Two arrests after serious assault on teen

Police have made two arrests after a teenager was severely beaten in a mob brawl outside a Mt Maunganui pub early on Sunday.

Daniel Williamson, 19, from Te Puke, yesterday remained in a serious condition in Tauranga Hospital after being punched and kicked in the head outside the Fly Over Tavern about 1.40am.

Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner of Tauranga police said a 16-year-old Te Puke student and a 26-year-old labourer from Little Waihi, near Te Puke, were arrested yesterday after search warrants were executed in their home towns southeast of Mt Maunganui.

The incident happened after a birthday party at the tavern turned violent and fighting spilled out on to MacDonald St and a nearby carpark.

Police were called and about 40 people involved in the fighting dispersed, leaving Mr Williamson lying unconscious on the ground.

Mr Turner said police had spent two days investigating the incident and interviewed many of the people who attended the party.

The 16-year-old was due to appear in Tauranga Youth Court today on a charge of assault.

The older man was to appear in Tauranga District Court, also today, on two counts of assault.

"More serious charges will be laid once the investigation has been completed," Mr Turner said.

Video footage taken by a journalism student at the scene of the fight was also being studied.

Brian O'Malley from the Fly Over Tavern told TV3 that Mr Williamson, who didn't appear drunk, was savagely attacked by a group of people.

"I saw seven or eight guys come in from his right-hand side. They punched and punched and punched and he went down on the ground. They kicked ... and they just carried on," he said. "I saw a joker on his knees, kneeling down punching ... him and he was totally out to it."

Police said it was possible weapons such as broken bottles might have been used in the fight.

- NZPA