UPDATE: NZ police appeal for information after grievous assault, Mahia

Gisborne Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of how a 47-year-old man was found in a ditch with life threatening injuries in Mahia during the evening of 1 March 2022.

The man remains in Waikato hospital and has been unable to be spoken to by Police due to the severity of his injuries.

What was initially reported to be an accident is now being investigated as a grievous assault.

An appeal for information via the media was made by Police on 29 March 2020 which has resulted in several people coming forward who have assisted Police with their enquiries.

We are now aware that on the night of the assault a number of Facebook posts were made which identified one of the people responsible for the assault.

Some of these posts were made by members of the Mahia community but were taken down a couple of hours later.

Police ask for anyone who may have viewed or saved these posts to contact them via 105 and quote file number 220302/3743.

Information can also be given directly to Detective Sergeant Eric Hunter at the Gisborne Police Station.

/NZ Police Public Release. View in full here.