Man bashed in 'premeditated' attack

Police allege the offender also struck a witness in the face. File photo / Martin Sykes

A Nelson man was bashed unconscious with a wooden bat by a man who lurked in the shadows before launching a premeditated attack early this morning.

Police believe the bashing followed an exchange of words between the 56-year-old victim and his attacker at a Waimea Rd hotel.

The offender approached out of darkness and struck the man with a wooden bat, knocking him unconscious, as the victim left the hotel to catch a taxi about 1.25am.

Detective Sergeant Mark Kaveney of Nelson police said the offender continued to beat the man about the upper body as he lay on the ground.

He was then confronted by a witness from the hotel, who was also struck in the face with the bat.

The witness tackled the offender and attempted to protect the injured man, trading blows with the man before managing to wrestle the bat from him.

The offender ran off with another man but police patrols were unable to locate them.

The victim was taken to Nelson Hospital with a severe cut to his head and a suspected broken arm.

Mr Kaveney said it appeared the victim had earlier spoken to the offender about his behaviour at the hotel.

The offender then left the hotel and waited for his victim to leave before launching the attack.

"This is a premeditated and unprovoked attack on an innocent person, which has resulted in that person being seriously injured,'' Mr Kaveney said.

The offender was described as a stockily built European man in his mid- to late-20s who was unshaven and had short to shaved hair.

The man he ran off with was a European in his early 20s, also with short to shaved hair.