Health worker left with gaping lip wound after punch from behind

An Auckland healthcare worker needed nine stitches for a gaping wound in his lip after a coward-punch assault from a man he walked past in Karangahape Rd. Photo / NZME

An Auckland healthcare worker needed nine stitches for a gaping wound in his lip after a coward-punch assault from a man he walked past in Karangahape Rd.

The worker was on his way to start his shift at Auckland Hospital when he was attacked at 6.40am on February 11.

The attacker, 28-year-old Dayshan McCausland, of Christchurch, has pleaded guilty in the Christchurch District Court to charges of intentionally wounding with reckless disregard for safety and carrying a restricted weapon - a taser.

Judge Jane McMeeken remanded him on bail for sentencing on June 30, and ordered a pre-sentence report to assess his suitability for home detention. Under his bail conditions, he has a night-time curfew, he is not to drink alcohol and he is not allowed to go to Karangahape Rd.

Police said that the victim was walking to work past a group of intoxicated people outside a pub. McCausland yelled out to him to try to get his attention as he walked around the group.

The victim did not respond, but McCausland ran up to him from behind and without any warning swung his right fist with force over the man's right shoulder and struck his lip.
The blow caused the victim to fall face-first onto the concrete footpath.

McCausland called out: "He tried to step me out," before he walked away without making any attempt to check on the condition of the victim, who received a 1cm vertical cut to his lip, gaping about 1cm wide. The wound needed nine stitches to close.

Police found McCausland a few hours later at his hotel room on Hobson St, Auckland. When they searched him they found a black plastic taser in his pocket.