KEY POINTS:
The father of a man attacked with a machete after a 21st birthday party was gatecrashed at the weekend says he does not blame the Mongrel Mob.
Rangi Manihera tried to fight off attackers at the Hastings party but ended up being taken to hospital with four others.
A bone in his hand was broken by the force of the machete and the blade sliced through some tendons.
Four Mongrel Mob members were due to appear in court today facing assault charges.
Mr Manihera's father, also called Rangi, told Hawke's Bay Today: "My wife and all my kids are pretty traumatised. We are just trying to deal with it as best we can."
He said some members of the Mongrel Mob had been to the family home to offer support.
"Some of them are actually human. But some are not. Those bastards who came round, they weren't that night," he said.
"But I don't blame the Mongrel Mob. I blame the people who were here wielding the machetes and bats."
Two of Mr Manihera's nephews were also cut during the attack and were in a serious condition in Hawke's Bay Hospital.
"I've seen the injuries and it's awful. It's like they have cut a hunk of meat," Mr Manihera said.
Mr Manihera said his son was lucky to have escaped with just the hand injury but it would be a big blow for the shearing contractor who had his own business.
"He shears 700 a day but I dare say he won't be doing that for a while."
Mr Manihera said the 21st had been "awesome" with just close family invited, until the carnage broke out.
The attack was fuelled by revenge after two people were asked to leave the party about an hour before.
Tu Wainohu, who had been at the party which was being held at his sister's house in Maraekakaho Rd, said the partner of a woman who had been at the party showed up and had been told to leave.
He did, but allegedly returned just before midnight with a group of about six of his mates, armed with machetes, knives and softball bats.
Police said the group, which had gang affiliations, gave no warning as they stormed the gathering which was being staged under a large tarpaulin across the driveway of the property.
Mr Wainohu said he had returned to his own home nearby before the attack but was called by a family member.
"They said 'you better get down here ... there's a big hassle going on'."
When he arrived he was stunned. "I thought 'what the hell?' Everything was turned upside down. Cars smashed, glass everywhere. People cut ... it looked so bad I assumed there had to be at least one fatality."
Sergeant Mike Foster of the Napier CIB said today it was fortunate no-one was killed in the attack.
"We are lucky we are not dealing with a homicide," he said.
Mr Wainohu said the partygoers were stunned at the savagery and surprise of the attack. "There were a lot of quiet people ... just shocked."
It all took place in barely a few minutes.
"They just bowled through, swinging machetes," he said.
The first instincts of the men present had been to protect women and younger people at the party - which is how they came to receive their injuries, Mr Wainohu said.
As the injured, one of them a woman who was badly cut trying to escape and another with a suspected punctured lung, were taken by St John Ambulance to hospital, some of the younger partygoers began urging a revenge strike.
They knew some of those involved in the attack and wanted to deal with it in their own way, Mr Wainohu said.
"They'd been drinking and a lot of things were being said in the heat of the moment. I said to them 'have you got your car keys?' and I took them off them.
"They've cooled down a bit today," Mr Wainohu said, adding the matter was in police hands.
Sergeant Mike Foster of the Napier CIB said today it was fortunate no-one was killed in the attack.
"We are lucky we are not dealing with a homicide," he said.
"It was a revenge gate-crashing, which followed on from a person being refused entry to the party. They basically stabbed and slashed and beat anybody who stepped in their way."
Police were quickly at the scene in numbers - fearing the situation could escalate - and located three of the alleged attackers in a vehicle further along the road.
A 17-year-old, 19-year-old and 31-year- old were arrested on the spot. A fourth man was arrested yesterday.
The four were to appear in the Hastings District Court today on a number of charges, including assault, conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of offensive weapons.
The five injured all received serious wounds and underwent surgery yesterday morning.
One was the brother of the man who turned 21.
- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY, NZ HERALD STAFF
