Killer en route to New Zealand after deportation from Brazil

AconvictedmurdererwhowasenabledtoescapeandfleetoSouthAmericaearlierthismonthhasbeendeportedfromBrazilandisreturninghome,NewZealandPolicesaidFriday.

PhillipJohnSmithwasbeingescortedbythreeNewZealandPoliceofficerswhowouldbewithhimfortheentirejourneyfromRiodeJaneiro,saidapolicestatement.

ThedeportationfollowedadecisionfromtheBrazilFederalCourtlastweekorderingdeportationwithin10days.

TheNewZealandgovernmentonMondaylaunchedaninquiryintohowSmithwasabletoapplyforapassportunderhisbirthnameofTraynorandthenflytoChileandontoBrazilwhileonathree-daytemporaryleavefromprison.

Smith,40,wasapprehendedbytheBrazilFederalPoliceatahostelintheRiodeJaneirosuburbofSantaTeresawithindaysofleavingNewZealand.

HefacesachargeofescapingcustodyonhisreturntoNewZealand,whichcarriesamaximumpenaltyoffiveyearsimprisonment.

Hewassentencedtolifeimprisonmentin1996forstabbingtodeathamanwhosesonhehadbeensexuallyabusing.

Smith,whowasdeniedparolelastyearbecausehewasconsidered"highrisk"anda"seriousdanger"tothecommunity,abscondedfromthecareofafamilymemberduringa72-hourtemporaryreleasefromaprisonintheupperNorthIsland.