Five Days of Silence: Wandsworth Prison Releases Two Inmates by Mistake – One Not Reported for Nearly a Week
LONDON – Serious questions are being asked of the UK’s prison system after two men were accidentally released from HMP Wandsworth, one of the country’s most secure jails, with police only informed days later in each case. One man was free for nearly a week before authorities even realised he was gone.
The first mistaken release
The first case involved Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, a 24-year-old Algerian national serving time at Wandsworth. He was released in error on 29 October 2025, but the Metropolitan Police were not notified until 4 November, six days later. During that time, he was believed to have left London. Kaddour-Cherif was reportedly being held pending deportation proceedings after overstaying a UK visa. (The Guardian)
The second incident
Just days later, another inmate, William “Billy” Smith, aged 35, was also released in error on 3 November 2025. Smith, sentenced to 45 months for a series of fraud offences, walked free the same day. The mistake was not reported to police until two days later, on 5 November, when the Metropolitan Police publicly confirmed the error and began a manhunt. (The Independent)
A pattern of failure
These back-to-back incidents mark another blow to Britain’s prison system, which has faced repeated warnings about staff shortages, administrative errors and outdated release procedures. In 2023, HMP Wandsworth was already under investigation after terror suspect Daniel Khalife escaped through a kitchen delivery route. Now, it is under scrutiny for letting people out by accident.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed internal reviews are underway, with Justice Secretary David Lammy calling the incidents “utterly unacceptable.” But MPs and justice campaigners say the real concern lies in how long the errors went unnoticed. A six-day delay in alerting police is “a fundamental failure of procedure,” one parliamentary source said. (Evening Standard)
Public safety and trust
Even short delays in notifying police increase risks to public safety and make recovery operations more complex. The longer a mistakenly released prisoner remains at large, the greater the chance of further offending or disappearance. Critics also point to the loss of public trust when such high-security institutions fail at the most basic function of all, keeping prisoners inside.
HMP Wandsworth, one of Britain’s busiest prisons, has struggled with overcrowding and staffing issues. Inspection reports have warned of “significant systemic weaknesses” in record-keeping and security clearance for releases. These latest cases now sit at the intersection of human error, technological failure and political accountability.
Not an isolated problem
Earlier in October another prisoner, Hadush Kebatu, was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford when he should have been transferred to immigration detention. That incident prompted the government to introduce new checks on release paperwork, though it appears the reforms did not reach Wandsworth in time. (Sky News)
Where accountability lies
The Ministry of Justice has promised tighter sign-off protocols, including senior governor approval for all releases and improved coordination between the prison service, police and Home Office. However, campaigners argue these are procedural patches for deeper cracks in a system operating under chronic pressure and underfunding.
Conclusion
The mistaken releases at HMP Wandsworth and the days-long delays before authorities even noticed, expose a failure of vigilance at the heart of the justice system. Whether these errors stem from under-staffing, bureaucratic confusion or plain neglect, the pattern is unmistakable. In a system built on accountability, it seems nobody is watching the gates.
This article is provided by Fidelis News. Free to read, not free to make. Support our journalism via Buy Me a Coffee.
Sources: The Guardian, The Independent, Evening Standard, Sky News.
Date: 5 November 2025 | By: Fidelis News Staff
