Former Catholic Brother to Fight Extradition on Abuse Charges
The Tvnz
Convicted sex offender Bernard Kevin McGrath, a former Catholic brother, plans to fight his extradition to Australia. The 65-year-old appeared in the Christchurch District Court today. He is wanted across the Tasman on 252 historic sex charges, but his lawyer said today the extradition application will be opposed. McGrath was jailed in 2006 for offending against boys at Marylands School in Christchurch. He also spent time behind bars in the 1990s for similar offending. He returned to Christchurch from Sri Lanka late last month and was arrested on the Australian charges. It is alleged he repeatedly raped, molested and abused dozens of young boys at church-run institutions in the Newcastle-Maitland diocese during the late 1970s and 80s. McGrath was granted bail with strict conditions by Christchurch District Court two weeks ago to consider his response to the bid to extradite him to Australia. Today he has been bailed again, with the same restrictions, which include having no contact with children under the age of 16. He will reappear in court on January 28 for a date to be set for an extradition hearing.
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