Alleged escaped prisoner nabbed by Rotorua police

Levi Parekuka, 27, will appear in Rotorua District Court this morning. Photo / Supplied

A prisoner who escaped from police custody while at Rotorua Hospital last month has been arrested.

On August 23 police said Levi Parekuka, 27, who had been arrested earlier in the day on outstanding warrants, had escaped them while at the hospital around 4pm.

Police said today the man who had escaped custody was found at a Rotorua property on Monday morning.

He is due to appear in Rotorua District Court this morning charged with escaping police custody, resisting police and assaulting police.

Police announced a review of custody and transport of prisoners after two high-profile escapes in the same week.

Parekuka's alleged escape followed the escape of three prisoners from a Levin court, which sparked a wide-ranging manhunt.

Two of the alleged escapees have been caught but a third remains on the run.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush said he wanted to make sure the procedures were fit for purpose and staff and the public were kept safe.

"Police manage tens of thousands of prisoner movements every year and generally these are completed without incident.

"When something does go wrong we need to learn from it and where appropriate make changes so that it does not happen again."