Attack ‘possibly racially’ driven

An attack in which a man was punched and kicked at Dunedin’s bus hub may have been racially motivated, police say.

Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said police were alerted to an incident at the Dunedin bus hub at 8.15pm on Monday.

A man sitting at the hub was approached by a 27-year-old man, who appeared intoxicated and allegedly started throwing punches and kicking the victim, Snr Sgt Bond said.

The pair were not known to one another, but the attack was "possibly racially motivated", he said.

City safety officers intervened, but the assault continued before the offender fled on foot.

He was found and arrested a short time later.

He appeared in court yesterday and was charged with injuring with intent to injure.

Bail was declined and he was imprisoned until a hearing next month.

Earlier on Monday, at 12.45pm, a 14-year-old youth from Gore was arrested at the bus hub for breaching his bail conditions.

The teen appeared in youth court yesterday on numerous charges, including thefts of vehicles and removing his electronic monitoring bracelet.