Brian Andrew Kaiser absconded from the South Nowra jail at 1pm on January 25 while performing work outside the main walls but still on the centre’s grounds.

He later stole a motor vehicle from South Nowra and led police on a pursuit along the Princes Highway before crashing into a petrol station at 2.50pm in a suicide attempt.

Correctives NSW have defended the practice of allowing certain minimum security inmates to work outside the centre.

“Some suitable minimum security inmates at South Coast Correctional Centre are allowed to work outside the main walls and fences,” a spokesperson said.

“They work in the prison grounds and are checked regularly by supervisors.

“Inmates who are permitted to work outside the secure perimeter are well vetted and security assessed.

“The number of inmates engaged in work activity varies from day to day.

“These types of work placements assist those inmates, with a small amount of time to serve on their sentences, prepare for their reintegration into society.”

The spokesperson said an investigation would be undertaken as part of Corrective Services NSW policy and procedures.

Kaiser appeared in Nowra Local Court after his capture,  where court documents stated he was not always directly supervised while working but was required to report to a corrective services officers at regular intervals.

The court was told Kaiser was serving a 10 year and 11 month sentence for manslaughter which was due to expire in June 2018, but he had been eligible for parole on September last year, which was refused.

Kaiser pleaded guilty to six charges, escaping lawful custody, steal motor vehicle, drive recklessly and furiously or speed manner dangerous, Skye’s Law police pursuit, destroying property and using a weapon to prevent apprehension.

He will reappear in Nowra Local Court on March 18.

He is the third prisoner to have escaped from the centre since it opened in December 2010.

In October 2011, prisoner Peter McClelland broke out of the facility while in the store area.

McClelland, 29 at the time, was classified as a minimum security prisoner and was a year into a 30-month sentence for offences including break and enter, possession of stolen goods and malicious property damage.

McClelland drove away from the jail after gaining access to a vehicle and was captured later in the day at a house in Mt Annan near Camden.

Joshua Duke audaciously jumped the corrections centre wall on June 8, 2013.

He had been in jail awaiting trial for three armed robberies in 24 hours in January 2013 where he was was armed with a 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle and a variety of other offences.

He was on the run for 19 days before being arrested at an address in Worrigee.