Police re-arrest escaped patient

Police have apprehended a man who escaped from a mental health unit in Greymouth. File photo / Rotorua Daily Post

Police have apprehended a man who escaped from a mental health unit in the West Coast town of Greymouth only a week after he was arrested for brandishing a crossbow.

The 53-year-old man was arrested on October 22 for brandishing a crossbow after he allegedly made threats to farm workers at a property in Whataroa, 114km southwest of Hokitika.

He was then placed in a mental health unit at Grey Base Hospital where he escaped, walking past one of the staff members, on Friday morning.

Sergeant Nigel Orpwood said the man was found for the second time at Dobson near Greymouth on Sunday morning.

The man was returned to Grey Base Hospital where staff would be reviewing security, Mr Orpwood said.

- NZPA