Man attacked outside takeaway after asking pair to respect queue

A man was taken to hospital with facial injuries after being attacked outside a takeaway outlet on Auckland's North Shore this week — all because he asked two people to respect the queue. Jack Parfitt told 1News he had been waiting in line at Northcross Takeaways on Thursday when a man and woman pushed to the front of the queue. He said he politely asked the pair to let waiting customers order first, but both became aggressive towards him. "The confrontation moved outside and it appeared it was going to turn into a fight until the man pulled out a weapon," he said. He said the woman assaulted him as he tried to leave with his nephew, before the pair drove away, returned with additional weapons, and attacked him again as he walked to his car. "We never even got our dinner because all we wanted to do was leave safely." Two people have since been charged over the attack, which police said involved a weapon and left the victim with moderate injuries. Inspector Aron McKeown said a verbal altercation occurred inside a premises on Carlisle Rd at about 8.15pm on Thursday before moving outside, where the victim was assaulted. "The offenders left the scene in a vehicle but returned shortly after, with one of them continuing the assault with a weapon," he said. The pair fled before police arrived but were soon located at an address in Dairy Flat. A 22-year-old woman has been charged with injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. A 26-year-old man faces two counts of the same charge, as well as possession of an offensive weapon, threatening to kill or do grievous bodily harm, and wilful damage. They will appear in North Shore District Court on July 23. Parfitt said he had been left with a black eye, facial injuries and emotional trauma after the incident. "No one should have to fear being assaulted over ordering takeaway," he said, adding the incident had left him questioning whether he felt safe living in Auckland at all.