The offenders were Tribesmen gang members. Photo / NZME
The offenders were Tribesmen gang members. Photo / NZME
Gang members carried out a brutal attack on a group of tourists because they were speaking Chinese.
Two men responsible for the beating of six Chinese visitors to Rotorua last year have entered guilty pleas to a range of charges after an appearance in the Rotorua District Court last week.
A summary of facts detailing Rangiteaurere Biddle and Nikora O'Neill's offending has now been released to the Rotorua Daily Post.
The six Chinese men went to thermal pools south of Rotorua about 11.30pm on December 19 last year where they were brutally assaulted by two Tribesmen gang members.
The gang members hurled abuse at the group, including racial and homosexual slurs.
The Chinese men began talking to each other in the Chinese language which angered the gang members who started calling them names. They started swearing at them and became aggressive and abusive.
The summary said the area was dark with little lighting and the Chinese men became fearful for their safety.
The gang members started making comments like "shall we fight them" and "shall we just punch everyone over".
Biddle walked over to where the tourists were in the pool and the Chinese men tried to apologise to defuse the situation by telling them they would leave, but the gang members blocked the entrance to the pools.
Biddle began punching one of the victims in the head which caused him to fall in the water. When he tried to get up, Biddle kept punching him in the head.
The other victims started fleeing the pool but O'Neill got out and joined in on the attack.
A second victim was punched about 10 times to the face, head and body. A third victim was hit in the face, which caused his glasses to fall off. Both the second and third victims ran to their vehicle and got inside.
But Biddle followed and yelled "get out or I'll f***ing bash yous". Biddle pulled one of the doors open and started punching the second victim again.
The second victim managed to get free and ran towards the main highway to get help.
Biddle went over to the third victim, who was still in the van, and pulled the door open and punched him in the face once, which knocked him to the ground.
While he was on the ground, the gang members began kicking him.
A fourth victim tried to run away when the fight started but one of the gang members followed him and punched him in the face, causing him to fall backwards into the water. He was then punched and kicked several times.
A fifth victim was chased and kicked on his bottom and stomach. He ran and hid in a patch of grass.
A sixth victim managed to escape unscathed and ran up a set of stairs and used his cell phone to call police.
After assaulting the first victim, Biddle stole his wallet which contained his bank cards and keys.
After assaulting the second and third victims, O'Neill and Biddle stole their $4000 mountain bike and other items valued at $8000 including mountain biking equipment, cell phone, tools, clothing, wallet, electronics and keys.
They put the stolen items inside Biddle's car and drove off towards Kaingaroa where they split the stolen property.
Some of the stolen items were found at Biddle's house but some remain unrecovered.
The Chinese men were taken to Rotorua Hospital. The first man suffered an orbital fracture, cuts and extensive swelling to his face and cuts inside his mouth and grazed knees.
The second man suffered a cut lip, swelling and pain and bruising to his face, jaw and forearms.
The third man suffered swelling to his face, a black eye and cut to the inside of his lip.
The fourth man suffered grazes to both arms, swelling to his face, a cut inside his lip, a black eye and swelling to his forehead. The fifth man suffered pain to his buttocks and stomach.
Biddle later told police he became angry when he heard the men talking in a different language.
He said his punches were "lethal" and estimated the force was nine out of 10.
Both men pleaded guilty to one charge of injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, three charges of injuring with intent to injure, one charge of assault with intent to injure and two charges of theft. They will be sentenced on February 10 next year.
