Attack victim well after brain surgery

A violent attack near The Square in the weekend left a 23-year-old Palmerston North man unconscious in the gutter with serious head injuries.

Wellington surgeons removed part of Jonathan Thompson's skull to relieve pressure from brain swelling caused by his injuries.

It is not known whether he sustained head injuries by falling or being punched or kicked in his head.

His friend, Teri Maaka, said it was a disgusting, unprovoked attack on someone in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Mr Thompson was walking alone beside The Square when a group allegedly attacked him. He underwent surgery at Palmerston North Hospital before being flown to Wellington Hospital by the Square Trust Rescue Helicopter. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Miss Maaka said doctors said he was doing "amazing" but he cannot recall the assault.

The incident came as a total shock because Mr Thompson was not a fighting type, she said.

She urged people to never walk alone at night because Palmerston North is not safe. Two groups of her friends were also threatened by people armed with knives on Saturday night, she said.

Mr Thompson is not an IPC student as initially reported yesterday. He works for a local landscape company.

- © Fairfax NZ News