Teen who attacked cop with machete to be sentenced

One of two teenagers involved in a machete attack on policeman Bruce Mellor last year will be sentenced tomorrow.

Japhet Joseph Simiona, 18, of Awahuri, near Feilding, pleaded guilty to charges of attacking Senior Constable Bruce Mellor early on the morning of December 11 after he pulled over the red Mazda 323 hatchback in which Simiona and another teenager were travelling.

Mr Mellor was attacked from behind with a machete as he returned to his patrol car to check details of the Mazda and its occupants.

He suffered a fractured skull, a broken eye socket and jaw and broken front teeth, cuts to his face, skull, arms and hands and a massive gash running around his forehead to his ear.

A 14-year-old, who has name suppression, also faces the same charge and has been remanded without plea until later this month.

Police spokeswoman Kim Perks said Bruce Mellor would not be commenting until the end of the court process at the earliest.

He was recovering well from his injuries but continued to undergo out-patient treatment and had not yet returned to work, Ms Perks said.

- NZPA