicking the victim.

The pair were not known to one another and the attack was “possibly racially motivated,” Bond said.

“The male has taken exception to the victim’s ethnicity.”

Dunedin's bus hub where the attack took place.

City safety officers intervened, but the man continued the assault before fleeing on foot.

Police found the attacker a short time later and arrested him, Bond said.

He was charged with injuring with intent to injure and was appearing in court this morning.

Earlier in the day, at 12.45 pm, a 14-year-old youth from Gore was located at the bus hub and arrested for breaching bail conditions.

Bond said the teen had left his bail address in Gore, stolen a car and driven it to Dunedin.

He then proceeded to steal two more vehicles and attempt to steal a third, Bond said.