Wrong men fingered in assault probe

Police fingered the wrong men in their investigation of a serious assault in Queenstown last week.

They posted CCTV footage of two men apparently running away from the victim on their Facebook page last Wednesday, after the early morning incident.

The Otago Daily Times reported police saying they were looking for the men.

Their images, supplied by police, were published.

These men, initially thought responsible for the assault, which put a man in hospital with damaged teeth, facial cuts and bruising, are now being treated as witnesses.

Video released on the Queenstown police Facebook page showed them running along Lake Esplanade, away from the victim.

A statement appeared on the Facebook page yesterday stating a Queenstown business had provided CCTV footage showing a third man assaulting the victim.

New footage was also posted, showing the alleged offender leaving a downtown bar five minutes before the assault and walking through the Steamer Wharf complex.

The two witnesses, who were tracked to Mount Cook village, had given a description of the alleged offender, and police were ''making progress'' with the investigation.

Police were unavailable for comment yesterday.

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