Store owner hit man 'like he was chopping wood': Witness

A witness has described seeing a teenager being beaten by a man with a hockey stick who "looked like he was chopping wood".

Iosefa Tauilo was at his house across from a south Auckland liquor store where a brawl took place in September last year.

Virender Singh is accused of assaulting teenagers who were trying to rob his store in Otara last September 30. He faces two charges of injuring with intent to injure.

Singh has denied the charges on the grounds he acted in self-defence.

Mr Tauilo told the court he saw a young man arguing with the liquor store owner and "looking like a smartarse".

He said one young man disappeared inside the liquor shop shortly before the owner came out with a hockey stick, swinging, and chased two other young men away.

"He missed and hit a black car," Mr Tauilo said.

He said as the liquor store owner walked back to his shop one of the young men threw a sign through a dairy window next door while another young man came with a large bit of wood.

Mr Tauilo said one of the young men continued hitting the broken window before throwing the wood and hitting a woman in the face.

Mr Tauilo said that he saw the liquor store owner hitting a third young man with the hockey stick while he lay in the middle of the carpark.

"It was very strong," Mr Tauilo said.

"I think he was passed out."

He said the young man had "a bleeding face" and "he wasn't moving".

Mr Tauilo said a man then drove up armed with two hammers while another had a baseball bat.

He said the two armed men chased away two of the young men.

The two armed men were unconnected to the liquor store owner.

Mr Tauilo said he filmed part of the brawl on his cellphone that he has since given to police.