Bystanders watched and walked by as a man was hit about the head in a vicious daylight assault in a Greymouth supermarket car park.
Police today appealed for witnesses to the attack, in the New World car park about 5pm on Sunday. The male victim was punched in the face and headbutted.
Sergeant Mike Tinnelly, of Greymouth police, said bystanders had witnessed the attack, accompanied by yelling, but no one went to the man's aid and he had to make his own way to the police station to report the incident.
Police want to hear from a woman who was seen sitting in a black Honda parked alongside at the time.
"We want people who were in the car park at the time and saw what happened to come and see someone at the police station," Mr Tinnelly said today.
Police were "well aware" who the attacker was, but still needed "independent witnesses to come forward", anonymously if they wished, by phoning the 0800 Crimestoppers line.
- Viv Logie of the Greymouth Star
