Three prisoners released by mistake every week since April, new figures show
91 prisoners mistakenly freed since April, shock new figures find
- Ministry of Justice figures reveal 91 prisoners were mistakenly freed between 1 April and 31 October this year, averaging three per week.
- This forms part of a larger trend, with 262 inmates accidentally released in the year to March 2025, a 128 per cent increase from the previous year.
- Justice Secretary David Lammy is scheduled to face MPs over the issue, with Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick demanding clarity on the number of prisoners still at large, particularly violent or sexual offenders.
- High-profile cases include sex offender Hadush Kebatu, who has since been deported, and Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, who was arrested and is being deported, while fraudster Billy Smith handed himself in.
- The government has launched an independent investigation and announced stronger security checks for prisons, acknowledging there is 'no quick fix' to the ongoing crisis.