A 22-year-old man charged with sexual assault and assault who was “erroneously released” from an Ottawa jail is now back in custody, officials say.
“An arrest warrant was executed today and Brendon Spurrell, wanted for sexual offences, was taken into custody without incident,” Ottawa police said in a brief update released on Twitter Friday evening.
It was a week ago when police said the accused was last seen in court with respect to the charges. It’s believed Spurrell was released on the evening of Jan. 10.
On Monday, police first announced he was missing and “wanted in relation to ongoing court matters.” Officers said Spurrell should be considered “dangerous.”
Brian Gray, a spokesperson for Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General, told Global News on Thursday that Spurrell was “erroneously released from the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre.”
“Upon learning about the release of the accused, steps were taken to notify the victims and ensure their safety,” Gray wrote, adding a Canada-wide arrest warrant was issued for Spurrell.
“The Ministry of the Attorney General takes this situation very seriously and is working with our justice partners to carefully review the circumstances that led to this release.”
As of Friday evening, the exact circumstances leading to Spurrell’s arrest weren’t clear. It also wasn’t disclosed when he will reappear in court.
— With files from Beatrice Britneff