Queenstown bouncer Jonathan Dixon has pleaded not guilty to an assault that left a bar manager in an induced coma.
Dixon, 40, appeared in Queenstown District Court today charged with assault and wounding with reckless disregard causing grievous body harm over an alleged attack on 26-year-old Jordan Sinke and a friend of Mr Sinke's on January 21.
Mr Sinke spent five days in an induced coma and remains in Dunedin Hospital's high-dependency unit.
Dixon was arrested on Friday following a week-long police investigation.
Dixon's lawyer Sonia Vidal told the Queenstown District Court that Dixon had been trying to help Mr Sinke and had not assaulted him, Fairfax NZ reports.
She withdrew an application for name suppression after Judge Michael Turner noted his name had already been widely published.
Dixon was remanded on bail to reappear in Queenstown District Court on February 13.
NZN