A teenager on bail when he robbed an 81-year-old woman, breaking her hip and wrist and disabling her for life, has been sentenced to home detention.

Christchurch police are looking for a 59-year-old man, as they investigate the traumatising assault of an elderly couple.

A woman who fought off an attacker is furious to hear her alleged assailant could face a reduced charge.

Almost a quarter of a century after the murder of a senior drug-busting Federal Police officer, another inquiry is about to open into a case that continues to intrigue Australia.

One of the men involved in a gang-related brawl outside a child's first birthday party says he deeply regrets his actions as they have robbed his children of their father.

Two women have appeared in Gisborne District Court charged jointly with assaulting Indian national Amandeep Singh - the subject of a homicide inquiry.

An entrant in this weekend's Ironman triathlon in Taupo suffered serious injuries in a road-rage attack in which a motorist allegedly chased him down.

A dog came to the rescue of its owner, biting an armed man who was attacking her.

Christchurch police are investigating two unrelated attacks on women over the weekend which they say appear to be sexually motivated.

A Masterton man has appeared in court charged with intentionally causing grievous bodily harm after another man was hospitalised with three stab wounds to his buttocks.

Police have named a 24-year-old student found stabbed to death in his Auckland home.

Hinewhare Harawira has stepped down from an anti-violence campaign following allegations her three adult sons beat a 12-year-old boy.

Three sons of anti-violence campaigner Hinewhare Harawira - and nephews of MP Hone Harawira - are facing charges over an assault on a 12-year-old boy.

A man has been found guilty of the murder of New Zealander Brent Dumper at his daughter's house-warming party on the Gold Coast.

On Monday, November 5 Cissy Chen vanished, and 103 days later police are no closer to finding her.

A Christchurch man was about a millimetre away from losing his sight and five millimetres from being seriously brain damaged.

A man is recovering in hospital after surgery overnight to remove a knife embedded in his head just behind the eyeball.

A 24-year-old student has been found stabbed to death in Half Moon Bay.

A house-warming party fuelled by alcohol and drugs led to a New Zealand man being shot in the back and killed, a Brisbane court has heard.

A boozy celebration on being spared a term of imprisonment will see Michael David McIntyre spend the next 14 months in jail.

Police say it is an "absolute priority" to establish what happened to a teenage girl who says she was assaulted by an officer at an out-of-control party in Howick.