Escaped prisoner arrested

A man who escaped from custody in Whakatane has been arrested this morning in New Plymouth.

Mana Tangitutu, aged 27, escaped from the court on 3 October after being handed a four month prison sentence for assault.

This morning Whakatane Police and New Plymouth Armed Offenders Squad coordinated a search warrant at a house in New Plymouth where Tangitutu was arrested without incident.

He will appear in New Plymouth District Court today charged with escaping custody.