KEY POINTS:
A disabled man who cannot speak desperately sounded the horn on his wheelchair for help as he was viciously attacked by two invaders in his own home.
No one came to the terrified man's aid and instead defenceless cerebral palsy sufferer Michael Shanahan, 50, was forced to ram his wheelchair at two men who stormed into his Three Kings house about 10pm on Monday.
A detective called the attack "gutless".
Mr Shanahan's condition affects muscular movement and control. He cannot walk or speak, but understands others perfectly.
Communicating with hand gestures, Mr Shanahan told the Herald he was in his kitchen when he heard a knock at the door.
He did not answer it because he was home alone but soon heard the key turn and the door open.
Two men ran into his home and demanded cash, cigarettes and alcohol.
One offender ran at him, punching him in the nose as another ran into his lounge in an attempt to steal a computer.
Mr Shanahan chased after them, ramming his electric wheelchair into them.
Using the switch on his wheelchair arm rest, he sounded a loud horn and flicked a switch to shine bright lights into the offenders' eyes.
Empty-handed, the pair then ran out of the home, along an old wooden ramp away from the home.
Police were called 10 minutes later when another member of the household arrived home.
Mr Shanahan believed the offenders had been watching him for some time to find out where he kept his house key, and waiting to attack when they knew he was at home alone.
He held his fingers to his nose and screwed up his face as he pointed under his arms and made a drinking gesture with his hand, indicating that the offenders smelled badly of body odour and alcohol.
He said he recognised one of them, who he believed had come to his home about a month ago, asking for cigarettes.
Although Mr Shanahan appeared in good spirits and made jokes while the Herald visited, he said he no longer felt safe in his home.
He did not sleep on Monday night because he felt so worried after the attack.
Mr Shanahan's sister and an Asian homestay student, who also lived at the home, were also distressed after the attack.
Mr Shanahan said his house key would no longer be kept outside.
Detective Sergeant John de Heer of the Auckland Crime Squad said officers were working through details of the crime but it was too early to release a description of the offenders.
Harvey Brunt, general manager of the Cerebral Palsy Society of New Zealand, said preying on disabled and defenceless people was "reasonably common".
