Police manhunt as second foreign prisoner mistakenly released from jail
Police manhunt underway after second prisoner released in error
- A manhunt is underway for Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, a 24-year-old Algerian convicted sex offender, who was wrongly released from HMP Wandsworth in south-west London.
- Kaddour-Cherif, who had previous convictions for indecent exposure, was freed on 29 October, but the error was only reported to the Metropolitan Police on 4 November.
- This incident follows another wrongful release on 24 October, when migrant Hadush Kebatu was mistakenly freed from HMP Chelmsford.
- Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy expressed outrage and confirmed an independent investigation has been ordered into the rise of accidental prison releases.
- Government figures show 262 prisoners were released in error in the year to March 2025, marking a 128% increase compared to the previous 12 months.