Prisoner comes down after rooftop stand-off

A prisoner climbed onto the roof of Rimutaka Prison today for almost two hours. File photo / NZ Herald

A prisoner has been come down from the roof of Rimutaka Prison after a two hour negotiation with a corrections officer.

The man got onto the roof of the prison north of Wellington at about 10:15am.

He decided to come down just before 12pm after being talked to by a member of the prison staff who knew him.

A Department of Corrections spokeswoman said there were concerns about the man's mental stability, but the incident had posed no threat to staff or public safety.

The incident followed a protest earlier this month when a group of 12 inmates staged a protest on the roof of Hawke's Bay Regional Prison.

They surrended after a 24-hour stand off with prison staff.

- HERALD ONLINE