An elderly man escaped serious injury after he was allegedly assaulted by a beggar outside a Christchurch supermarket on Tuesday.
A police spokeswoman told Newshub the assault happened on Wilsons Rd South - outside New World St Martins - on Tuesday about 3:55pm.
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Members of the public at the scene attended to the victim, she said.
A 23-year-old man was located and arrested in relation to the assault about 10 minutes later.
"He has been charged with common assault and will appear in the Christchurch District Court on Monday July 8," the spokeswoman told Newshub.
A witness told local news source Star.kiwi the attacker, thought to be homeless, had to be pulled off the elderly man.
"The homeless fellow, I have seen him around there heaps, he has always been sitting around shops with his hat out trying to get money," the unnamed witness told the Star.
Newshub.
