Manhunts are underway in London after two prisoners were mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth, sparking public outrage and fierce political debate over accountability and the state of the UK prison system. The incidents, which took place within days of each other, have drawn scrutiny from all corners—politicians, local residents, and campaigners alike—while exposing deep-seated issues within the country’s correctional infrastructure.
The first of the two men, Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, a 24-year-old Algerian national and registered sex offender, was released in error on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. According to the BBC, the Metropolitan Police were not informed of his release until six days later, on Tuesday, November 4. The delay in notification has raised eyebrows and prompted urgent questions about communication and oversight within the prison service.
Just days later, on Monday, November 3, William Smith—a 35-year-old man sentenced that very day to 45 months in prison for multiple fraud offences—was also mistakenly released from Wandsworth. Smith, who goes by Billy, was last seen wearing a navy long-sleeve Nike jumper and matching tracksuit bottoms, according to a police description provided by Surrey Police. Authorities believe he may be anywhere in Surrey, though he has known links to Woking.
Both men remain at large as of November 5, 2025, and urgent inquiries are ongoing to locate and return them to custody. The Metropolitan Police have issued appeals for public assistance, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation and the risks posed by having convicted offenders on the loose.
The release of Kaddour-Cherif is particularly concerning due to his status as a registered sex offender. The BBC reports that he was convicted of indecent exposure in November 2024, relating to an incident earlier that March. He had been sentenced to an 18-month community order and placed on the sex offenders' register for five years. Kaddour-Cherif, who entered the UK legally on a visitor’s visa, had overstayed and was in the early stages of deportation proceedings at the time of his mistaken release. Police believe he may still be in the London area, with connections to Tower Hamlets and Westminster.
The circumstances surrounding the mistaken releases remain murky. For Kaddour-Cherif, little is known about the exact nature of the error or why it took nearly a week for the police to be informed. In Smith’s case, the BBC has revealed that a clerical error at the court level was to blame: his custodial sentence was mistakenly entered into the system as a suspended sentence. Although the mistake was quickly spotted, the correction was sent to the wrong person, resulting in his premature release.
These incidents follow closely on the heels of another high-profile error last month, when Hadush Kebatu, a migrant sex offender, was accidentally released from HMP Chelmsford due to what was described as "human error." The pattern of mistaken releases has intensified calls for reform and accountability within the prison system, with critics pointing to systemic problems rather than isolated slip-ups.
Reactions from political leaders have been swift and, in many cases, scathing. Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who was standing in for Sir Keir Starmer during Prime Minister’s Questions on November 5, repeatedly refused to answer direct questions from shadow justice secretary James Cartlidge about whether any further asylum-seeking offenders had been mistakenly released. Later that day, Lammy issued a statement declaring he was "absolutely outraged" and that officials had been "working through the night to take [Kaddour-Cherif] back to prison." He promised an "urgent manhunt" was underway.
However, Lammy’s response did little to quell criticism. According to GB News, campaigners and political figures have labeled his handling of the situation as “insulting” and have demanded accountability. One Epping campaigner was quoted as saying, "Someone must be held accountable!" Shadow home secretary Chris Philp described the situation as "shocking that once again the Labour government has mistakenly allowed a foreign criminal to be released from prison," accusing Lammy of being "dishonest" with both the public and Parliament. Liberal Democrats justice spokesperson Jess Brown-Fuller called for Lammy to return to the House of Commons to explain "why he failed to answer" questions about the mistaken releases.
Local MPs have also weighed in, reflecting widespread concern in their constituencies. Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MP for Tooting—the area where HMP Wandsworth is located—stated, "Local residents will quite rightly be deeply concerned. We urgently need answers from the government and Ministry of Justice as to how this was allowed to happen." Will Forster, Liberal Democrat MP for Woking, echoed these sentiments, telling BBC Radio Surrey that it was "completely unacceptable" for another prisoner with links to his area to be wrongly released. "It's utterly unacceptable that my constituents in Woking are going to be worried about their safety due to the government wrongly releasing three prisoners in a matter of a week," he said.
Wandsworth Prison itself has come under renewed scrutiny following these events. Built in 1851 to house fewer than 1,000 inmates, the Victorian-era facility was reported in August 2024 by its independent monitoring board to be overcrowded, with 1,513 prisoners crammed into "cramped, squalid" conditions. The board noted that staff shortages and chaotic conditions made it impossible to confirm the whereabouts of all prisoners during the working day. A third of officers were unavailable for operational duty on any given day due to sickness, restricted duties, or training. Although a modest reduction in population and "limited and fragile" improvements were reported in April, the prison still faces significant challenges.
These latest mistaken releases have only added to the pressure for reform. The events have reignited debates over the management of the UK’s prison system, the adequacy of staffing and resources, and the reliability of administrative processes. With public safety at stake and confidence in the system shaken, calls for a thorough investigation and meaningful change are growing louder.
As the search for Brahim Kaddour-Cherif and William Smith continues, the spotlight remains firmly on HMP Wandsworth, the Justice Secretary, and the broader prison service. The coming weeks will likely determine whether this series of errors will prompt real accountability and reform—or simply fade into yet another chapter of bureaucratic mishap.
