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Offender Databases Tony Robertson

Tony Douglas Robertson

Alias

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Offences

Abduction and indecent assault of a 5 year old Tauranga girl in December 2005
Attempted to kidnap two other children the previous day
Also robbed a 12 year old of a cellphone
Also assaulted a prison guard while on remand

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1987

Current Location

Prison

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 8 years with a 5 year minimum non-parole period in October 2006
May yet serve his whole sentence with the prospect of an extended supervision order to take effect

Background
NZ Herald story here with sentencing detailed here
Further background from a Stuff article

The abducted girl, whose video evidence was played and who was cross-examined using closed circuit television so she did not have to appear in the courtroom, said: "When I was walking to school someone stole me." Robertson enticed her into his car with the promise of a Christmas present as she was on her way to Tauranga's Maungatapu School. Her seven-year-old brother also tried to get into the vehicle but Robertson refused to let him.

The boy carried on to school and told a teacher, who alerted police. The court heard how local knowledge led Sergeant Dave Thompson to Kaiate Falls in a rural area near Welcome Bay and a 15 minute drive from Maungatapu. He found Robertson there in a parked car leaning over the distressed child in the passenger seat. The accused said he had found the little girl on the side of the road and had been taking her to school when his car had "boiled" and stopped. He claimed to know her mother and brother but gave the sergeant an incorrect surname which the five-year-old quickly disputed. Robertson was unable to explain how the girl's boxer shorts came to be on the back seat of the car.

He denied he had touched her, saying he would take a lie detector test and telling a detective: "Bro, I ain't like that. I've got a missus, I've got a baby." The day before the kidnapping, he had tried to abduct a boy, 7, and a girl, 6, telling them their mother had Christmas presents for them. He would not answer when the youngsters asked him their mother's name and drove off when an older child alerted an adult. Told the children had described him and his car, he said: "Maybe I've got a twin brother that drives the same car as mine." During the trial, Robertson accused police of lying, manipulating child witnesses and tampering with evidence.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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