A teenager has been charged over an assault that has left a homeless man in a critical condition in an Auckland hospital.
Police say the 42-year-old man was found beaten and unconscious on Mills Lane in central Auckland on Wednesday morning.
A 17-year-old male will appear in the Auckland District Court on Saturday morning charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Auckland City Missioner Diane Robertson says the random nature of the attack has made a lot of homeless people fearful.
Ms Robertson says about 150 people are sleeping rough in Auckland city at present and describes them as vulnerable people who prefer to stay out of public view.
She said the last such attack in the city was about 12 months ago.
