"Prisoners continue to be released mistakenly with a further 12 inmates let out of jail in error since November, the UK justice secretary has revealed. David Lammy told BBC Breakfast that despite the latest figures the trend is downwards after improvements to the system were put in place. Lammy told the House of Commons in mid-November that there were 91 accidental releases in England and Wales between 1 April and 31 October this year."
"Lammy previously said previously that 262 prisoners were freed in error in the year to March 2025 out of 57,000 releases, a 128% rise on the previous year. The statement came after Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, an Algerian sex offender, and Billy Smith, a fraudster, were freed in error from HMP Wandsworth. Smith handed himself in and police caught Kaddour-Cherif last week. Days before that, Hadush Kebatu, an Ethiopian national, was freed mistakenly from HMP Chelmsford despite his conviction for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl"
Twelve inmates were mistakenly released since November, adding to earlier counts. There were 91 accidental releases between 1 April and 31 October, with 12 more since then and two prisoners currently at large who are not violent or sexual offenders. In the year to March 2025, 262 prisoners were freed in error out of 57,000 releases, a 128% rise on the previous year. Notable mistaken releases included an Algerian sex offender, a fraudster, and an Ethiopian national convicted of sexual assault. The error that freed the Algerian offender occurred in September before tougher security checks were introduced, and there has been criticism over repeated refusals to confirm details at prime minister's questions.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]