Attack victim remembers night of 'havoc'

A Kaingaroa Forest man was so badly hurt in a clash between rival gang factions he has no memory of the attack, a jury has heard.

On trial in the Rotorua District Court are five members, associates or supporters of the Tribesman gang: Hati Thompson, 25, Evo Hunt, 23, Phillip Hepi, 20, Edward Delamere, 23 and Harry Thompson, 28.

They are jointly charged with intentionally causing grievous bodily harm to Miki Reihana in a fight in a Kaingaroa Village street in 2013.

Hunt and Hepi have also pleaded not guilty to injuring Broughton Poutawa with intent to injure him as a result of the same confrontation.

Crown prosecutor Andy Hill told the jury the victims were half brothers with loose associations to Black Power.

He outlined how they'd been attacked as they walked past Hunt's home around midnight on September 13, 2013.

He said Mr Reihana had been hit in the head at least twice by Delamere welding a baseball bat before the Thompson brothers became involved, hitting him with an iron bar and "booting" him as he lay on the ground. The Crown claimed Hepi and Hunt joined in as their victim lay bleeding and semi-conscious.

In an opening statement Hepi's lawyer, Fraser Wood, described the conflict as "very confused" with Hepi denying he'd been there.

For Hunt, Moana Dorset said he had been defending himself, his property and his family, including a newborn baby.

Doug Hall for Hati Thompson submitted he hadn't assaulted the victims. "In the confusion it was hard to identify who was who," he said.

The lawyers for the remaining accused didn't make opening statements.

Giving evidence via CCTV Mr Reihana said he remembered nothing about the night.

"The first thing I can remember is waking up in Waikato Hospital."

Mr Poutawa said his recollection of the night was one of "havoc", he remembered being attacked by Hunt and running home to grab eight to 10 knives.

"I could see my brother's brains bleeding on the ground."

When the trial opened yesterday Judge James Weir warned the jury it would continue past the Easter break and told them it was the accuseds' second, with the first being abandoned part-way through.