Mexicans on assault charges told jail possible

Two Mexican kitchenhands facing serious assault charges were given a stern warning by a judge in the Queenstown District Court yesterday.

Mario Becerra Malo, 19, is charged with assault and injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and Luis Daniel Rivera-Caro, 18, is charged with injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The pair allegedly assaulted a man outside a cash machine in Camp St and handed themselves in to police after being identified in CCTV pictures published in the media.

Judge Dominic Flatley said it was a definite possibility the two men could be sent to prison and the Queenstown community was worried about late-night assaults.

"This is serious offending and there's obviously a concern in this town about this type of offending, given what's happened in recent months," Judge Flatley said.

"Too many attacks late at night and in some cases people have been killed."

The judge refused to give a sentencing indication and told the men to be ready to enter a plea with proper legal representation at their next appearance on March 22.

- © Fairfax NZ News