A 21-year-old man underwent emergency surgery today after a punch to the head outside a west Auckland court yesterday left him with critical head injuries.
Police said the teenager did nothing to provoke the incident, in which he was punched and fell to the ground outside the Waitakere District Court in Henderson about 3pm.
Wyniata Simons, 19, appeared in court today charged with assault and was remanded in custody until tomorrow, when he is expected to seek bail.
Detective Sergeant Peter Litherland said the victim was critically ill after surgery and was likely to be kept in a coma to give him the best chance of recovering.
"He has got a fracture to the back of his head."
He said the victim did not know his alleged attacker.
He said Simons could face further, more serious charges.
Mr Litherland urged anyone who saw the incident to call the police.
