British police are searching for two men who were accidentally released from Wandsworth Prison in south London in separate incidents last week, prompting renewed scrutiny of the UK’s prison management and security protocols.
Two Prisoners Released by Mistake
The first individual, Brahim Kaddour Cherif, an Algerian national, was mistakenly released on Wednesday of last week. Cherif had overstayed a six-month visitor visa since February 2020 and was in the early stages of deportation proceedings. Despite a 2024 conviction for indecent exposure, which placed him on the sex offenders’ register, he had not been deported before his release.
The second man, Billy Smith, was accidentally freed on Monday, the same day he was sentenced to 45 months in prison for multiple fraud offences. Surrey Police, who are leading the search for Smith, said they were pursuing “a number of enquiries at pace” and warned he could be anywhere in Surrey, though he is known to have links to Woking.
Police and Government Response
The Metropolitan Police said they were not informed of Cherif’s release until six days later, on Tuesday, triggering an “urgent police investigation.” Commander Paul Trevers confirmed that a manhunt was immediately launched but admitted Cherif had a “six-day head start.”
Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy announced new safeguards following a similar incident last month involving Hadush Kebatu, an Ethiopian national mistakenly released from Chelmsford Prison on October 24 instead of being transferred for deportation. Kebatu was later recaptured in London.
Political Fallout and Public Concern
News of Cherif’s release surfaced shortly after Prime Minister’s Questions, when Lammy, filling in for Sir Keir Starmer, faced repeated questioning from opposition MPs about any further mistaken releases. Lammy declined to confirm details, later explaining that he had not been “accurately informed” of Cherif’s immigration status at the time.
A spokesperson for Number 10 said the Prime Minister’s Office was unaware of the release until the Met Police statement was issued, calling the incident “unacceptable.” Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch’s office criticized the government’s handling, claiming the opposition was informed before senior officials.
Security Breaches at Wandsworth Prison
The events have renewed attention on Wandsworth Prison, which has been plagued by previous security failures, including the 2023 escape of Daniel Khalife, a terror suspect who fled the facility before being recaptured.
Local MP Rosena Allin-Khan expressed “deep concern” in a letter to Lammy, urging accountability and systemic reform to prevent further lapses.
New Security Measures
In response to these incidents, the Ministry of Justice has introduced stricter procedures: the duty governor must now be physically present during the release of any foreign national prisoner, and a mandatory checklist must be completed.
Lammy condemned the Wandsworth releases as “outrageous and appalling,” stating that victims and the public “deserve better” and that the incidents expose “deeper flaws across the failing criminal justice system we inherited.”
