Street brawl sparked by gang 'disrespect'

File photo / NZ Herald

A Christchurch street brawl in which baseball bats, spades, and pot plants were used as weapons was sparked when a youth "disrespected" gangsters by laughing at their gang name.

Taua McLean, 19, and three fellow gang members had been drinking in the Christchurch suburb of Avonside when they walked around the corner to Holland street about 9.50pm.

Outside a house where they knew the occupants, the foursome began calling out, 'Badways', the name of their street gang.

A youth came out of the house and laughed at them, Christchurch District Court was told today.

The youngster was punched and knocked to the ground, police say, sparking a violent altercation.

McLean punched and kicked him in the face, head, and body.

Two other men came to the victim's aid and were also assaulted with a variety of weapons including pot plants, a baseball bat and a spade, police say.

The first victim was knocked unconscious and spent a night in hospital with bruising, swelling and soreness to his head, face, and lip, an elbow gash, and a sore back and shoulder.

The two other victims received cuts and gashes but did not require hospital assistance.

Today, McLean pleaded guilty to charges of intentionally injuring two people. Judge Noel Walsh remanded him on bail for sentence on March 18.