Broad: Machete attacks could be copycat crimes

Police Commissioner Howard Broad. Photo / Simon Baker

Police say that an attack on a Hamilton police officer with a machete could have been a copycat of the machete attack on another police officer earlier this month.

In the latest incident the officer was attacked with a knife and a machete when he went to a house at Pukete, north of Hamilton, shortly before 5pm on Boxing Day, after reports of people fighting with weapons.

Officers at the scene had to use batons, pepper spray and a Taser before being able to arresting two 14-year-old boys who have since been charged with attempted murder.

The attack came two weeks after Senior Constable Bruce Mellor, of Waiouru, was "jumped" from behind and brutally attacked with a machete before being left for dead on the side of the road after he pulled over a stolen car on December 11.

He suffered a fractured skull, a broken eye socket and jaw, broken front teeth, cuts to his face, skull, arms and hands and a massive gash running around his forehead to his ear.

Two teenagers, aged 14 and 18, are in custody facing attempted murder charges.

Police Commissioner Howard Broad said today it was "quite a rare event" for police officers to be attacked with a machete and he could not rule out copycat attacks.

"I mean it is certainly strange that we've had two incidents involving a machete in the space of a month," he told Radio New Zealand.

Meanwhile another police officer was attacked as he tried to make an arrest during a fight at Matauri Bay, 120km north east of Whangarei, in the early hours of Boxing Day.

The sole charge policeman at Kaeo was called to a fight at Matauri Bay and found people on the road who had obviously been drinking.

The officer arrested a 19-year-old man who was assaulting another man and, as the officer struggled with the teen, he was set upon by two others.

One of the attackers hit the officer across the head with his own police baton, leaving him with a cut over his left eye and bruising and swelling to his face.

A briefcase was stolen from the patrol vehicle while the attack took place.

A 17-year-old man has been charged with wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and a 19 year-old man with assault with intent to injure and aggravated assault.

Police are trying to identify a third man who took part in the attack and want to recover the briefcase.

- NZPA