KEY POINTS:
A 33-year-old man was punched in the jaw and repeatedly kicked in the head during a vicious aggravated robbery in Wellington's Oriental Parade early yesterday morning.
Detective Sergeant Jason Perry, Wellington CIB, said the victim, a student, will require medical treatment for two fractures to his jaw.
"This was a very violent attack in which a man was punched, the force of which sent him flying over the concrete seawall and onto the Oriental Bay sand," Mr Perry said.
The offender then jumped over the wall and kicked the victim three times in the head as he tried to protect himself, he said.
Mr Perry said the attack happened about 4am.
"The victim was walking from the city along the parade when about 50m before The Fisherman's Table Restaurant (old rotunda) he heard someone following him."
Mr Perry said the person then ran up from behind the victim and punched him on the jaw.
"As the victim lay in the sand with his arms trying to protect his head, he was forced to hand over his wallet containing a driver's licence and money cards."
Mr Perry said the victim saw the offender run off and get into the passenger seat of an older model white sedan which then drove off towards the eastern suburbs.
"The victim managed to get up, passed four men sitting on one of the seats on the parade and asked for help."
He was told to call police, so he walked to a nearby phone box, Mr Perry said.
"This was a totally unprovoked attack ," Mr Perry said.
Police said the offender was about 186cm tall, of slim build, and wearing dark clothing. They want to hear from witnesses.
Last month, a gang of young thugs savagely beat a young man in the Wellington suburb of Newtown and eight others on the same night.
The first victim was admitted to hospital with severe facial injuries.
Police believed the same group was behind a series of assaults, aggravated robbery and intimidation in the city.
The youth gang was made up of four to seven Maori and Polynesians aged between 16 and 24, police said.
The same group stole wallets, cellphones, cash and clothes.
Police said that in one incident, a woman was indecently assaulted by one of the group while her male companion was assaulted by another. No money was taken.
- NZPA
