Two of the four prisoners currently at large were mistakenly released in 2024, according to reports. The other two were wrongly freed in June this year, adding to a series of high-profile erroneous releases.
The revelations emerged just hours after Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, 24, was arrested in Islington, north London, following a nine-day manhunt. The Algerian national, convicted for theft and indecent exposure, had been mistakenly freed from HMP Wandsworth on 29 October.
Justice Secretary David Lammy faced criticism for not addressing the blunder at Prime Minister's Questions, despite being briefed. After Kaddour-Cherif's arrest, Lammy acknowledged a 'mountain to climb' in tackling the prison crisis, ordering new release checks and an independent investigation.
Another wrongly released prisoner, fraudster Billy Smith, 35, handed himself in on Thursday. The Ministry of Justice stated that most mistakenly released offenders are quickly recaptured and pledged to work with police to capture the remaining few.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused the government of 'chaos, incompetence, and weakness', while Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick demanded Lammy disclose the full number of accidental releases. Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Jess Brown-Fuller called the situation a 'disgrace' and urged Parliament to be recalled.
