Former Catholic Brother accused of child sexual abuse fights NZ extradition order

By Dominique Schwartz And Giselle Wakatama
ABC News
August 25, 2014

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-25/accused-paedophile-fights-extradition-from-nz/5694982

A former Catholic Brother wanted in Australia for alleged child sexual abuse is challenging a decision to extradite him from New Zealand.

Bernard Kevin McGrath has been fighting authorities' efforts to bring him back to Australia for two years.

In 2012, New South Wales police requested his extradition so he could answer 252 charges of sexual offending.

The charges relate to allegations McGrath sexually abused 35 boys in the 1970s and 1980s in the Lake Macquarie region, south of Sydney.

The District Court in Christchurch last year ruled McGrath was eligible for extradition.

However, he successfully appealed to New Zealand's High Court on the grounds the request should have been referred to the country's Immigration Minister.

In January, the case was sent back to the District Court, which referred it to Justice Minister Judith Collins because of what the judge called "compelling and extraordinary circumstances".

In a statement on Monday, Ms Collins' office said the Minister had decided McGrath should be extradited and issued an order for him to surrender to Australia.

However, McGrath has filed for a judicial review, with the matter to now return to New Zealand's High Court.

The Christchurch District Court last year placed non-publication orders on McGrath's image and further details about his alleged offending.

The court ruled the suppression orders were necessary to ensure the integrity of any trial in Australia.