A violent psychiatric patient wandered Wellington streets for a week after he was mistakenly discharged from Porirua Hospital.
Tony Andrew Erueti, aged 31, left the hospital's secure unit on June 20 and was picked up at a Taranaki St night shelter on June 27.
Capital Coast Health said it had tightened its policy on discharging patients since and from now on at least three staff members would have to approve a patient's release.
Erueti has a history of violence and was committed to the hospital after allegedly dragging a woman from her car in April in an unprovoked attack.
Erueti appeared in the Wellington District Court on Tuesday but police dropped an assault charge because he was to be sent back to hospital.
Erueti has previous convictions for assaulting females, assault, theft and disorderly conduct.
A night shelter spokesman said his staff contacted Porirua Hospital last week because Erueti's behaviour had become "bizarre" after he had started drinking.
Detective Sergeant Tony Smith, of Wellington, said Erueti was well known to police. "I know he's very violent, quite a handful."
He could not confirm whether police had been contacted over Erueti's mistaken discharge.
"We have a concern when any patient who is a threat to the community is loose."
- NZPA
Blunder allows violent patient out on street
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