A 20-year-old Auckland man has appeared in court charged with stabbing his 95-year-old neighbour in the head.
The unemployed Glendene man was granted interim name suppression when he made a brief appearance in Waitakere District Court today.
He faces charges of entering a building with a knife and with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The man, dressed in a police boiler suit, appeared before Community Magistrate Fenella Thomas.
Ms Thomas said because police opposed bail for the man, the matter would have to be heard by a judge tomorrow.
Police were called to the home of 95-year-old Albert Chant at 9.30pm yesterday.
Officers found him in a serious condition with a single stab wound to his head.
He was rushed to Auckland Hospital where he had surgery.
He was reported to be in a stable condition this morning.
Police were seeking the weapon thought to have been used in the attack.
Neighbour Tony Compain said he was shocked to hear his close neighbour had been taken to hospital.
"He's a nice man and he wouldn't harm anyone,'' Mr Compain said.
"We didn't hear or see a thing - our house is set back from his house and we have a big garage in front of us. It wasn't until he was taken away that the officer came and asked us.
"We were told the man was in a critical condition last night and that he had improved this morning.
"We are Jehovah's Witnesses, so we preach about how bad this world is every day - this is just proof it's a lousy world we live in,'' he said.
Mr Compain said he talked with Mr Chant every day because he didn't have many immediate family members.
"We keep an eye on him.''
