One of New Zealand's most wanted fugitives, deported from Australia yesterday, has appeared in court this morning on a raft of charges, alleging fraud, forgery, theft, indecent assaults and drug offences.
Paul Bennett, who has allegedly been on the run from police for more than a decade, appeared from custody at Christchurch District Court this morning.
The 53-year-old is accused of 48 varying offences between June 2007 and February 6, 2015, across New Zealand, including Auckland, Manukau, Whangarei, Paihia, Taupo, Palmerston North, Upper Hutt, Christchurch, Cust, Wanaka, Naseby, and Invercargill.
They include allegations that along with now-estranged wife Simone Wright, he indecently assaulted a 15-year-old girl on two occasions between March 28 and April 1, 2008.
Bennett is also accused of supplying the teenager the class B drug MDMA, or ecstasy.