Rotorua teens feel unsafe after unprovoked attack by girls

Two Rotorua teenagers are now terrified to walk home from school after falling victim to a vicious and unprovoked attack by a group of girls in broad daylight.

The attack happened on Old Quarry Rd on Monday by a trio of girls that police believe may have attacked two other groups around the same time.

As well as being physically attacked, the sisters were threatened and called "white b******" when they tried to get help.

The father of the attacked girls, who has asked that his and his daughters' names not be published for their protection, said the incident had been hard to process.

"My phone had died that day so I didn't get a call, by the time I had found out, we were all in a panic, and then it turned into a reactive thing. It wasn't intentional but I wanted to know whether they had said or done anything to provoke their attackers.

"It wasn't really fair to put that on my daughters because they were the victims - but it came out of disbelief that something like this - a vicious, unprovoked attack - would happen."

A friend of the girls was the main target of the attack and had her head jumped on by the aggressors.

"This was an act of horrific violence but at the end of the day, it was not so much these kids' fault but their parents' fault because any children capable of this level of violence is a product of their upbringing.

"The worst thing, aside from the emotional and mental trauma my daughters will now carry with them, is the impact this kind of behaviour has on our community and our image as a city.

"We are a proud community that looks after each other and the Maori spirit but when a******* like these girls come along and diminish all the good that is done, it does irreparable damage."

He said his daughters no longer wanted to walk home from school and felt unsafe in the town they had grown up in.

"Since this has happened, I drive past other kids on their way to school and now I find myself wondering and hoping that they are alright."

A spokeswoman at the victims' school said police had notified the school of the attack and their progress in the investigation.

"We were distressed to hear about the incidents but are confident the police have taken appropriate action and have the situation under control," she said.

Senior Sergeant Denton Grimes confirmed police were looking into the attack, but said they were still in the early stages of the investigation.

"We have spoken to one girl and are interested in speaking to two others, but we are keen for anyone with information that could help to come forward."

Grimes said the attackers were believed to be between the ages of 13 and 15.

"We are investigating a link between a couple of other assaults that happened on the same day, around the same time."

Anyone with information about the attacks can call Rotorua police on (07) 349 9400 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.