Man released from custody by accident sparks manhunt in Dunedin

Wednesday, 30 October 2024

A 32-year-old man was mistakenly released from custody on Tuesday.

A warrant was issued, as the man boarded a bus out of Dunedin.

Armed police stopped that bus near Waikouaiti, a 40km trip from Dunedin.

A bizarre incident unfolded in Dunedin on Tuesday when a man was mistakenly bailed instead of remanded in custody, leading to a manhunt.

Police were alerted at 5.40pm to the man’s accidental release and a patrol vehicle began following a bus the man had boarded.

That bus was heading to Palmerston, north of Dunedin, but was later pulled over by armed police on State Highway One, near Waikouaiti.

Dunedin District Court, which had released the man in error, then issued a warrant for his arrest.

Police located the 32-year-old man on the bus around 6.15pm. He was taken back into custody without incident.

Ministry of Justice chief operating officer Carl Crafar confirmed a person was mistakenly released after a hearing at the court.

“The error was identified by a court staff member and the Department for Corrections and police were immediately notified.”

The individual was located by police and returned to custody, Crafer said.

Stuff understands the man was on active charges after an alleged firearms incident, and was meant to be remanded in custody until next month.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the man was paroled. He was mistakenly released from custody.