Damon Anderson, 48, should not be approached, police have said. Photo: NZ POLICE
Police are still searching for a prisoner who escaped custody during a visit to Waikato Hospital on Monday afternoon.
A spokesperson said police now have a warrant to arrest 48-year-old Damon Anderson of Hamilton.
Anderson was last in the Hamilton District Court on 6 December for breaching his home detention and had been remanded in custody.
Police said the prisoner was last seen shirtless and wearing green shorts.
Anderson, who was on remand at Spring Hill Corrections Facility, was not considered an immediate risk to the public but police urged people not to approach him.
It is the second time in a month that a prisoner has escaped from Waikato Hospital.
In the first incident in November, a prisoner escaped after allegedly assaulting two Corrections officers and carjacking a vehicle. He was later arrested.
On Monday, Spring Hill general manager Scott Walker said Anderson was handcuffed and wearing a GPS monitor when he escaped.
Police could not say what time the GPS tracker went off due to operational reasons.
Walker said public safety was the prison's top priority and any escape was unacceptable.
He said an immediate review into how the incident occurred would be carried out while a review into last month's escape would also be undertaken.
"...we will be looking at what changes can be made to operational processes in light of the findings when they have been completed," Walker said.
"Any escape is unacceptable and we are absolutely committed to learning from the reviews and doing everything we can to prevent a similar event from ever occurring again."
Anderson was at the hospital for "medical oversight", Corrections said.
They could not elaborate due to privacy reasons and it's unclear whether Anderson received any treatment before he absconded.
It is also unclear whether the escape was pre-planned or opportunistic.
The public were asked to report any sightings of Anderson by calling 111 or they could call 105 with any information.
Health New Zealand said it is working with police and corrections to ensure prisoners do not escape custody while at hospital in future.
Video of escape emerges
Meanwhile dramatic footage has emerged showing how Anderson pulled off the daring escape when he climbed down the side of a hospital building.
The video shows Anderson climbing down a large pipe on the outside of what appears to be the delivery suite adjoining the Elizabeth Rothwell Building, on the north-eastern side of the Waikato Hospital campus.
Near the bottom he jumps to safety and jogs around a coroner onto a footpath in the direction of Selwyn St, wearing only a pair of shorts.
A Corrections spokesperson maintained Anderson was handcuffed during the visit though his hands are visibly free in the footage, which appears to have been taken by someone in a neighbouring hospital building.
In the footage Anderson can be seen wearing a GPS monitoring braclet on his left ankle.
Police said they were aware of the footage and were still searching for Anderson, who they said should not be approched.
The Elizabeth Rothwell Building houses women's and children's wards along with geriatric and rehabilitation departments, and adjoins the delivery suite and maternity ward.