CCTV footage from the 2016 robbery of a McDonald's in Western Australia that has led to the deportation of Leroy Tsuro. Photo: Supplied
A man charged with aggravated armed robbery after a McDonald's worker was attacked with a meat cleaver in Western Australia nine years ago will be deported from New Zealand.
Leroy Tawanda Tsuro - also known as Leroy Lucas - has been fighting extradition from this country after leaving Australia in 2016.
Western Australia police claim he was one of two people who robbed a McDonald's restaurant in Perth when Tsuro was 18-years-old.
Australian media reported at the time that the attack left the McDonald's employee terrified, after she was "slashed" and grabbed during the robbery.
Court documents obtained by RNZ reveal Tsuro was arrested and interviewed by Western Australia Police in September 2016, but denied the accusation and was released due to lack of evidence.
Tsuro travelled to New Zealand the day after his arrest.
His DNA was recovered from clothes worn by the victim a month later, but Tsuro had already left the country by then.
Tsuro was convicted in New Zealand in 2017 for aggravated robbery and sentenced to two years, three months in prison.
He was released on parole in 2020, but was unable to be extradited.
Covid-19 restrictions in August 2020 meant Australian police's efforts to bring him back were paused.
The extradition process recommenced in 2022, and the Australian arrest warrant was endorsed in the Auckland District Court in January last year.
Tsuro was arrested in February 2024 and has been remanded in custody since then.
Evidence suggested at some point after leaving Australia in 2016, Western Australian Police received a telephone call from Tsuro saying: "Catch me if you can mother f**ker."
He appealed his extradition, emphasising his age and the passage of time since the alleged offending.
His lawyer Guneesh Jubal argued the judge who originally ruled on Tsuro's extradition erred in her ruling, given Tsuro's age and personal circumstances, in combination with the delay and its causes.
He also said extradition may endanger Tsuro's apparent rehabilitation.
His appeal against extradition was dismissed on Tuesday by Justice Matthew Downs, who said in his judgement there was no issues arising from Tsuro's extradition as he did not have a partner or child.
Justice Downs was unable to accept the judge made an error in deciding surrender would not be oppressive.
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