Investigation continuing into Tory Street serious assault last week

A 25 year old Kapiti man is in a critical condition on life support in Wellington Hospital, following a serious assault in Tory Street in the early hours of last Thursday morning.

Detective Senior Sergeant Donna Howard of the Wellington CIB says the victim and two male friends were approached by a group of men opposite the Tournament carpark on Tory Street around 3:50am on Thursday 15 September 2011. The victim sustained significant head injuries as a result. One of his friends received an ankle injury.

"We are treating this incident extremely seriously, given the nature of the injuries this victim has received. We are still working to identify a male who was in the vicinity of Tory Street at the time of the assault and still need further help from the public to identify him."

This person was wearing distinctive wooden rosary beads with a cross around his neck and had a tribal tattoo on his arm. He is around 6 foot tall of solid build with short cropped hair and is wearing a purple Huffer-branded t-shirt, dark grey or blue jeans and grey canvas shoes.

He was with two other Pacific Island males which Police would also like to identify and speak to, aged in their early to mid twenties. One of them was of medium to solid build, around six foot tall, with brown spiky hair, wearing dark blue or black jeans, a blue or green t-shirt and white shoes, with a tribal tattoo on his right arm.

"We are working to obtain further CCTV images of the other two males and intend to release these over the coming days, as they become available."

Police have spoken to some witnesses since the incident but still need to hear from anyone who either witnessed the assault or noticed any suspicious activity in the vicinity of Courtenay Place and Tory Street between 3am and 4:30am on Thursday 15 September.

Anyone with any information should contact Wellington Police on (04) 381 2000 or phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.