Gang patch attack: Man runs over, accused pleads guilty

A member of the Black Power was chased, dragged, beaten and run over in a violent attack in South Auckland last year, leaving him with life-threatening injuries that required emergency surgery.

According to a report by Stuff, one of the men involved, Siaosi Meleisea, has pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. A charge of attempted murder was withdrawn by Dani-Lee Gardiner in the High Court at Auckland on Wednesday.

Details of the September 2024 attack can now be reported after Stuff was granted access to the agreed summary of facts.

At about 4.14pm, the victim, who was wearing his Black Power gang patch, was walking from a friend’s home in Māngere to his partner’s house. Meleisea and an unidentified man were sitting in a car parked on Valiant St when the victim approached the passenger window and spoke to Meleisea before getting into the back seat, according to the summary, as reported by Stuff.

He was only inside briefly before getting out and running. Meleisea and the other man gave chase, caught him and began struggling with him. During the altercation, the victim was dragged along the concrete by his gang patch.

According to Stuff, the summary states that at one point the unidentified man stomped on the victim’s back while Meleisea tried to rip the patch from his clothing. As the victim lay on the ground, Meleisea punched him twice in the head. The second man eventually tore the patch free and ran back to the car.

While the victim remained motionless on the ground, Meleisea stomped on his head. He then got into the driver’s seat, mounted the grass kerb and “intentionally drove directly” over the victim’s body “causing the complainant to move in the same direction as the car”.

Meleisea fled the scene but was later arrested. He exercised his right to remain silent when spoken to by the police, Stuff has reported.

The victim was rushed to hospital with critical injuries, including a ruptured spleen, a collapsed lung, damage to the main abdominal artery, fractured ribs, facial fractures, internal bleeding and extensive bruising.

Meleisea has been remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced later this month. His lawyer, Antonio Spika, sought a referral for restorative justice.