The same day a man appeared in court for intentionally hitting an elderly woman with his car, he ran down a teenager in a targeted attack that almost killed the boy.

The 15-year-old victim suffered multiple fractures and internal injuries and was left fighting for his life in Waikato Hospital after being run down near a Ngāruawāhia sports park on April 10.

Manuhuia Tahupotiki Kupe, 28, hit the boy with his car three times.

It came five months after Kupe punched an elderly woman and then drove into her.

He had been drinking with friends when he approached the woman who was putting out her rubbish and assaulted her for no apparent reason.

He then got into his car and hit her with it. It is understood the elderly victim was not seriously injured.

This week, Kupe appeared in the High Court at Hamilton where he did not pursue name suppression and pleaded guilty to attempted murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice, in relation to the hit and run involving the teen.

He was initially charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm before it was upgraded.

The court has heard that the incident occurred less than an hour after Kupe had appeared in the Huntly District Court for sentencing on charges relating to the woman.

However, the sentencing was adjourned to a later date.

Kupe left the courthouse and then, around 5pm, spotted the teen victim, who he knew, standing on Old Taupiri Rd near the entrance of the Hopuhopu Sports Park.

He hit him with his car three times before members of the public rushed to the scene.

Kupe fled and contacted a relative who he asked to help get rid of his car. He then phoned the police and reported his vehicle stolen.

It was later abandoned in the carpark of the Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve near Tauhei.

Do you have a justice story we should be covering?
It is understood the victim had been visiting his grandmother when he was hit.

At the time, the boy’s father said his son was a “good boy” and he could not understand why he had been singled out.

Detective Inspector Darrell Harpur labelled the victim’s injuries as “life-changing” and was initially concerned he would not survive.

At Kupe’s hearing this week, Justice Kiri Tahana convicted him and remanded him back into custody ahead of his sentencing in April.

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for nine years and has been a journalist for 20.