New Zealand

Holiday for Phillip Smith tipster

13:08 pm on 20 January 2015

The Brazilian woman who helped with the arrest of killer Phillip Smith will soon be holidaying in New Zealand, courtesy of a Nelson lawyer.

The woman, in her late 20s, will be arriving with her mother on 5 March for a 13-day holiday and has a list of things she'd like to do in the country, including getting a tattoo.

Smith was taken into custody at the Maravilhosa Hostel in Rio de Janeiro. Photo: TV Bandeirantes

Nelson lawyer John Fitchett said he bought the pair's flights last week as a thank you for recognising Smith at a backpackers hostel in Rio de Janeiro and alerting police last November.

Mr Fitchett told Morning Report the woman had ruled out bungy-jumping while in New Zealand, but was keen to go on a mountain flight.

"She's not wanting to spend all her time in New Zealand's beautiful scenery, although she wants to go to Waitomo, Rotorua and Queenstown and Milford, but she also wants to spend time in the city areas.

Smith flew out of Auckland on 6 November last year, first to Chile, from where he went on to Brazil. He was on temporary release from Spring Hill prison in Waikato at the time.

Listen to John Fitchett