Livingstone was released after a March 2014 hearing before the Parole Board, which sets the conditions he had to live by in the community. It was also to set conditions around an Electronic Supervision Order, which dictated that he wear the GPS monitoring anklet he discarded this week to go on the run.
The conditions of Livingstone's release include not leaving his house between 8pm and 7am, staying home for the time around the start and finish of schools, to stay away from schools or any place children went. He was also banned from going to the Whangarei area.
Alcohol was identified by the Parole Board as a risk factor for Livingstone, because he had low self esteem and would drink to boost his confidence.
"Adding to our concern have been comments attributed to Mr Livingstone...that he was going to spend his Steps To Freedom money on 'alcohol and chicks' and would soon return to prison."
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Convicted child sex offender Daniel Livingstone found
Detective Inspector Grant Wormald said police were notified about 3.30pm by a member of the public, who said Livingstone was in the area of the Naenae shops in the Hutt Valley, north of Wellington.
Police officers in the area were immediately dispatched, Mr Wormald said.
He said Livingstone was also spotted on the Hutt City CCTV camera network, which was monitored at the Lower Hutt police station.
Speaking to media at a press conference in Wellington this afternoon, Mr Wormald said the member of the public recognised him from the media releases.
He was found 7-8km from home.
"He saw a police car and tried to run but just ran straight into another unit."
Mr Wormald said Livingstone had not received any help in absconding.
Police had been actively chasing Livingstone, Mr Wormald said.
He said those approached by police, and known to Livingstone, had been helpful with inquiries.
"He's not know in Wellington - he's only been here a short time."
Livingstone was alone when he was eventually located by police.
"Suffice to say, when he was apprehended he showed various emotions."
Mr Wormald said that Livingstone seemed "relieved" to be caught by police.
He said police were concerned with the threat Livingstone not only posed to the community, but also to himself.
"If you combine those two, potentially there is a bigger risk."
Livingstone had been charged with breaching his conditions, Mr Wormald said.
At the time Livingstone was located there were a large number of police staff out conducting security checks around schools to provide some reassurance, Mr Wormald said.
"So we actually had a lot of staff in the area at that time."
Mr Wormald said after police received the initial call from a member of the public who had spotted him, they received two more.
He said at this stage police were still unsure as to Livingstone's movements between cutting off his electronic bracelet, and being caught.
"He's been taken to the Lower Hutt police station at this time, he has been arrested on the arrest warrant that was issued from the court yesterday.
"Where he has been, what he has been up to, where he may have stayed, we will try to ascertain that information."
Mr Wormald said while he would have "loved" to have caught Livingstone as soon as he went missing, there had been a lot of officers working through the night and the day.
"We understand the risk he potentially posed, we understand the emotion it has created within both his community and around the whole country really.
"We have wanted to find him we are pleased we have ... 24 hours ... 36 hours ... we'll take that."
Mr Wormald said he could not comment as to how difficult, or easy, it was to remove electronic monitoring bracelets.
He said he was sure that was a question Corrections were considering.
Mr Wormald said police were notified that Livingstone had absconded about 3am, and officers were at his house several minutes later.
Mr Wormald police decision to not immediately enter Livingstone's home yesterday morning.
"We are looking at whether there was another option there, but suffice to say that when they did go in it was to confirm that he definitely wasn't there.
"We'll move forward on that, see if there is some learning, see if there is a better way we could have done it.
"But as I say the focus at the moment is we have been [working] really hard to locate him, we're pleased that we have and that really has come form the public's assistance."
Police staff would ensure that Livingstone was "fit and well enough" for a hearing at Wellington District Court tomorrow.
Livingstone will now spend the night at Wellington central police station.
Mr Wormald thanked all members of the public who provided information to police.
There had been a very good response from the public, and he said police were grateful for all the calls they had received.
Police started looking for Livingstone after first visiting his Upper Hutt address at 3.50am yesterday after learning he had tampered with his GPS ankle bracelet.
He was "actively sought as an absconder" from the moment a knock at the door failed to get a response. Steps taken included area patrols, area and background enquiries and checking an address of an associate, police said.
Livingstone was living in Upper Hutt after his release from jail last year for the abduction and rape of a 10-year-old girl in Whangarei in 2006. He was subject to a court-imposed Extended Supervision Order (ESO). They are for offenders who cannot be kept in prison any longer.
The case comes as figures show there have been more than 15,500 breaches of conditions relating to offenders on home detention and community detention over a nine year period since 2006/7.
The figures relate to all breaches, not only electronic monitoring, and are for breaches rather than offenders - meaning some people might be responsible for multiple breaches.
There were 3300 offenders being electronically monitored as of June.
