'Wasted' teenagers planned to rob liquor store, court hears

A 17-year-old boy was hit on the back four times by a liquor store owner wielding a hockey stick, a depositions hearing at Manukau District Court has heard.

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.

Witness Damian Manuel said in court today that he was told his friend was inside the store and was hurt, and that he had tried to get in to help.

He told Crown prosecutor Deborah Marshall that he got hit over the back in the carpark outside the store.

Mr Manuel said a friend had tried to distract the liquor store owner by throwing a sign through the window of the dairy nextdoor.

Under cross-examination by Singh's lawyer Greg King, Mr Manuel confirmed that a knife one of the teenagers was carrying during the incident belonged to him.

Mr Manuel confirmed that the "pink spongy handle" had been stolen from his niece's tricyle.

"That's pretty brave, did she put up a fight?" Mr King asked.

"Yes," Mr Manuel answered.

Mr Manuel denied the knife was going to be sued to rob the liquor store and later said it had been taken from his house by a friend.

Mr King asked: "You tried four times to run into the liquor store?"

"Yes," Mr Manuel said.

"And on each occasion, you were struck by Roger [Singh], who was trying to stop you rushing in?" Mr King asked.

"Yes," Mr Manuel said.

Mr Manuel also confirmed that another man had hit him on the back with a bamboo stick.

He told the court that he was then hit by a "storm trooper" - a member of a youth gang.

Earlier, the court heard that five "wasted" young men intended to rob the liquor store when a brawl erupted outside the store and Singh defended himself.

A witness, Enrique Panui, who lost four teeth in the brawl, gave evidence this morning.

He told the court that he had been drinking vodka and smoking marijuana with four friends before going for more alcohol.

When asked by Miss Marshall how much he had drunk that day, Mr Panui said "too much".

Asked what had happened in the liquor store, he said he could not remember.

Under cross-examination by Mr King, Mr Panui confirmed he could only remember being held down as he struggled.

He also confirmed that prior to leaving for the shops, one of his friends had shown him a knife.

Mr King told the court that when Mr Panui was asked how "wasted" he was on a scale of one to 10, he had answered "twenty".

Mr Panui confirmed the purpose of going to the shops had been to rob the liquor store.

Under re-examination by Miss Marshall, Mr Panui confirmed the intention was for a friend to "go in and grab us some alcohol".

Asked if the friend was intending to pay for the alcohol, Mr Panui said "no".

Mr Panui also confirmed that he had jumped onto the bonnet ofa car parked outside before going into the liquor store.

Asked why he had done that, he answered: "I was drunk."

Mr Panui confirmed he was 16 at the time of the incident and that he knew he wasn't allowed in the store.

The Crown alleges Singh used a hockey stick after some young men entered his liquor shop in September last year.

The Crown also says one of the young men received a stab wound to his leg.

The depositions hearing, in front of two Justices of the Peace, is set down for two days.

- with NZPA