The Southland Times

Arrest brings back memories

- HAMISH MCNEILLY hamish.mcneilly@fairfaxmed­ia.co.nz

A sex attack victim is ‘‘devastated’’ to discover the deported offender has been arrested over a historic rape.

Michael Bell, 39, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison after being found guilty of two counts of unlawful sexual connection arising from a 2011 incident in Dunedin.

His victim, on hearing Bell had been charged in the United Kingdom with a rape dating back over a decade ago, said it ‘‘brought back a lot of emotions from my own situation’’.

‘‘I am devastated that there are other women out there who have been traumatise­d by this man.’’

Bell was released from prison and sent back to England on July 29, as his criminal offending meant he was liable for deportatio­n, an Immigratio­n New Zealand spokesman confirmed.

Bell, who was accompanie­d by New Zealand police officers, was arrested by police when his plane arrived in London.

His Dunedin-based victim said by coming forward to police she helped get a conviction against Bell and ‘‘I have opened the doors for further investigat­ions to continue against him’’.

In June she went public with her fight against Government agencies, including the New Zealand Parole Board, Immigratio­n New Zealand and the Department of Correction­s, who failed to respond to informatio­n requests about her attacker’s possible deportatio­n.

Since that article she had been kept informed about his deportatio­n via the Parole Board and Victim Support.

‘‘I was however shocked to hear that an arrest had been made as soon as he arrived in the UK.’’

She wanted to see better communicat­ions across Government agencies, including providing informatio­n to victims about offenders in New Zealand, and from the country where they were deported.

‘‘I am relieved that he is never able to come back into New Zealand.

‘‘It is comforting knowing that there is one place in the world where I will not run into him ever again. It allows me to move on with my life safely and without fear,’’ the woman said.

However, she noted it wasn’t compulsory for Bell to complete any rehabilita­tion courses while serving time in New Zealand.

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