The woman police allege is behind a brutal bus attack that left a teen boy with facial injuries and missing teeth has appeared in the Manukau District Court this afternoon.

The 39-year-old woman was arrested yesterday and charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant James Mapp said police will allege this was a “hate-motivated” crime.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment.

Judge David McNaughton remanded the woman in custody by consent without plea until her next appearance on Monday.

She is seeking name suppression, which will be addressed in the hearing.

The Chinese-New Zealand schoolboy was allegedly randomly attacked by the woman on an Auckland bus about 9am on June 28.

The woman started yelling racial slurs at the boy before attacking him with a metal rod, unprovoked, he claimed.

He lost three teeth and had two more damaged in the attack.

“I was taking the bus to Panmure, and just past Pakuranga Plaza, a woman started verbally abusing me and then immediately started to physically abuse me,” the schoolboy told the Herald.

“I was just listening to music, scrolling my phone, and then it happened. She just stood up and hit me.”

Katie Harris is an Auckland-based journalist who covers issues including sexual assault, workplace misconduct, media, crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2020.