P&O flew accused rapist to Sydney from Pacific

The 37-year-old man, who has not been named, was allowed to leave the Pacific Star vessel when it arrived in Lifou, an island in the New Caledonia archipelago, a day after the rape claim was reported in the early hours of December 31.

The company, which has struggled to rebuild its reputation after the much publicised death of Dianne Brimble on board one of their ships in 2002, also paid for the man's alleged victim, a 47-year-old New Zealand woman, to return home.

"We gave both of the passengers the opportunity to leave the ship if they wished and both took that up," P&O spokeswoman Sandy Olsen said.

The decision was made with the knowledge of local police in the French territory, who boarded the ship and took charge of the investigation, Ms Olsen said, although police refused to confirm this yesterday.

P&O staff sealed off the cabin in which the alleged rape occurred and gathered possible evidence, including CCTV footage, before the ship arrived in Noumea, Ms Olsen said.

According to reports in local media, a crew-member found the woman in her cabin in a state of shock and showing signs of having been hit.

The alleged rapist claimed the woman consented to sex, and both admitted they were drunk at the time, it was reported.

An inquest into the death of Brimble, a mother of three who suffered a drug overdose, was terminated last July when the NSW coroner referred the matter to the state Director of Public Prosecutions for possible charges against two passengers.

Brimble's former husband Mark, vice president of the International Cruise Victims advocacy group, said P&O had improved its procedures for dealing with possible crimes since her death but there was still work to be done.

About a week ago a convicted Australian pedophile travelling on board the Pacific Star's sister ship Pacific Dawn was deported from Noumea by local police.

The 43-year-old tourist, who has also not been named but was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in a NSW prison in 2004, was arrested after local authorities received a warning from the Australian Federal Police that he was on board.

The man was reportedly the fourth Australian with a history of pedophilia to be deported in similar circumstances in the past three months.

Source:RamblerNews