Arrest over sex attack in Wendy's toilet

Wendy's restaurant chain will try to improve security at one of its Auckland restaurants after a 9-year-old girl was robbed and indecently assaulted while dining there on Wednesday night.

A 37-year-old South Auckland man was arrested last night and charged with robbery and sexual violation. He will appear in the Auckland District Court today.

Police say the young girl was at the Queen St restaurant about 7pm with her mother and a family friend when the attack occurred.

The girl and her mother went to the women's toilets but the mother returned to her table before her daughter.

Inside the toilets, police say, the little girl was indecently assaulted by a man, who then fled from the restaurant with his victim's pink schoolbag and was seen heading up Queen St.

The bag has been recovered.

Wendy's marketing manager Fay Stretch said staff were shocked by what happened and had passed their thoughts on to the girl's family via police.

Ms Stretch said there were relatively few problems at the Queen St restaurant and efforts were steps were being considered to try to prevent a similar occurrence.

Possibilities included trying to make the toilet area, which is upstairs in the dining area, more visible to staff, who mainly worked downstairs in the kitchen and counter area.

The restaurant had a security guard but he worked only later at night or during busy periods, Ms Stretch said. It was unrealistic having guards on the premises 24 hours a day, she said. "We're not a bank, we are a family restaurant."

Police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty could not say if there was any connection between the Wendy's attack and a report last month of a distressed girl fleeing a West Auckland toilet block with blood on her legs.

The girl, who was followed out of the toilets by a man, has not been identified.

Samples taken from the toilet block are still being analysed.