http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/10690649/Kiwis-role-in-arrest-of-Maddy-suspect A New Zealand woman raised the alarm about a British paedophile linked to the Madeleine McCann kidnapping case.
The manager of a council-owned holiday park cornered paedophile Roderick Robinson, also known as Roderick Macdonald, after he abused two girls at the park, getting the children to safety and calling police.
Police charged him but before he could face court, he skipped the country on a New Zealand passport stolen from a friend. Robinson turned up in Portugal.
He was reportedly in Algarve when McCann, then 3, went missing in 2007, setting off an international search to find her.
Over the past three weeks, the Sunday Star-Times has pieced together the jigsaw of the elusive Robinson's time in New Zealand, before his return to Portugal made him a suspect in
the paedophile ring believed to be behind McCann's disappearance.
Auckland Council said Robinson, 76, was temporarily living at one of its parks in 2009 when he indecently assaulted a girl.
He had groomed two girls and invited them into his converted van where a council spokesman confirmed an indecent act allegedly took place.
The girls fled the van and told another resident at the park, who alerted the park manager, Karen Brownlie.
She "took immediate action to ensure the girls' safety as soon as she was made aware of the incident," said the council's parks manager Ian Maxwell.
Brownlie confronted Robinson with one of the girl's mothers and "immediately contacted police". Robinson was arrested and charged with doing an indecent act.
Auckland Council's chief operating officer Dean Kimpton said Brownlie acted "brilliantly" and it was "a horrific situation for any family to find themselves in".
"We are grateful for the quick response of Karen Brownlie whose actions highlighted her experience and professionalism."
Police advised Brownlie that the manner in which she removed the children from the situation was extremely helpful in their preparation of a prosecution.
"According to police it was a textbook case of how you should deal with a matter like that," said council spokesman Mark Hanson.
It was an "isolated incident", Hanson added.
"The safety and security of the guests is paramount."
The holiday park incident prompted an internal review of how the council operates its parks.
The parks allow people to stay for up to 50 days. They have a mixture of accommodation including self contained units and sites for tents and caravans and Robinson had been staying at the grounds for six weeks in a converted van until his arrest.
"There was a debrief and an internal review and there was a review of the 50 day rule and the outcome was that police commended the manager," Hanson said.
Since Robinson has skipped the country, the prospects of him ever appearing before a New Zealand court are low.
Robinson was caught in Malta earlier this month after also fleeing child sex abuse charges in Brighton, England.
He is being extradited back there by Sussex police, and British police said he would also be questioned about a paedophile ring operating in the Algarve around the time of McCann's disappearance in 2007.
- Sunday Star Times
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Speculation (in bold) or are the Kiwi press not subject to the same restrictions as the UK's?
