An alleged domestic violence offender who was accidentally released by authorities has been recaptured interstate, as the government promises an inquiry into the bungling of his case.
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Scott Alan Insull, 41, was arrested across the ACT border on Friday, after authorities mistakenly allowed him to walk free a day earlier.
Insull was supposed to have been held in custody on charges he choked and bashed his girlfriend on Tuesday. He allegedly used his accidental liberty to contact the woman.
It is unknown how the mistake happened, but Attorney-General Simon Corbell on Friday promised a formal inquiry.
"I recognise the seriousness of this matter and seek to assure the public that the Justice and Community Safety Directorate will undertake an internal review into the processes that led to this situation to prevent a re-occurrence," he said.
"I expect the results of this review within two weeks."
The blunder occurred after Insull appeared for a bail application in the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The magistrate had told the court she would only release him if he could stay at an address outside of the ACT.
Insull said he had people he could stay with in Sydney, but the prosecution asked for time to check the legitimacy of that address.
The alleged offender was supposed to be held in custody while those checks took place.
Instead he was released into the community. It is understood he never made it from the court to the ACT's prison, which has no record of him.
Once the error was realised, the matter was urgently relisted before the Magistrates Court on Thursday, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Mr Corbell confirmed Insull had since been arrested interstate.
He said the government would be investigating the matter to understand how the error occurred, and to ensure it wasn't repeated.
"At the same time it will be referred to the Co-ordinator General for Domestic and Family Violence to consider any broader issues so that we can improve the ACT's response to domestic and family violence and the protection of victims," he said.
Earlier on Friday, Justice Minister Shane Rattenbury told the ABC that he was deeply troubled by the mistake, and said he was working with Mr Corbell and Police Minister Joy Burch to understand how it had happened.
Insull is accused of choking his girlfriend twice, at one point making her think she was going to die, and repeatedly punching her in the face.
He is accused of stabbing her tyres with scissors, and shoving her with his elbow, knocking her back and causing her to lose consciousness.
She eventually ran to the Lanyon markets and called police.
The prosecution told the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday that they had checked Insull's claims about the Sydney address. They said the people residing there did not want him at the home.
Insull will reappear in court at a later date.
