Police on Thursday captured a prisoner who escaped police custody at the Ashdod Magistrates' Court about an hour earlier.

The prisoner, Shimon Arjuan, was captured by Ashdod police in the area of Hapalmach Street. The police employed a helicopter to assist them with the search.

Arjuan escaped after arriving at the scene for a hearing in the trial he is standing for assault charges. He fled from the court room after the judge instructed his escorting officers to remove the shackles from his feet.

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Arjuan is carrying out a prison sentence for violence and assault offences.

In December, serial rapist Benny Sela escaped police custody outside a Tel Aviv court. Sela was caught in Nahariya at the end of a highly-publicized two-week search.