FOUR people have now been charged in relation to a brawl and alleged assault in Newcastle West on Tuesday.
About 3.45pm an officer attached to the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command saw a group fighting on Hunter Street.
The officer intervened with more police from Newcastle assisting to break up the fight.
Police were told that four people entered a shop on Hunter Street before allegedly assaulting the owners, a 25-year-old man and 18-year-old woman.
Paramedics treated the man before he was taken to John Hunter Hospital with a suspected fractured jaw.
Following inquiries, a 16-year-old boy, and two men, aged 18 and 20, were arrested at the scene and taken to Newcastle police station.
The boy was charged with breach of bail, affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company of others, and common assault.
He was refused bail to appear before a children's court on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old was charged with affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company of others, two counts of common assault, and custody of knife in public place.
The 20-year-old was charged with affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company of others, and two counts of common assault.
Both men were granted conditional bail to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Thursday March 2.
A 20-year-old woman attended Newcastle police station shortly after and was also arrested in relation to the incident.
She was charged with affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company of others, and two counts of common assault.
She was granted condition bail to also appear before Newcastle Local Court on Thursday March 2.
EARLIER REPORT
Several Newcastle police officers descended on Hunter Street Tuesday afternoon to break up a fight between a group of people police allege had also just assaulted the owners of a nearby business.
A Highway Patrol officer noticed the group engaged in a brawl on Hunter Street in Newcastle West around 3.45pm and called in support from other officers attached to the Newcastle Police District.
At least five police vehicles closed Hunter Street in both directions as officers took control of the situation. The road was re-opened around 4pm.
Police were seen speaking with around six young people in the street after the fracas, and two others a short time later.
Police allege that the group had already assaulted the owners of a nearby business - a man and woman who suffered minor injuries in the altercation - before the fight broke out.
Two men and a teenage boy were arrested and taken to Newcastle Police Station where police said inquiries were continuing Tuesday evening.