Police launch manhunt after another foreign prisoner mistakenly released from jail

Police launch manhunt after foreign prisoner mistakenly released

The Metropolitan Police have initiated a manhunt following the mistaken release of a foreign inmate, prompting strong condemnation from Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who said he is “absolutely outraged.”

The 24-year-old Algerian national, identified as Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, was accidentally freed from HMP Wandsworth in south-west London on October 29. Authorities reported the error to the Metropolitan Police only on Tuesday. Kaddour-Cherif was serving a sentence for trespassing with intent to steal and had prior convictions for indecent exposure, according to sources.

This incident comes shortly after another wrongful release: migrant Hadush Kebatu was mistakenly freed from HMP Chelmsford on October 24, having been imprisoned for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Epping.

Government response and criticism

During Prime Minister’s Questions, while deputising for Sir Keir Starmer, who is attending Cop30 in Brazil, Justice Secretary David Lammy faced tough questions from Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge.

“I want to ask him a further very important question – can he reassure the House that since Kebatu was released, no other asylum-seeking offender has been accidentally let out of prison?”

Lammy, also serving as Deputy Prime Minister, declined to provide confirmation and criticised what he described as a damaged justice system inherited from the previous Conservative government.

Summary

A 24-year-old Algerian prisoner’s mistaken release from HMP Wandsworth has triggered a national manhunt and renewed scrutiny of the UK justice system’s operational failures.

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Yorkshire Post Yorkshire Post — 2025-11-05

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