News Service from House Harris

Vic: Police hunt meat cleaver attacker

MELBOURNE, April 15 AAP - A savage meat-cleaver attack that left a Melbourne man fighting for his life could have involved a case of mistaken identity.

The 44-year-old man was on his way to the bar at the Clare Castle Hotel in Port Melbourne at about 4.50pm on March 28 when he was set upon.

An Asian man believed to be aged in his early 20s ran up to him and hit him to the left side of the head and then ran off.

Security footage showed the victim stumbling to the bar as the offender ran off.

Police would also like to contact a woman to whom the attacker spoke before the attack.

Detective Senior Constable Paul Kerr said the victim, who suffered life-threatening injuries, was not known to police.

"This was attempted murder ... it caused extensive injuries including significant lacerations to the left side of his face, bone, teeth and nerve damage and possible damage to his eye...," he said on Wednesday.

"This was a targeted attack but we have conducted inquiries into our victim's background ... he's not known to police, he has no known enemies.

"We are considering the possibility that this is a case of mistaken identity."

The offender was last seen running north up nearby Evans St.

Police said the security footage is not good enough to identify him but he is described as of Asian appearance, about 172cm tall and of medium to slight build.

"It was extremely brazen and I find it frightening that such violence could occur at a pub on a Saturday afternoon with so many people around and seemingly no reasoning behind it," Det Snr Const Kerr said.

"The victim has undergone several surgeries, is making a recovery, but is extremely traumatised by the incident and afraid of attending public places at the moment."