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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A 30-year-old Yellowknife man facing a charge of sexual assault that occurred on the Frame Lake Trail was released on Tuesday, but warned he could be immediately arrested.

Christopher Vital appeared before Chief Judge Brian Bruser after he was arrested while on a conditional sentence.

The accused had previously been convicted of assault and being unlawfully in a dwelling and was sentenced on April 29. He was originally released on the condition to be either at work or at home.

On July 25, while still on probation, Vital "went for a walk to clear his head" and was on the Frame Lake trail, according to his attorney Kelly Payne,

Crown attorney Terri Nguyen said Vital was arrested in the Frame Lake area on that same day and is charged with sexual assault and drug possession.

Nguyen requested Vital be placed in custody until Oct. 29, the end of his original sentence. Bruser said he needed to hear further arguments from both the Crown and the defence and scheduled the hearing to continue on Friday.

Vital was then told he was free to go, but warned he would likely be arrested given the new charges.

"I don't think he's going to get too far before the police arrest him. He may not even get out of the building," said Bruser.

Vital turned himself into the Yellowknife RCMP on Tuesday afternoon.

RCMP Const. Roxanne Dreilich said there is no indication that the sexual assault Vital was charged with has any connection to the sexual assault reported on the Frame Lake trail June 6.