A 12-year-old boy was among four people who appeared in court charged with a bottle store robbery in which a shop assistant was stabbed several times in Hastings on Monday night.
Appearing before Justice of the Peace in Hastings District Court today , all four were charged with robbing a Big Barrel worker of cash, cigarettes and alcohol, while armed with a knife, an iron bar and a wheel brace.
They were remanded without pleas to appear in either the District Court or the Youth Court on September 13.
Osmond Franks Keenan, 18, of Flaxmere, appearing in court dressed in a police issue disposable boilersuit, was also charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Singh with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years' jail. He was remanded in custody.
A 17-year-old Flaxmere youth was granted interim name suppression and bail, a 15-year-old Napier girl has automatic name suppression in the Youth Court and was granted bail, and the 12-year-old, of Flaxmere, is being placed in care by Oranga Tamariki.
