Arrest made after home invasion and assault of Wairoa veteran

Denis Andrews, 79, was the victim of an aggravated assault in his Wairoa home in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Photo / Supplied

Police have made an arrest after an elderly Wairoa man was assaulted in his bed during an aggravated burglary last week.

Denis Andrews, 79, was in bed at his Brian Ave home early Wednesday morning last week when an unknown person broke in and assaulted him, before taking his cell phone and his landline.

The cell phone contained his last photo of his wife Anne, whom he spent 50 years with before she died in 2020.

Andrews was taken to Wairoa Hospital by ambulance in a moderate condition, where he stayed until he was released on Monday according to Detective Sergeant Sam Park, of Wairoa CIB.

He said Andrews was expected to make a full recovery.

Park said police arrested and charged a 28-year-old man with aggravated burglary on Monday evening.

The man was due to appear in Gisborne District Court today.

“Police take this offending very seriously and would like to thank the community for their support and assistance in providing information that helped lead to this arrest,” Park said.