A man New Zealand police spent years trying to extradite from Australia has appeared in court on 18 historical sexual abuse charges.
Robert Fowler is accused of 14 indecent acts and four indecent assaults against eight women and girls aged between five and 45 years old.
Police say the sexual abuse dates back to the late 1980s and early 1990s when Mr Fowler was living in Taumaranui.
However, they say the abuse did not come to light until after the man had left the country for Australia in 1996.
Police reviewed the case in 2009 and were granted approval to extradite Mr Fowler the following year.
Australian police arrested him earlier this year and he was flown back from Sydney on Tuesday night.
The 59-year-old appeared in the Manukau District Court on Wednesday and was remanded in custody to reappear on 12 June.
