Two Northland police officers assaulted during bail check, man sought

Two Kaitaia police officers were allegedly assaulted on Wednesday when they went to carry out a bail check. Photo / File

Two police officers were attacked when what had been considered a bail check in Kaitaia on Wednesday evening went wrong.

One was back at work Thursday with a "shiner", while the other was awaiting an appointment with a specialist to have an eye examined.

He would be off duty for a couple of days, Senior Sergeant Russell Richards said, but the extent of his injury would not be known until he had seen the specialist.

The officers conducting the check, in Williams St, called for urgent back-up about 7pm.

Richards said the man, who was allegedly breaching his bail, committed the assaults upon being told he was under arrest. He was believed to have been Tasered twice but managed to escape.

Several police cars were dispatched to the scene, but with rain, thunder and lightning there was little that could be done to pursue the offender.

Police are now looking for 26-year-old Nash Kara, resident in Auckland but bailed to a Kaitaia address on firearm and assault charges. Kara is believed to be associated with the Killer Bees gang.

Meanwhile, a 27-year-old man who allegedly fired shots from his vehicle as he was pursued by police north of Kaitaia last month, and later eluded officers after another pursuit, was remanded in custody when he appeared before Judge Greg Davis in the Kaitaia District Court last week.

Heta Brass, also known as Heta Lloyd, of no fixed abode, is to appear again on Tuesday.

The car involved in the first pursuit, which began in Awanui and continued through Te Hiku Forest, was later found abandoned on 90 Mile Beach.

The armed offenders squad was deployed but the driver wasn't found.

Two days later a car that police had been looking for in connection with the suspect was pursued towards Kaitaia from the direction of Ahipara, but again was abandoned, the driver fleeing before he could be apprehended.

Brass now faces charges of assault to avoid arrest, using a firearm to resist arrest, resisting police, driving whilst disqualified (two), dangerous driving (two), failing to stop (two), possession of methamphetamine, possession of a methamphetamine utensil (two), unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of cannabis and cannabis seeds.