Justice secretary David Lammy has revealed that a further 12 prisoners were released in error in England and Wales in the past month, bringing the total to 103 accidental releases since April. Two of those released remain at large, but Lammy stressed that the overall 'trend is downwards' following improvements to the system.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Tuesday, Lammy said the two still missing were not violent or sexual offenders. He declined to provide further details, citing operational reasons, and told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'If they're about to arrest somebody they don't want me to blow the cover.'
The latest figures follow a series of high-profile errors, including the mistaken release of Algerian sex offender Brahim Kaddour-Cherif from HMP Wandsworth in September, before tougher checks were introduced. Another case involved Ethiopian national Hadush Kebatu, convicted of sexual assault, who was freed from HMP Chelmsford.
Lammy had previously told Parliament that 91 prisoners were released in error between April and October this year, out of 57,000 releases. The annual total to March 2025 stood at 262, a 128% increase on the previous year.
