Police recapture court escapee after ceiling find

A prisoner who absconded from custody at the Christchurch District Court last month has been recaptured - after Police found him hiding in the ceiling of a suburban house.

Jayson Nopera Rule, aged 31, of Christchurch, escaped from a court holding cell at Nga Hau e Wha Marae on 1 May, after kicking in a cell door and escaping on foot.

Christchurch Central Area Commander Inspector Derek Erasmus says Rule was located in the early hours of Saturday morning, after Police received information on his whereabouts from a member of the public.

"As a result of that information we searched a residential address in Waltham," he says. "During the course of the search Rule was discovered in the ceiling cavity, hiding under insulation batts."

Inspector Erasmus says Rule did not offer any resistance when arrested.

He appeared in court on Saturday and has been remanded in custody until 19 June. He will face charges of escaping custody in addition to the assault and breach of home detention charges he had previously been facing.