HAY RIVER - A Deline man accidentally released from a Hay River jail in August has been arrested in Edmonton.

Darren Lee Kenny was arrested on an NWT warrant by Edmonton police during a routine traffic stop on Dec. 7.

Kenny was released by mistake on Aug. 18 from the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre (SMCC). However, the error did not come to light until Nov. 5 when Fort Smith RCMP contacted the SMCC about travel arrangements to bring Kenny to a Nov. 16 trial.

Kenny, 27, was in jail awaiting a Supreme Court trial on charges of sexual assault and breach of probation.

Sgt. Grant Payne of the Fort Smith RCMP said the arrest in Edmonton was uneventful.

Payne said Kenny was brought to Yellowknife on Dec. 10 and was to appear in territorial court on Dec. 11.

Kenny is facing a new charge of being unlawfully at large, the sergeant said. "Obviously, not escaping lawful custody."

Payne said the charge has been laid because police believe Kenny was aware he was unlawfully at large.

The Supreme Court trial in Fort Smith has not yet been rescheduled.

The sexual assault charge is related to an incident in Fort Smith on Oct. 9, 2008.

Although Kenny's arrest was not the result of information from the public, Payne said the police had been receiving numerous tips through Crime Stoppers.

The sergeant said most of the tips indicated Kenny was in Edmonton.

The Department of Justice investigated Kenny's accidental release from the SMCC and determined it was the result of ambiguity in a warrant on file.

The warrant listed a number of charges. Kenny was eligible to be released on some matters already dealt with, but not on other charges listed on the warrant.

The department has issued a directive to all correctional facilities that, if staff members find any ambiguity in an inmate's records, they must now verify the information with the clerk of the court.