Police hunt pocket knife stabber

Police were today still hunting the attacker of a man who was held down and stabbed in the head and neck in Wellington with a pocket knife early yesterday.

Emergency services were called to Tory Street in the central city, where ambulance staff found a 23-year-old man bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds about 5.45am, police said.

The unconscious man was taken to Wellington Hospital, where he was in a serious but stable condition in the hospital's emergency department this morning.

Police said the victim and a friend were visiting the capital from Feilding and the hunt for his assailant continued today.

The central city was packed with youths after a concert by Swedish electronic musician Basshunter and someone must have witnessed the attack and should come forward.

The pair had been walking near the Courtenay Place and Tory Street when they were approached by a Maori or Polynesian man and an argument broke out.

The offender slashed at the victim's friend with a pocket knife but missed.

The friends ran in opposite directions, but one of a group of men, associated with the offender, tackled and held the victim on the ground.

One of the group then held the man on ground, while his knife-wielding associate repeatedly stabbed him deeply in head and back, Wellington Detective Sergeant Damian Murphy said.

Police described the knifeman as Maori, about 25-years-old, shorter than 1.74m tall, with short hair and a "round, almost chubby" face.

He was clean shaven and may have had bucked teeth. He was wearing a black cap backwards and may have also been wearing a hoodie.

- NZPA