Ryder-accused an ‘everyday farm boy’

The shocked family of two men charged over the vicious attack on cricketer Jesse Ryder say the pair are ‘‘upset and worried’’ ahead of their court appearance today.

Craig O’Neill, 37, and his nephew Dylan O’Neill, 20, will appear in the Christchurch District Court at the Nga Hau e Wha Marae today over the incident in Merivale last Thursday.

Ryder left Christchurch yesterday and is now in Wellington.

Manager Aaron Klee would not confirm when Ryder left Christchurch Hospital but told The Press last night: ‘‘You can report he’s home.’’

The names of the two men charged have not been formally released by police but were obtained yesterday by The Press.

Both have been on police bail since their arrests.

Media applications to photograph the men in court have been declined.

A close

family member, who

‘‘It’s really quite shocking for us all. He [Craig] is upset and worried and I’m concerned for them. It’s such a stressful thing to happen.’’ Family member

had spoken to Craig O’Neill since the attack, said the incident was ‘‘really tragic’’.

On the night of the attack the men were out with other family who had travelled from the Chatham Islands. The pair handed themselves in to police, the woman said.

When she found out the duo were charged, ‘‘I was so upset because it involves the whole lot of us. It’s really quite shocking for us all.

‘‘He [Craig] is upset and worried and I’m concerned for them. It’s such a stressful thing to happen.’’

Craig was bailed to Fairlie, where he owns land, but was driving to Christchurch last night ahead of the court appearance.

Sources in Fairlie, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the entire town knew O’Neill had been charged over the Ryder attack.

One resident said O’Neill had ‘‘a bit of a reputation’’ but could also be ‘‘good as gold’’.

He grew up on his parents’ farm in the area and was ‘‘just an everyday farm boy’’.

The town was ‘‘shocked’’

to learn he had been charged over the Ryder attack, she said.

Dylan lived in Christchurch, the family member said.

Craig owned a construction company in Christchurch and land in Fairlie so he travelled a lot, she said. Dylan, who was born in Australia, had done an apprenticeship in carpet-laying, she said.

Of the court appearance the family member said: ‘‘I can only pray that everything goes well.’’