Dunedin teen assaulted while defending friend from catcaller

An 18-year-old male was assaulted by a middle-aged man after intervening when the man called out at a 17-year-old female accompanying him.

Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond said the teenager was walking to a bus stop on Hillside Rd, Dunedin, with the female at 8.30 on Monday night when a 47-year-old man called out to the female.

The 18-year-old intervened, and was subsequently assaulted by the older man, Bond said.

The teenager suffered significant cuts to the inside of his mouth.

The older male was arrested for assault, and an additional threats charge was added while he was in custody.

Ben Tomsett is a Multimedia Journalist for the New Zealand Herald, based in Dunedin.