RODERICK MCDONALD: ALDERSHOT AND BRIGHTON PAEDOPHILE EXTRADITED FROM MALTA AFTER ABUSING CHILDREN IN THE UK AND AUSTRALIA

In a significant development in the ongoing fight against sexual offenders, Roderick McDonald, also known as Robinson, a convicted paedophile with ties to Aldershot and Brighton, has been apprehended in Malta and is set to be extradited back to the United Kingdom. This case has garnered considerable attention due to McDonald's disturbing history of abuse across multiple countries and his alleged connections to high-profile cases such as the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

McDonald, aged 77, was initially convicted in 2012 of abusing two young girls aged seven and five in Shoreham, West Sussex. Following his conviction, he was given a suspended sentence, but his criminal activities did not cease. In fact, he later admitted to three sexual offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 at Brighton Magistrates’ Court, where he also confessed to breaching the conditions of his suspended sentence. The court sentenced him on a Friday to serve two years and eight months in prison for each of the three sex offences, with all sentences running concurrently. Additionally, he received a further year in prison, to be served consecutively, for two separate breaches of his suspended sentence.

His criminal record and ongoing violations prompted authorities to take further action. McDonald, who was formerly residing at Upper Rock Gardens in Brighton, was also found guilty of breaching the terms of his suspended sentence, which led to his imprisonment. His criminal activities, however, extend beyond the UK. In October 2014, he was believed to be living in Portugal, specifically in the Algarve region, at the time when the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine McCann from her holiday apartment in Praia da Luz occurred. McDonald, who was then 76 years old, was suspected of having links to the case, although no direct evidence has been publicly confirmed connecting him to Madeleine’s disappearance.

He was also linked to other disturbing crimes, including the rape of an eight-year-old girl in Australia. A source described him as a “notorious” and “dangerous” sex offender, emphasizing his pattern of disturbing behavior wherever he traveled. The British mother of the girls McDonald abused expressed her frustration and anger over the police’s handling of the case. She claimed that authorities knew McDonald was in Portugal around the time Madeleine vanished but failed to act decisively. She said, “The police knew he was in Portugal around the time she vanished, but let him slip through their fingers. They told me they would monitor him. When he fled, they didn’t bother telling me. I’m so angry he has been allowed to go on the run.”

Her daughters, who were visiting their father on his yacht in Brighton, were victims of McDonald’s abuse while their mother was making tea. She expressed her fears, questioning whether McDonald could have been involved in Madeleine’s disappearance, suggesting he might have taken her on a boat. The mother’s allegations highlight the potential danger McDonald posed, not only to the children he directly abused but also in the broader context of unresolved cases like Madeleine’s.

Before his arrest in Malta, an international warrant had been issued for McDonald, who was previously known as Roderick William Robinson. Authorities in the UK sought his extradition after he absconded following his conviction for sexually assaulting a girl under 13 and failing to notify authorities of his change of name and address when he planned to travel abroad. His arrest occurred during a police operation on the Maltese island of Gozo, where he was detained and subsequently agreed to be extradited back to the UK. He remains in custody as investigations continue.

In addition to his criminal activities, police are investigating a series of 18 break-ins at villas in the Algarve region between 2004 and 2010. These burglaries ceased around the time McDonald was deported to Australia for raping an eight-year-old girl. He received a six-month sentence on a plea deal for that assault but fled to Thailand once released. Months later, authorities located him in Brighton, where he resumed his predatory behavior against young girls. Police have revealed that they did not inform the mother of the victims about McDonald’s flight from the UK due to legal restrictions, further complicating efforts to track his movements and prevent further crimes.

McDonald’s case underscores the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in monitoring and apprehending dangerous sex offenders who travel internationally. His arrest in Malta marks a significant step in ensuring he faces justice for his past crimes and potential new allegations, including any links to unresolved cases such as Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.