Adelaide inmate turned away from jail twice after attending funeral
An Adelaide prisoner granted leave to attend the funeral of his murdered sister was turned away from jail twice when he tried to return.
Police and Corrective Services are now investigating why 33-year-old Robert Rigney was allowed to walk from both Yatala Prison’s gatehouse and a local police station after attending the family funeral.
A judge issued a warrant for Mr Rigney’s arrest on Wednesday but said he doubted the inmate had actually breached his bail because he tried to hand himself in twice.
Mr Rigney was released from prison on July 12 to attend the funeral of his sister Adeline Rigney-Wilson and her two children.
The trio were murdered in the Adelaide suburb of Hillier in May.
The 33-year-old had been due back at Yatala Prison by 4pm on July 15. He arrived at the gatehouse just after 3pm, but walked back out 25 minutes later.
The Corrections Department says Mr Rigney left while they were checking his documents.
The inmate then went straight to the Holden Hill Police Station but wasn’t detained for a second time.
Police say their system showed “no reason” to jail the 33-year-old.
7News has been told Mr Rigney left the station under instructions from his lawyer Amanda Lambden.
That conversation will now be part of the investigation into the arrest blunder.
