The notorious bank robber dubbed the "Postcard Bandit" has landed in Perth after police extradited him from Queensland to face a charge over his Fremantle prison escape 27 years ago.
Brenden Abbott was taken from the Brisbane Correctional Centre and flown to Western Australia on a small WA Police plane on Wednesday, with the journey taking about eight hours.
The plane stopped twice to refuel, first at Broken Hill on the NSW-South Australian border, where a handcuffed Abbott was photographed wearing a shirt and tie as he disembarked, then at Forrest near the WA-SA border.
Moments after touching down at Jandakot airport in Perth's southern suburbs, Abbott was whisked to an unknown location in a convoy of six police vehicles.
Abbott is listed to appear via video link in Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday morning, charged with escaping legal custody, which relates to his 1989 escape from Fremantle prison.
He had fought extradition, with his lawyers arguing it was an abuse of process, but a Brisbane judge rejected the bid on Tuesday.
Abbott was released from the Brisbane jail on parole in April, having served 18 years of a 25-year sentence for a string of robberies and another brazen escape from a Queensland prison in 1997, but WA authorities ensured he was swiftly arrested.
WA Premier Colin Barnett said while Abbott had spent a long time in prison, it was appropriate would again face the justice system in WA, where he may serve up to 16 years behind bars.
WA Attorney-General Michael Mischin said Abbott had to answer for the crimes he committed in the state.
"He's a fugitive from justice. He can run but he can't escape," Mr Mischin said.
"People can lobby on his behalf and if he wants to put up representations that says that I ought to exercise the prerogative of mercy in his case, then I will consider that on its merits.
"But I have received nothing to that effect and I'll worry about that when the time comes."
Mr Mischin said he didn't appreciate Abbott's Ned Kelly-like infamy, saying he had made people fear for their lives when committing his crimes, while the late bushranger was a killer.
"To me, they are criminals."
The 53-year-old was dubbed the Postcard Bandit amid claims he sent postcards while on the run after his Fremantle prison escape.
