Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/398422
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 15 OCTOBER 2014
News
MATTHEW AGIUS
AN elderly British man is to be ex-
tradited to the UK to serve a custo-
dial sentence after being convicted
for the sexual assault of a 13-year old
girl.
Roderick McDonald, 76, from Al-
dershot, was apprehended yesterday
in Gozo.
McDonald is a known sex offender
and has been linked by the British
tabloid press to the disappearance of
Madeleine McCann. The Mirror and
Daily Mail have both published sto-
ries claiming he was in the vicinity at
the time of her disappearance.
The accused confirmed to the court
that he was previously known as Ro-
derick William Robinson, which was
his adopted name, but that he has
since reverted to the name Roderick
McDonald.
McDonald has been on the run
for over 22 years, previously being
seized in Thailand as part of an on-
going operation by the British Seri-
ous Organised Crime Agency. Thai
Police acting on information from
SOCA officers based in Bangkok ar-
rested McDonald at the Thai beach
resort of Pattaya and deported him
to the UK.
As Roderick Robinson, the wanted
man reportedly fled to Australia in
1988 while awaiting trial for repeat-
edly abusing an under-aged girl, only
to be arrested again in Australia for
sexually abusing another under-aged
girl the following year.
Released on bail, he then absconded
to New Zealand, where he was again
accused of abusing young girls. He
managed to escape once again, but
was caught by Interpol in Portugal in
April 2010, while he was reportedly
living on a campsite in the Algarve.
The British press claim that sourc-
es close to the Madeleine McCann
investigation had indicated that he is
believed to have vital evidence about
a suspected paedophile ring that
operated across the Algarve region
of Portugal in 2007, the same time
young Madeleine McCann was ab-
ducted in the area.
The Mirror quotes a source as say-
ing: "Roderick Robinson is a notori-
ous and dangerous sex offender. He
has shown a pattern of disturbing
behaviour – wherever he has trav-
elled."
When asked by Magistrate Audrey
Demicoli whether he consented to
be surrendered to the UK, McDon-
ald declared that he did. He also
waived his right to delay extradition
to the UK.
The magistrate warned McDonald
that this consent was irrevocable but
he repeated his consent. The court
committed him to custody pending
his extradition.
Inspector Dr Mario Cuschieri
prosecuted. Dr Renzo Porsella Flores
was legal aid.
24
9;GFL=EHGJ9JQ<9F;=9<9HL9LAGFG><9FL=9DA?@A=JAKD9