A failure to follow procedure contributed to the suicide of an inmate at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in April, the provincial justice minister said Tuesday.

Daniel Alexander Nowogorski killed himself April 17 while in custody. The 31-year-old was sent to jail for robbing three stores in Halifax by threatening staff with a syringe that he said was filled with HIV-infected blood.

Justice minister Ross Landry said a review of the death prompted a comprehensive review of procedures, which revealed gaps in protocol.

"In a jail, like in any job, there are a set of policies and procedures in place and through the investigation we had seen that some employees failed to follow their procedures."

Nine employees were disciplined over the incident, but Landry would not disclose whether anyone had been fired.

Although prison officials said Noworgorski’s death was the first suicide in the jail in nine years, Burnside continues to be plagued with other security issues.

Last Thursday, the notorious crime figure Jimmy Melvin Junior was slashed across the face and taken to hospital. In late June, Jermaine Carvery, known for his daylight escape from police shackles in downtown Halifax two years ago, attempted to leave the facility by climbing into the ceiling. Officials said his movement within the prison is now restricted.