Teens arrested over baton assault on policeman

Another police officer has been bashed by teenagers as he tried to make an arrest during a fight at Matauri Bay, 120km north east of Whangarei, in the early hours of Boxing Day.

The attack follows an assault on a police officer in Hamilton yesterday and the brutal bashing of Constable Bruce Mellor north of Taihape on December 11.

In the latest incident, the sole charge policeman at Kaeo was called to a fight at Matauri Bay and found people on the road who had obviously been drinking.

The officer arrested a 19-year-old man who was assaulting another man and, as the officer struggled with the teen, he was set upon by two others.

One of the attackers hit the officer across the head with a police baton, causing a large cut to his head.

The arrested man and the two other men then punched the officer in the head and body, leaving him with a cut over his left eye and bruising and swelling to his face. A briefcase was stolen from the patrol vehicle while the attack took place.

The officer required medical treatment and had stitches to his head. He is recovering at home.

A 17-year-old has been with wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and a 19 year old man with assault with intent to injure and aggravated assault.

Police are trying to identify a third man who took part in the attack and want to recover the briefcase.

The attack follows an attack on an officer with a knife and machete when he went to a house at Pukete, north of Hamilton, shortly before 5pm yesterday, after reports of people fighting with weapons.

Two teenagers were to face attempted murder charges in connection with that attack.

Officers at the scene had to use batons, pepper spray and a taser before being able to make an arrest.

Senior Constable Bruce Mellor, of Waiouru, was "jumped" from behind and brutally attacked with a machete before being left for dead on the side of the road after he pulled over a stolen car about 6am on December 11.

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

Two teenagers are in custody facing attempted murder charges.

- NZPA