Another Dutch Tourist Attacked

A Dutch tourist was punched in the head and his wallet stolen as he stopped to enjoy the view at Lake Rotorua on Monday. Link

Fortunately police have caught the perps and are now holding them in custody.

It seems that attacks on Dutch tourists are very much in the news at the moment, only a few days ago a couple were assaulted and raped at a campsite in Tuatapere, South Island link.

The Tuatapere incident had echoes of a similar prolonged and vicious attack on a Dutch honeymooning couple in Hararu Falls in the Bay of Islands in 2006.

Trial reports for the Hararu Falls crime revealed that the attacker was a career criminal with over 100 convictions since 1993 and had extensively used methamphetamine. He is at a high risk of re-offending when he is released at the end of his 10 year prison term. Link

It remains to be seen if similar factors are involved when the Tuatapere incident comes to trial and if any moves are made by the recently elected National government to take a harder line with repeat offenders.