A REMAND prisoner released by mistake turned up to court for his trial yesterday. A warrant for the arrest of Stephen Reddington was withdrawn after he arrived at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court, County Durham, to plead guilty to behaving violently in a police station.

Reddington, 32, of Darlington, was fined but did not have to return to prison as he had already served nearly three months on remand.

An investigation has been launched by the Home Office to find out how he was wrongly released.

The Northern Echo understands that the confusion arose when Reddington was given technical unconditional bail for a secondary charge, when he was taken to court on Tuesday, November 9.

Officials then released him even though he was supposed to be returned to Holme House Prison in Stockton.

He had previously pleaded not guilty to two counts of assaulting officers at Darlington police station last August.

However those charges were dropped after Reddington changed his plea to guilty on the charge of behaving violently in a police station.

The court heard that Reddington had raised a chair above his head following a routine interview late on Thursday, August 19. He had to be restrained by police officers but he did not strike anyone.

Mike Clarke, for Reddington, said: "The offence my client has pleaded guilty to carries a one-month maximum sentence. However, he spent two months and three weeks in remand."

Speaking after the hearing, Mr Clarke said: "My client was released after his last hearing and turned up to his trial on time. He has done nothing wrong."

Reddington was ordered to pay £50 each to two police officers who suffered minor injuries while restraining him.

Global Solutions Ltd, formerly part of Group4, which is responsible for the transportation of prisoners, is also investigating how Reddington was released.