Rachael Kelly/Stuff
Warren MacKenzie was stabbed by an intruder in his Mataura flat. His attacker has not been found. (File photo)
Police are renewing an appeal for information from the public regarding a case in Mataura five years ago where a man was seriously injured after an assault in his home.
Officers were called to Main St, Mataura, about 10pm on Saturday June 17, 2017, after an offender reportedly entered Warren McKenzie’s flat and demanded cash.
He was then allegedly stabbed, and the offender left the scene.
McKenzie was transported to hospital in a critical condition, and faced a long recovery from his injuries.
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Two weeks after the attack, McKenzie told Stuff that he had never seen the man before.
“He was standing quite close to me and all I remember is that he hadn’t had a bath in a while and he looked like he hadn’t cleaned his teeth for a year or two.”
When MacKenzie said he didn’t have any money, the man attacked him.
“I thought he’d just punched me but, when I looked down, I was bleeding.’’
He had been stabbed in the chest. The injury caused his lung to collapse and was only 2mm from a major artery, he said.
At the time he had a message for his attacker: “Hand yourself in and get help”.
Rachael Kelly/Stuff
Warren MacKenzie suffered stab wounds and bruising after he was attacked by an intruder in his Mataura home in 2017. Police are appealing for new information about the case. (File photo)
McKenzie never returned to his Mataura flat, and has since moved to Dunedin.
Despite a public appeal for information at the time and every available investigative lead being followed, an offender has not yet been held to account.
On Friday, Detective Sergeant Brian McKinney, of Gore CIB, said he is confident there are members of the public who know what happened that night and who was involved.
Kavinda Herath/Stuff
Detective Sergeant Brian McKinney of Gore CIB says he is confident there are members of the public who know who was involved in an attack on a man in his Mataura home in 2017.
“To those people, we’d like to say – it’s not too late. We still want to hear from you,’’ McKinney said.
“You can be assured that you can come to us in the strictest confidence to share whatever information you have.
“It may be that you have small details that you think are not significant, but might be of great importance to our investigations team.”
Anyone with information is urged to get in touch through 105, either by phone or online.
You can also share information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
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