Released Prisoner and Registered Sex Offender Arrested
Brahim Kaddour Cherif, a registered sex offender, was mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth, triggering a wide-scale manhunt. He was later found and arrested after a member of the public reported seeing him to the police.
Background and Incident Details
Cherif, aged 24, was convicted in November 2024 for indecent exposure related to 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.
The authorities noted that Cherif, an Algerian national, was believed to have connections to Tower Hamlets and frequently visited the Westminster area.
Police Response and Arrest
"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."
In addition to being arrested for unlawful release, Cherif was also taken into custody on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, related to a previous, unrelated incident.
The Prison Service has been notified of the arrest and ongoing custody.
Summary
The inadvertent release of Brahim Kaddour Cherif from HMP Wandsworth led to a swift police operation after public vigilance resulted in his quick detention and arrest on multiple charges.