Male prisoners have been able to access the women's compound at Canberra's jail, one of the few prisons in the country that still houses men and women together, according to newly released government documents.

Key points: A male inmate jumped a fence to the women's compound to have sex with another prisoner

A male inmate jumped a fence to the women's compound to have sex with another prisoner Corrections officers are unsure how many times male and female prisoners have been able to meet up

Corrections officers are unsure how many times male and female prisoners have been able to meet up Several fences have since been raised to prevent a repeat incident

An internal investigation found in April a man jumped the fence of the women's cottage at the Alexander Maconochie Centre to meet three women in a restricted area, where he then attempted to have sex with a female inmate.

Documents released under freedom of information laws detailed the pair were able to find a CCTV black spot where they were out of sight for 14 minutes.

But an investigation into the incident determined the 14-minute "tryst" was ultimately unsuccessful, as the male prisoner said "all the cottage boys were calling out from the landing window", and the woman was "shit scared" of getting caught.

Corrections unsure whether prisoners have been meeting for affairs

In response to the incident, jail director Jon Peach immediately suspended access to the respective yards where the pair met.

But it revealed to prison officers that men had been able to get into the Special Care Centre, which has housed women since 2017.

"It is now known that male detainees can breach the Remand Cottage fence and enter the female compound. It is unknown if this has occurred before," read one security report.

Corrections officers only became aware of the April rendezvous a week afterwards, when another inmate told them about the incident.

At the time officials were also unable to figure out how the prisoners had been able to arrange the meeting.

CCTV footage (with redacted information) suggested it was highly likely inmates were able to disappear unnoticed to have sex. ( Photo: ACT Government )

The male prisoner ultimately confessed that the pair had laid on the ground and held hands through a gap beneath the fence, where they arranged to meet later in the day.

Documents also indicated one of the pair had handwritten a letter to the other — which is permitted in the jail.

Corrections Minister Shane Rattenbury said fencing at the remand centre and the women's compound had since been raised.

Mr Rattenbury said recent adjustments have also been made to remove line of sight for men into the women's compound.