City parking warden attacked

A Wellington parking warden has had facial reconstruction surgery after being punched in the head outside Newtown School.

The daylight attack, on Friday morning, left the warden unconscious, with a fractured eye socket and broken nose, his employer Wellington City Council said.

A witness said the warden, aged in his 50s, was walking along Riddiford St when the attack happened. ‘‘[The attacker] punched him on the side of the head as [the warden] was walking away.’’

The attacker ‘‘dropped him to the deck’’, the witness said, before adding: ‘‘What was great for me was seeing two parking officers there within minutes, along with police and ambulance.’’

Acting council chief executive Kane Patena said yesterday that the warden had since undergone surgery. ‘‘The officer is conscious and will fully recover but it will take some time.’’

The warden passed on his ‘‘sincere gratitude’’ to the members of public who helped, and to the other wardens who rushed to the scene.

‘‘I am utterly appalled and disgusted at what can only be described as an idiotic and gutless act of thuggery,’’ Patena said. ‘‘Our parking officers are good men and women, who are simply trying to do their job.

‘‘Not one of our staff deserves to be treated like this, irrespective of what people think about the profession.’’

The council equipped wardens with

‘‘Not one of our staff deserves to be treated like this.’’

Acting Wellington City Council chief executive Kane Patena

body cameras in 2017. However, although the victim was wearing a camera, he didn’t have time to activate it. ‘‘It appears the warden was walking away and was effectively sucker-punched.’’

Rongotai MP Paul Eagle said he knew the warden and considered him a friend. He described the victim as a humble man who would never provoke confrontation, nor retaliate.

Parking had long been a problem in Newtown, and it had been exacerbated by having three big hospital-related building works going on: the new children’s hospital, a Mary Potter Hospice development, and work at Wakefield Hospital, Eagle said.

The council and Capital & Coast District Health Board had long known of the issue and now had to take action. ‘‘I hope the parking officer is recovering well.’’

There was a feeling in Newtown that there was a lack of policing in the suburb, Eagle said. He would raise the issue with Wellington area commander Inspector Chris Bensemann today.

Councillor Chris Calvi-Freeman, who holds the city’s transport strategy and operations portfolio, said the warden was out of surgery, which required ‘‘some sort of reconstruction’’ to his face.

‘‘He has had a significant injury to his face, and that has required surgery.’’

The warden was now fully conscious and everyone at the council wished him a full and speedy recovery, he said.

‘‘An attack on a parking warden simply doing his job is completely and absolutely unacceptable.’’

Council human resources director Nicola Brown said Work Safe was going to be notified, and the council would carry out an internal investigation – as was standard practice in cases such as this. ‘‘We are also actively supporting our parking officers, who will no doubt be shaken by this incident.’’

Police spoke to the warden yesterday. The alleged offender, a 39-year-old man, would be charged with wounding with the intent to injure. He was on bail and due to appear in court on Friday.