Bail for two charged with Tauranga stabbing

Two people have been granted bail after being charged over an attack which left a man and his uncle with multiple stab wounds in Tauranga last night.

Alex Churcher, 22, and Felicity Plowright, 24, appeared in Tauranga District Court today jointly charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

They did not enter a plea, and were remanded to reappear on October 30.

Police believe they, alongside one or two others, were responsible for an attack on a 27-year-old man and his 50-year-old uncle at a Gate Pa property around 8.30pm last night.

Detective Sergeant Daryl Brazier said it was thought to have been a domestic incident, as Plowright had allegedly been in a relationship with the 27-year-old victim, "which ended some time ago".

Initial inquiries indicated Plowright had arrived in a car with her current boyfriend Churcher and one or two others.

The man had come out to speak with her and they started arguing.

"Obviously there's been a dispute between the two which has spilled over," Mr Brazier said.

Police allege the man, who lived in a house bus on the property, was attacked by the group, with at least one producing a knife.

The man's uncle, who had stopped by for a visit, came out of the house bus to intervene and was himself attacked.

Both received a lengthy list of injuries.

The younger man was stabbed four times in the back, once in the chest, once in the shoulder, was slashed across the hand and suffered a punctured lung.

The uncle was stabbed in the neck, four times in the chest and once in the lower back. A blow from the knife fractured one of his ribs and he also received a punctured lung.

A small knife believed to have been used in the attack was later recovered near the home of one of the alleged attackers' associates.

It has been sent for forensic analysis.

Mr Brazier said there were three or four people involved in the attack and he was confident the others would be found.

"We will identify those people so it's probably best if they come and see us."

He said police had opposed bail but both accused avoided being held in custody on the condition they live outside Tauranga until their next appearance.

Police have not been able to interview either victim as both remained in a serious condition with the younger man spending much of today in surgery.

Mr Brazier said police hoped to speak with them tomorrow.

- NZPA