Cops eye up escaper in Aussie

Simone Wright and Paul Bennett.

Police consider extraditing woman who fled New Zealand in stolen yacht.

New Zealand police have gone to Sydney to interview Simone Wright in a bid to persuade her to return here to face outstanding sex and fraud charges.

Wright, who left New Zealand on a yacht with husband Paul Bennett earlier this year, is understood to be living with her mother in Brisbane.

The pair evaded New Zealand police for several years. They face outstanding warrants for allegedly indecently assaulting an Auckland teenager and fraud allegations dating back to 2008.

The couple's life on the run ended in February when they arrived in Sydney Harbour on board the crippled yacht Harlech and were arrested by Australian authorities.

Bennett has been in custody since then, awaiting trial on multiple fraud charges dating back to 2003 when he was Hollywood A-lister Russell Crowe's helicopter pilot.

Christchurch Detective Sergeant Craig Farrant told the Herald on Sunday two detectives had recently flown to Australia and interviewed Wright.

"They spoke with Simone at length on two different occasions in the three days they were over there," said Farrant. "I won't go into what they said because it's still pretty much in the balance."

Farrant said part of the conversation included a request to return to New Zealand voluntarily to appear before the court on her outstanding charges ahead of any extradition order.

But no ultimatum was given, he said. Given Wright's track record, he still considered her a flight risk. "I'd be a liar to say I wasn't concerned."

He said at the time Wright was allowed to walk free because she was an Australian citizen and did not have any outstanding arrest warrants in New South Wales.

Farrant said the officers were now examining the information Wright had given them.

The Herald on Sunday can also reveal the man who instigated a campaign to track down the pair after he was allegedly defrauded out of $250,000 is planning to visit Bennett behind bars.

HeliPower director Mike Jacomb said although police had told him not to, he wanted to eyeball Bennett and "see what he will tell me".

Harlech owner Carol Holland says the yacht had been repaired by insurers and was now close to being sold to a Sydney buyer. The $145,000 boat was for sale when it was taken.