'Sex offender' mistakenly released from Wandsworth prison identified
A man mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth last week has been identified as Brahim Kaddour-Cherif. The 24-year-old remains at large since being freed from the South London high-security facility on October 29.
Kaddour-Cherif had appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in September for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements. Although he was serving a sentence for trespassing with intent to steal, he has a record of previous sexual offences.
The Metropolitan Police stated that Kaddour-Cherif is of Algerian descent and officers are conducting urgent operations to locate him and bring him back into custody.
"We urgently need answers from the Government and Ministry of Justice as to how this was allowed to happen,"
said Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MP for Tooting, expressing alarm at the incident and concern for local residents in light of the offender’s “shocking list of offences.”
Related incident in Essex
The case follows a similar event in Essex days earlier, when another sex offender, 38-year-old Ethiopian national Hadush Kebatu, was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford. He remained free for three days before police captured him in a north London park on October 26.
Authorities have since raised questions about systemic issues that led to two accidental prison releases within a week.
Author’s summary
A mistakenly freed sex offender from Wandsworth, identified as Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, remains missing as police race to recapture him while public concern grows over repeated prison release errors.