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Allegations of Sexual
Abuse in NZ |
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Three News Locals near the popular Northland
tourist spot of Haruru Falls are rallying around an English visitor who was
subjected to a horrific sexual attack last week. A barefoot man with an American
accent is still on the loose after the attack on the woman as she walked
between the Waitangi Treaty House grounds and the Haruru Falls carpark about
5.30pm on Wednesday. The woman was left bruised and
traumatised after she was dragged from the track and sexually assaulted. The incident has sickened local
residents and brought memories flooding back of the vicious sex attack on
Dutch honeymooners at the falls in 2006. Paihia police are appealing for
witnesses who may have seen the woman or her alleged attacker on the track
between the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and Haruru Falls. After the assault the victim, who
was working with a local tourist company, made her way to a nearby house. A woman at the address, who did not
want to be named, called police who swarmed to the Haruru Falls area and
cordoned off surrounding streets. The tourist was still petrified
after the ordeal, the woman told The Northern Advocate. "It's terrible, she's very
traumatised and shaken. I've just tried to get her to sleep as she didn't
sleep at all last night, she's terrified." She was unable to say whether the
tourist would return to England or continue her year-long working holiday. "We're just going to look
after her and offer her support. I've never dealt with anything like this
before and it's very hard because we're very attached to her. We need all the
help we can get to catch the bastard." The attack on the Dutch
honeymooning couple in November, 2006, shocked the nation. Career criminal Keith Anthony
McEwen, 30, and Christopher Mana Manuel, 27 disguised themselves as police
officers and forced their way into the sleeping couple's campervan. The victims were tied up and
McEwen sexually violated the woman before the pair were driven to an ATM
machine and forced to withdraw money. They were later dumped on the roadside
before knocking on the door of a local resident to raise the alarm. McEwen was sentenced to preventive
detention and will serve at least 10 years while Manuel was sentenced to nine
years and must serve six before he can apply for parole. |
