Tawera Nikau devastated by assault charge

Rugby league great Tawera Nikau is said to be devastated after being charged with assault in a long-running feud with his daughter.

The former Kiwis test star will appear in Huntly District Court on Tuesday after an alleged confrontation outside the Waikato town's police station on Friday.

Former teammate and business partner Richie Barnett said Friday's incident was the culmination of a bitter dispute between Nikau and Heaven.

Nikau and his wife Hayley had been helping with custody of Heaven's two children, aged 5 and 4, and had been concerned about their welfare. Nikau and Hayley married in 2006 and have a 6-year-old daughter.

The couple were pursuing legal avenues to gain formal custody of the children, said Barnett.

"She's got mental health issues. They are looking after the kids and she wants them back," Barnett said.

Barnett added Nikau was upset about the incident. "He's disappointed at what's happened."

Huntly resident Polly Nepe, who took in Heaven as a boarder for more than a year, said she was looking after the kids last weekend when Heaven arrived demanding to take them.

"Heaven said she wasn't going to give them back. That's how this whole thing happened. I feel a bit responsible because they were taken from my home." Nepe said Nikau had come to her house the following day trying to find the children, and had been upset.

"We tried to calm him down but he was pretty angry. He said that it's her that's causing the trouble."

Nepe said that Heaven had issues with alcohol and would go away for days on end, leaving the children with friends.

"As far as I am concerned, she is not a fit mother. The kids have more brains than she has

His brother, Victor Nikau, did not know about the incident but said, "has this got something to do with his daughter?"

Several family members drinking at the local pub were surprised and disappointed about the assault charge.

They said Nikau had a placid nature and always "spoiled" his children, especially since their mother died.

A cousin, who asked not to be named, said Heaven was a "drama queen" who would have triggered her dad's anger. However, she said it was no excuse for the alleged assault.

Waikato police said in a statement that a 45-year-old male was arrested outside the Huntly Police Station on Friday afternoon over a domestic assault. They gave no other details.

Witnesses told the Waikato Times Nikau, 45, grabbed a woman by the neck, causing her to fall to the ground.

Sir Peter "The Mad Butcher" Leitch got behind Nikau last night: "The man I know is a wonderful, wonderful person who I would go to war for.

"I love him dearly, he's never turned down any charity work.

"Irrespective, he will always be the Mad Butcher's friend."