Ever since the 20-year-old Dunedin father of two was seriously assaulted in Moray Pl early on Sunday, he has been on a liquid diet.
During the attack, he was punched and kicked about the head, suffering a broken and displaced jaw.
He had surgery this week to realign his jaw and stitch up the lacerations to his mouth. He now has braces on his teeth to realign them while his jaw heals. He also has a broken nose, two black eyes, bruised ribs and grazes.
"I'm pretty much on a liquid diet and baby food for the next six weeks. Soggy Weet-Bix are the best thing I've eaten for a while.
Mr Sutherland said he and his fiancee had arranged for a babysitter to look after their children while they went into the CBD to celebrate friends' birthdays.
"It was the first time we had been out on the town since the baby was born."
The couple were walking from the Octagon to a bar about 1.30am. Near the corner of Stuart St and Moray Pl, a man hit Mr Sutherland in the face.
Mr Sutherland said he swore at the man for hitting him, but walked away thinking it might have been accidental.
"As we got further down the street, we heard yelling and then we heard footsteps coming up behind us.
"When I turned around, I saw a guy sprinting straight at me. It looked like he was going to jump on me, so I dropped my shoulder and he flipped off me.
"I don't know what happened after that. I can't remember. I think his mates got me after that.
"My fiancee said she heard the thud of my head hitting the concrete. She said they were punching and kicking me for about a minute.
"I always thought Dunedin was safe at night. But not so much now."
Detective Constable Jo McLaughlan said police were looking for a female and three Maori or Polynesian men aged in their late teens or early 20s.
Police had spoken to one witness already, but were disappointed the witness had chosen not to co-operate with them.
Det Const McLaughlan asked any witnesses to contact Dunedin police on 471-4954.
Mr Sutherland said two men and a woman came to his aid, and he was keen for them to contact him so he could thank them. Dunedin police would also like to speak to these people.
Mr Sutherland said he had not seen his children since the assault because he did not want his injuries to traumatise them.
"I don't want my 2-year-old seeing me. She won't like it."
He said the pain had been awful and he had had some rough nights.
"I can't focus - reading the paper takes ages. I'll probably have to go into rehab after I get out of hospital."
"It's going to be a long road to recovery. It will take even longer before I have the confidence to go to bars outside the Octagon at night again."
