Four teens accused of 'brutal' attack

Four teenagers have been charged over a "brutal" attack in central Dunedin yesterday in which a skateboard and a hammer were used as weapons.

The incident was understood to have happened after a 16-year-old male tried to "pick a fight" with a group of about 12 teenagers and threatened them with two hammers in the Octagon about 4pm.

One of the group threw a skateboard at the hammer-wielding youth and ran.

The youth chased him and hit him on the back with a hammer, witnesses told the Otago Daily Times.

Friends of the victim then "swarmed" on the 16-year-old "and started kicking and punching him on the ground".

"It was quite brutal," a witness said.

Senior Sergeant Brian Benn said four teens had been charged, three with assault and one with possession of an offensive weapon.

Three youths would appear in Youth Court on Friday and an 18-year-old would appear in Dunedin District Court.

The latest attack comes as police investigating three other assaults in the past week.

No arrests had been made in relation to any of the incidents, which involved five victims and up to 13 possible offenders.

Detective Sergeant Chris Henderson said police were making inquiries yesterday in relation to the various assaults, which included two sexual assaults, one group attack and the bashing of a taxi driver.

- NZPA