A man who was mistakenly released from a Sydney prison due to a paperwork error has contacted police to report his whereabouts. Corey Hastings, 30, was let out of Long Bay Correctional Complex on Thursday afternoon and later re-arrested at a Bondi hotel on Friday morning.
Hastings was on remand and had been refused bail after appearing in court on Thursday morning. However, his paperwork incorrectly indicated he had been granted bail, leading to his release. Corrective Services NSW is investigating how the error occurred.
Police searches on Thursday night suggested Hastings used public transport and visited a nearby shopping centre after his release. He contacted police on Friday morning after learning of the search through media reports. Hastings will not face charges related to his release.
He appeared via video link in Wagga Wagga district court on Thursday on driving-related charges. Police confirmed arrangements were under way to return him to prison.
