Another N.S. prisoner released by mistake

A prisoner in Nova Scotia was mistakenly released on Tuesday — the second inmate to be accidentally let go in eight days.

Justice Minister Cecil Clarke announced Thursday night that a prisoner was mistakenly released on Tuesday after a court appearance in Halifax.

"This is completely unacceptable and we have to take serious action," Clarke said.

Ryan Jessop of Dartmouth was supposed to go back to jail to await another court appearance to face charges of break and enter, possession of a weapon, uttering threats and extortion. Jessop, 22, is now at large.

"I consider him to be dangerous," Clarke said.

The Justice Department said there was an error on Jessop's form that said he didn't have to return to the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth.

Clarke said effective immediately, telephone calls among jail staff regarding the transfer of inmates will be recorded. As well, a senior staffer has been assigned to oversee admissions and discharge.

"The public's faith in the justice system is shaken, and we will no longer tolerate human errors as a result of inattention and carelessness," the minister said.

NDP Leader Darrell Dexter said the minister is coming down too hard on jail staff. The problem should have been fixed months ago, Dexter said.

"It has a disturbing regularity to it and so you can't just blame human error. This has to be a the symptom of deeper problems within the system."

Last week, 19-year-old robbery suspect Chancelor Faulkner was supposed to be sent back to the jail in Dartmouth after a court appearance. Instead, officials let him go because a form wasn't filled out correctly, the Justice Department said.

Faulkner was re-arrested on Wednesday and is back behind bars.

Nine other people in Nova Scotia have either escaped or been accidentally set free from custody since December 2007.