Mistakenly released prisoner hands himself in as Lammy faces fresh pressure over handling of fiasco
Mounting pressure on David Lammy following prisoner release errors
- William ‘Billy’ Smith, 35, who was mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth on Monday, has handed himself back in to the prison.
- A police manhunt is ongoing for Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, 24, a registered sex offender also mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth on 29 October.
- Justice Secretary David Lammy is facing criticism for his handling of the mistaken releases, stating he was not fully briefed before Prime Minister's Questions.
- Prison organisations attribute the errors to "clerical errors" and a system under "relentless strain," exacerbated by government early release schemes and underfunding.
- The number of prisoners mistakenly released has significantly increased, with 262 in the year to March 2025, a 434 per cent rise over the last decade.