Family tribute to murdered 'hero'

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The family of a Gwynedd man stabbed to death in a double murder New Zealand have described him as a hero.

David Roberts, 43, originally from Caernarfon, and an Indonesian man were found dead in Auckland on Saturday.

His family said Mr Roberts had tried to stop an alleged knifeman from entering an apartment where he worked.

An Iraqi, Ridha Kadhim Abbad Almery, 30, has been charged with both murders and aggravated burglary, and been remanded in custody.

Mr Roberts' sister, Karen Morgan, 47, and her husband Ronald, also 47, who live in Caernarfon, said they were in shock.

'Lovely man'

They said they had been told a siege had ensued after Mr Roberts tried to stop the alleged knifeman from getting into the apartment of a female resident in the block where he worked.

Officers had taken three hours to get the man down from the building's roof.

Mr Morgan said of his brother-in-law: "We like to think he died being a hero.

"If anybody tired to prevent somebody being hurt, he would. He was one in a million."

Mrs Morgan described her brother as a "lovely man".

"He wouldn't have hurt a fly. He was a fantastic guy.

"A very, very proud Welshman," she added.

But Mr Morgan said the way Mr Roberts died was hard for the family to cope with.

The identity of the Indonesian man who also died has not been released.

The family are in discussions with the New Zealand authorities to bring Mr Roberts' body home for the funeral.

Mr Almery appeared before Auckland District Court on Monday and was remanded in custody until 18 August.