Bashings in Paihia and Kaitaia

Three men and a woman, "fuelled up" on RTDs, are accused of being behind a night of chaos in Paihia which culminated in a serious assault on a security guard. They may also have been responsible for vandalising a Marsden Road toilet block that was rebuilt by volunteers last year as a community project, but police need witnesses to identify them.

And in Kaitaia police are investigating an attack on two teenagers, one of whom is now in Whangarei Hospital with injuries including a suspected fractured skull.

Sergeant Peter Masters said the Paihia offenders, aged 17 to 25, had been drinking RTDs on Sunday night before climbing on to the roofs of a number of commercial buildings and "generally creating disorder." A security guard called by a concerned member of the public was allegedly struck in the head from behind by one of the group, leaving him with bruising and a split lip.

The alleged offender was located by police an hour later and charged with assault with intent to injure and threatening to kill.

The other three were arrested for being unlawfully in an enclosed yard after they were found on the roof of Paihia School.

Police had spoken to tourists who had seen the assault on the security guard, but still wanted to speak to anyone who had witnessed other incidents in central Paihia on Sunday night and the early hours of Monday morning. That included damage to the recently renovated toilets on Marsden Road, which were rebuilt and decorated last year by volunteers from the Focus Paihia Community Trust. Pipes were smashed and plants pulled up inside and on the roof.

The Kaitaia assault followed an incident at Awanui on Tuesday afternoon, where a 17-year-old youth was reportedly involved in a fight with another person. The teenager and his 19-year-old brother subsequently went to an address in Kaitaia, where according to police they were set upon by four adults and a 14-year-old boy, one of them from Kaitaia, the others Awanui.

All have been charged with assault, with more serious charges likely.

A police spokesman said the victims suffered a prolonged attack that involved kicking and stomping. The younger man was allegedly struck on the head several times with a dumbbell, and with a vacuum cleaner pipe.

The older victim was treated at Kaitaia Hospital for what police described as massive bruising, cuts and abrasions on his head and body and suspected broken ribs, and was discharged. His brother was transferred to Whangarei Hospital with injuries including a suspected fractured skull.

Meanwhile in Paihia, just before 2am on Monday, someone set off a fire alarm at a hotel on Marsden Road, prompting the evacuation of its guests and a full response by the Paihia Fire Brigade.

Sergeant Masters said Paihia depended on its reputation as a tourist destination, but those visitors would remember it as the town where they were woken at 2am and forced to stand outside for an hour.

He urged anyone who could identify the toilet vandals to call the Paihia police station on 402-7130.

Focus Paihia chairman Grant Harnish said the damage to the volunteer-built toilets was "mindless stupidity" and extremely disappointing to the community.

"People are so angry. They've really taken ownership of the projects we've done. To them it's not just vandalising property, it's personal," he said.

Twenty-five-year-old Paihia man Kevin Johnston appeared in the Kaikohe District Court on Monday charged with assault with intent to injure and threatening to kill. He was remanded on bail to appear again on Wednesday.