Police Launch Manhunt After Erroneous Prisoner Release
Authorities have initiated a manhunt following the mistaken release of a foreign prisoner from jail. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy expressed his anger over the incident, calling it “absolutely outraged.”
Details of the Incident
On October 29, Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, a 24-year-old Algerian convicted sex offender, was wrongly freed from HMP Wandsworth located in south-west London. The error was reported to the Metropolitan Police only on the following Tuesday. Kaddour-Cherif was serving time for trespass with intent to steal but had a previous conviction for indecent exposure.
Previous Similar Case
The case follows a similar event where migrant Hadush Kebatu was accidentally released from HMP Chelmsford on October 24. Kebatu had been imprisoned for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Epping.
Parliamentary Questions
During Prime Minister’s Questions, while Sir Keir Starmer attended Cop30 in Brazil, Justice Secretary David Lammy avoided confirming if any other asylum seekers had been released mistakenly, despite repeated inquiries.
“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?”
Mr Lammy, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, refused to confirm – and lambasted the justice system the Government inherited from the Conservatives.
These incidents have drawn criticism over the handling of prisoner records and raise concerns about the justice system's current state.
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