Police are looking for two males who had been mistakenly launched from a London jail

Police are looking for two prisoners who had been mistakenly launched from a London jail final week.

Algerian man Brahim Kaddour-Chérif and convicted fraudster William Smith, going through deportation from the UK, had been launched from Wandsworth Prison on 29 October and three November respectively.

It comes simply weeks after migrant intercourse offender Haddush Kebatu, who arrived in Britain on a small boat, was additionally mistakenly launched from HMP Chelmsford in Essex.

This has put Justice Secretary David Lammy below fireplace, as he promised further investigations to stop related circumstances following Kebatu's launch.

During Prime Minister's Questions, Lammy, who was standing in for Sir Keir Starmer, was repeatedly requested whether or not any asylum seekers had been launched from jail by mistake since Kebatu's launch, however he declined to reply.

As PMQs had been coming to a detailed, the Met Police issued a press release revealing {that a} overseas prisoner had been launched in error final Wednesday, the drive was knowledgeable on Tuesday.

Police later confirmed that the person was 24-year-old Kaddour-Chérif they usually believed he had hyperlinks to Tower Hamlets and Westminster in London.

The BBC has been instructed that he’s not an asylum seeker and that Lammy was knowledgeable the evening earlier than of his unintentional launch.

Kaddour-Chérif is known to have entered the UK legally on a go to visa in 2019, however overstayed his visa with a “possible over-stayer” case made in 2020.

At Prime Minister's Questions, Shadow Defense Secretary James Cartlidge, deputizing for Conservative chief Kemi Badenoch, repeatedly requested the identical query to which Lammy didn’t reply and as a substitute attacked the Conservative authorities's file in workplace on prisons.

Later, a Justice Ministry spokesman mentioned: “Upon entering the House [of Commons]The facts about the case were still emerging and the Deputy Prime Minister was not accurately informed of important details, including the immigration status of the perpetrator.

“The DPM waited for the PMQs and different info to emerge earlier than making his assertion.”

After the Met Police announced Kaddour-Chérif's mistaken release, Lammy gave a statement in which he said he was “completely livid and horrified”.

“The victims deserve better and the public deserves answers.

“That is why I have already launched the strongest investigation possible to crack down on such failings and have ordered an independent inquiry, to be led by Dame Lynn Owens, to find out what went wrong and address the increase in accidental releases that has continued for too long.”

Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Phillips said: “It is stunning that when once more a Labor authorities has mistakenly allowed a overseas prison to be launched from jail.”

“This makes a mockery of Lammy's declare in PMQs to current 'the strongest investigation ever' upon launch.”

Jess Brown-Fuller, the Liberal Democrats' justice spokesperson, asked for “a full rationalization of how this occurred once more”.

Reform UK mentioned it was “gravely involved that the Deputy Prime Minister inadvertently misled the House of Commons”.

Andrew Slaughter, Labor MP and chair of Parliament's justice committee, said the prison system has been “underinvested” and faces “overcrowding and understaffing inside a decaying jail property characterised by lawlessness and instability”.

Hours after the Met Police's announcement, Surrey Police said another man – William Smith – had also been released by mistake from Wandsworth Prison last week.

In a Facebook post, Surrey Police said Smith was sentenced to 45 months on Monday for “a number of fraud offences”, but was released later the same day.

The BBC understands that Smith was mistakenly recorded as receiving a suspended sentence rather than a custodial sentence.

The error was corrected by the court but the correction was sent to the wrong person.

Police say Smith is described as white, bald and clean-shaven, adding: “Smith was final seen carrying a white, navy blue tracksuit backside with a white Nike 'Tick' on the left pocket and a navy lengthy sleeve jumper with black trainers with the Nike model 'Tick' on the entrance.'

Police urged the general public to contact them if they’ve any info.

According to the newest figures, about 262 prisoners had been launched by mistake in England and Wales by March 2025, a 128% improve from 115 the earlier 12 months.

Staff at HMP Wandsworth instructed the BBC there was an environment of panic on the jail following the sudden launch.

Security in jail has been a significant concern for a while now. An inspection report final 12 months discovered disarray within the wings, with employees at most models unable to verify the place all their prisoners had been throughout the working day.

in 2023 Daniel Khalife escapes from HMP Wandsworth While awaiting trial for spying for Iran.