Police from the Cootamundra Local Area Command arrested the 23-year-old at a property in Young and he was charged with a raft of offences.

As well as his escape, the man is facing charges of car theft, travelling in a stolen vehicle, negligent driving and being an unaccompanied learner driver.

He was refused bail and is due to appear in Wagga Local Court on Tuesday. 

Cootamundra LAC Acting Inspector Michael Madgwick said Police diligently followed up leads from the public to apprehend the escapee. 

“Young Police followed all leads given to us which led us to catch the prison escapee before he could commit any further offences,” he said.

“This is another example of how well the police and the community can work together.

“Our primary aim is the safety of the Young community and the public can be assured our Police acted very quickly to take this escaped prisoner of the streets.”

Meanwhile, an inmate who allegedly also escaped the Riverina jail on November 16 has handed himself in to police hundreds of kilometres away.

Both men were discovered missing from the Mannus Correctional Centre after a stolen car was smashed into a power pole in Tumbarumba.

When officers arrived in Albury Street, where the 4WD was wrecked, they found a green jail-issued beanie inside the vehicle.

After contacting the nearby minimum-security prison farm, they were told two inmates were missing from the centre.

After 10 days on the run, one of the two walked into Mount Druitt police station to hand himself in.

The 37-year-old man was subsequently arrested and charged with inmate escape/attempting to escape lawful custody, stealing a car and larceny.

He was refused bail and will appear at Mount Druitt Local Court on Monday.