Hit policewoman fell in a heap, court told

A policewoman fell in a heap then lay on the ground howling in pain after a wheel rim was thrown at her, fracturing her skull, a court has heard.

The man accused of throwing the steel rim and causing the injuries, including a broken nose, teeth and collarbone, pleaded not guilty at a depositions hearing in the Tauranga District Court yesterday.

The 27-year-old man faces one charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after allegedly attacking the policewoman as officers tried to break up fights at a drunken 21st birthday party in Welcome Bay in January.

The man conceded through his lawyer that he had a case to answer and was remanded on bail to appear in the High Court at Rotorua on August 3.

Community magistrate Heather White continued earlier orders suppressing his name.

She also ordered continued suppression of the policewoman's name.

It was revealed that the "slightly built" constable also suffered facial lacerations requiring sutures, and cuts and grazes to her hand and arm when the man allegedly hurled the wheel rim from 4m away.

"[He] threw it as if it were a discus," Crown prosecutor Larry Meredith told the court.

Mr Meredith said police were called to the party at Welcome Bay Hall at 12.30am on January 8 after having already been called there several times during the night.

When they arrived the last time, partygoers threw bottles at them and several people were arrested. Witnesses spoke of seeing the wheel rim fly through the air and hitting the policewoman, but they said police had used unnecessary force to break up the crowd of up to 100 gathered outside the hall.

Renee Tamanui, 20, said the policewoman was knocked unconscious when she was hit with a circular metal object.

"She just dropped. She was out," Ms Tamanui said.

She watched as a plainclothes officer flung the policewoman over his shoulder and moved her away from the hall.

"I just seen her lying on the grass by the footpath, howling in pain. Her whole face was just swollen and bleeding, blood all down one side of her face."

In her testimony, Ms Tamanui also said police hit partygoers with batons and she claimed she was threatened by eight policemen in uniform, three with dogs.

"They were coming up to me telling me to 'F off, move on'," she said.

She had complained to the Police Complaints Authority about the fact that people were dropping to the ground "everywhere" after being hit with batons.

Morris Poata, who was at the party but is now an inmate in Waikeria Prison, said he saw police strike a man unconscious and then handcuff him.

"They were two policemen and a plainclothes officer just came flying in and hosed him up. He knocked him out."

But Mr Poata had also helped a police officer he knew escape from a mob of up to 20 partygoers surrounding him.

The policewoman spent several days in Tauranga Hospital's intensive care unit and returned to work about a month ago.