Sex Offender Released by Mistake Found and Arrested
A sex offender released from HMP Wandsworth prison in error has been located and arrested after a large-scale manhunt.
Incident Details
Brahim Kaddour Cherif, aged 24, was mistakenly released, prompting a response from the Metropolitan Police. Officers were notified of his release on Tuesday and immediately set out to find him.
Conviction Background
Cherif was convicted in November 2024 for indecent exposure during an incident earlier that year in March. He received an 18-month community order and was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for five years.
Location and Arrest
The suspect, who is Algerian, was believed to have connections to Tower Hamlets and was known to visit the Westminster area. On November 7, a member of the public reported seeing a man matching Cherif's description near Capital City College on Blackstock Road in Islington.
"At 11.23am on Friday, 7 November, a call was received from a member of the public reporting a sighting of a man they believed to be Brahim Kaddour-Cherif in the vicinity of Capital City College on Blackstock Road in Islington.
Officers responded immediately and at 11.30am detained a man matching Cherif's description. His identity was confirmed and he was arrested for being unlawfully at large.
He was also arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker in relation to a previous unrelated incident."
Additional Information
- The Metropolitan Police acted swiftly upon receiving the sighting report.
- Cherif's arrest also involved suspicion related to an earlier assault on an emergency worker.
Summary: A manhunt led to the capture of Brahim Kaddour Cherif, mistakenly released from prison, highlighting the rapid police response and community vigilance.