Mount Maunganui man charged after alleged serious assault

Mount Maunganui man Richard Poi appeared in the Tauranga District Court on Monday. Photo / NZME

A defendant accused of an alleged serious assault over the weekend that police say left a man in critical condition has appeared in court.

Detective Senior Sergeant Natalie Flowerdew-Brown told the Bay of Plenty Times police were called to the intersection of Rata St and Maunganui Rd in Mount Maunganui about 12.50am on Saturday following a report a person had suffered injuries to their torso.

Members of the public carried out first aid until ambulance staff and police arrived, and the person was taken to hospital in a critical condition, she said.

Flowerdew-Brown said a suspect was taken into custody a short time later and charged.

The patient remained in hospital as of Tuesday, but was “recovering from their injuries”, she said.

Richard Poi, 28, faced a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous body harm in relation to the incident, as well as three further charges when he appeared in the Tauranga District Court on Monday.

Court charging documents revealed Poi was also accused of intentionally damaging a custody cell’s window, metal hatch, door and sprinkler in Tauranga on the same day as the alleged assault.

He also faced a theft charge alleging he stole wireless headphones and a power bank valued at $105.89 from the Budget Mobiles & Computers store in Tauranga the same day.

In court, his lawyer Mike Douglas told Judge Louis Bidois no bail application would be made nor pleas entered to the charges at that time.

Judge Bidois remanded Poi in custody to reappear in the same court on May 31.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.