David Lammy had not been accurately informed of key details surrounding the mistaken release of missing prisoner Brahim Kaddour-Cherif before PMQs, the Ministry of Justice said on Wednesday.
“The [deputy prime minister] was asked questions about the release of an asylum seeker. As was confirmed after PMQs by the Home Office, the individual was not an asylum seeker,” a spokesperson said.
Mr Lammy “waited until after PMQs and further facts had emerged before making a statement.”
Kaddour-Cherif was identified on Wednesday as a convicted sex offender who was mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth last week. The error was only reported to Met Police on Tuesday.
Police revealed later on Wednesday that a second prisoner, identified as William ‘Billy’ Smith had also been released from HMP Wandsworth on Monday.
Details emerged after the deputy prime minister said that since the erroneous release of Hadush Kebatu in October, he had brought in the “strongest checks ever” to “clamp down” on such errors, and had ordered an independent investigation into what went wrong.
Key points
- Mistakenly freed inmate named
- Lammy knew about release before PMQs
- Mistakenly released prisoner not an asylum seeker
- Deputy PM ducks questions on mistaken releases
- Another prisoner released in error on Monday
Police release new footage of escaped prisoner Brahim Kaddour-Cherif as manhunt continues
23:08 , James ReynoldsFormer prison boss tells Lammy to 'get a grip'
22:28 , James ReynoldsA former prison governor said David Lammy needs to “get a grip” as “absolutely nothing is working in prison and probation”.
John Podmore, who once ran HMP Brixton and Belmarsh, told LBC that while the justice minister may have “inherited a broken system”, the government has since “done nothing other than continue to promote from within the people responsible for that broken system”.
He said the handling of the comments at PMQs on Wednesday was “embarassing”.
Two more prisoners on run after being released from jail by mistake in fresh crisis for Labour
22:01 , James ReynoldsRead the full story:
‘Get a grip!’: Lammy lashes out at jail blunder questions during lively PMQs
Lammy 'waited for facts to emerge' before commenting, MoJ says in defence
21:32 , James ReynoldsThe Ministry of Justice defended David Lammy’s reluctance to comment on mistakenly released prisoners on Wednesday, saying that the deputy prime minister had waited until further facts emerged after Prime Minister’s Questions before making a statement.
A spokesperson for the ministry said: “The crisis in the prison system this government inherited is such that basic information about individual cases can take unacceptably long to reach Ministers.
“On entering the House, facts were still emerging about the case and the [deputy prime minister] had not been accurately informed of key details including the offender’s immigration status. No media story about the individual case was yet in the public domain and it was and remains subject to a live police investigation.
“The [deputy prime minister] was asked questions about the release of an asylum seeker. As was confirmed after PMQs by the Home Office, the individual was not an asylum seeker.
“The [deputy prime minister] waited until after PMQs and further facts had emerged before making a statement.”
'Mistakes will happen until issues are addressed' - Labour MP
21:04 , James ReynoldsAndy Slaughter, a Labour MP and Chair of the Justice Committee, acknowledged that the reports on missing prisoners released in error are “extremely concerning, especially following the high-profile release [of Hadush Kebatu] from HMP Chelmsford last month”.
“Events such as this speak to a wider justice system at breaking point,” he told the BBC, adding that: “The current spate of releases in error will be repeated until the underlying failures are addressed”.
Smith released 'due to clerical error'
20:01 , James ReynoldsWilliam Smith, 35, was released from HMP Wandsworth due to a clerical error, the BBC reports.
His custodial sentence was said to have been filed on a computer as a suspended sentence.
The error was flagged and amended by the court - but the correction was sent to the wrong person.
Recap: Two prisoners released from HMP Wandsworth within days
19:30 , James ReynoldsThe government has faced increased scrutiny since the mistaken release of Hadush Kebatu last month.
Today, Tory MP James Cartlidge pressed deputy prime minister David Lammy on when any asylum seeker prisoners had been recently released in error.
Lammy did not answer the question, and said new checks have been brought in and an investigation launched to avoid further mistakes.
It then emerged that Brahim Kaddour-Cherif had been released from HMP Wandsworth by mistake last week. The error was only reported to Met Police on Tuesday. Cherif is not an asylum seeker.
He had been arrested on 9 September for failing to appear at court, failing to comply with probation conditions, and for breaching the conditions he was subject to due to being on the sex offenders’ register.
Surrey Police then announced that they were appealing for help finding William ‘Billy’ Smith, who was also released from HMP Wandsworth by mistake on Monday.
Lammy must return to Commons to address mistaken release, say Lib Dems
19:16 , Daniel KeaneParliament's recess must be cancelled so David Lammy can return to the Commons to address the mistaken release of two prisoners from Wandsworth Prison, the Liberal Democrats said.
Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Max Wilkinson said: "After this appalling series of failures, recess must be cancelled so David Lammy can address Parliament tomorrow.
"Two prisoners have been wrongly released from the same jail in a single week - and the Government is seemingly trying to bury the news before recess.
"This is unacceptable. Ministers must face MPs and be held to account for this prison gates fiasco."
The House of Commons goes into a short recess when it adjourns on Wednesday night and will return on Tuesday 11 November.
A broader problem? Stats show spike in mistaken releases
19:00 , James ReynoldsThe mistaken release of Brahim Kaddour-Cherif comes just days after the government faced scrutiny over the wrongful release of Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford.
Kaddour-Cherif’s release last Wednesday followed the introduction of stronger security checks in prisons and the launch of an investigation into releases in error.
Official statistics show these are not isolated incidents. As many as 262 prisoners in England and Wales were mistakenly released in the year to March 2025, per the prison service’s annual digest.
Of that number, 233 were mistakenly released from prisons and 29 by courts.
It represented a 128 per cent increase from the 115 released in error to the year ending March 2024.
Pictured: Brahamin Kaddour-Cherif during arrest
18:20 , James ReynoldsThe Metropolitan Police has issued a frame from body camera footage of the arrest of 24-year-old Algerian national Brahim Kaddour Cherif, who has been released in error from HMP Wandsworth:
HMP Wandsworth staff could not provide accurate numbers of prisoners - report
17:40 , James ReynoldsA review of HMP Wandsworth published by its Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) in October found that while the prison had begun to address long-standing problems, issues remained.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons reported that they were unable to carry out roll checks during the assessment period “because staff could not provide accurate numbers”.
HMIP carried out a review of progress from 30 March to 2 April, 2025.
"Utterly unacceptable" that a second prisoner has escaped, MP says
17:20 , James ReynoldsIt is “utterly unacceptable” that a second prisoner has escaped from HMP Wandsworth, the MP for Woking said.
Responding to reports that William Smith, a Woking resident, had been released in error on Monday, Lib Dem MP Will Forster said: “It’s utterly unacceptable that this person was wrongly released, especially on top of Brahim Kaddour-Cherif’s mistaken release from the same prison last week.”
He said he had been informed that the police were working to apprehend Smith, and that he had been reassured that there is no indication of risk to the wider public.
Smith was sentenced to 45 months for multiple fraud offences. Most of his offences are understood to have taken place in Woking.
“I understand that this is distressing for Woking residents that a prisoner wrongfully released might have returned to our town,” Forster said.
“This is yet another grave mistake from the Government. The public deserves a full explanation about how this has happened again. Both the Government and the Prison Service must own up to their failures and guarantee that these mistakes will stop happening once and for all.”
Pictured: Algerian released in error from HMP Wandworth
17:00 , James ReynoldsThe Metropolitan Police has released a photograph of Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, who was released in error from HMP Wandworth last Wednesday:
Wrongly freed prisoner was in initial stages of being deportation
17:00 , James ReynoldsThe Algerian migrant mistakenly released from Wandsworth prison entered the UK legally on a visit visa in 2019, The Independent understands.
Brahim Kaddour-Cherif had overstayed his visa and was in the initial stages of the deportation process.
The Home Office flagged the migrant as having likely overstayed his visa in February 2020.
Pictured: Prisoner released from HMP Wandsworth in error on Monday
16:55 , James ReynoldsSurrey police are appealing for help in finding William ‘Billy’ Smith, who was released in error from HMP Wandsworth on Monday.
Another prisoner released in error on Monday
16:34 , James ReynoldsHMP Wandsworth released another prisoner in error this week, after Brahim Kaddour-Cherif was released last Wednesday.
Surrey Police said in a statement this evening that they were appealing for help in finding William Smith, 35, “after he was released in error from HMP Wandsworth on Monday”.
Smith was sentenced to 45 months for multiple fraud offences at Croydon Crown Court on Monday, during which he appeared via a live video link from HMP Wandsworth, they said.
He is described as White, bald, and clean shaven, and was last seen wearing a navy long sleeve jumper with the Nike brand ‘tick’ across the front in white, navy blue tracksuit bottoms with a Nike ‘tick’ in white on the left pocket, and black trainers.
Smith has links to Woking but could be anywhere in Surrey, they said.
Inmate identified as convicted sex offender
16:10 , James ReynoldsBrahim Kaddour-Cherif, identified as the man released in error last week, had been convicted for indecent exposure, sources have said.
He was serving a sentence at HMP Wandsworth in south-west London for trespass with intent to steal before his accidental release.
Mistakenly freed inmate named
15:48 , Athena StavrouThe man police are searching for after he was mistakenly released from prison has been named as Brahim Kaddour-Cherif.
Police are searching for the 24-year-old Algerian national, who was released in error on Wednesday last week.
Jenrick demands Lammy returns to answer questions
15:39 , Athena StavrouRobert Jenrick has written to David Lammy demanding he return to parliament this afternoon to answer questions.
The shadow justice minister wrote to the deputy prime minister accusing him of having “consistently refused to answer basic written questions”.
He asked Lammy seven questions, including why he did not inform the public immediately and whether the victims have been informed.
He ended his letter by asking: “After your conduct today and litany of errors that have already occurred on your watch, how can the public possibly have confidence in you?”
Another week, another manhunt for a foreign sex attacker accidentally released by the Government.
— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) November 5, 2025
But this time the farce was covered up by David Lammy.
We need answers. pic.twitter.com/XApfd1V1X0
Lammy had 'prepared statement ready to go' at PMQs
15:26 , Athena StavrouDavid Lammy is said to have had a pre-prepared statement that he chose not to use during PMQs.
The political editor of The Times said he had been told the statement was ready to go as he was questioned on whether there had been any further mistaken releases in the Commons.
But instead of using it, the deputy prime minister instead chose to duck questions on the matter repeatedly.
He is said not to have wanted to pre-empt a statement from the Met Police.
'This should not happen'
15:09 , Athena StavrouReacting to the latest incident, national chairman of the Prison Officers’ Association Mark Fairhurst said prison service leaders need to ensure this does not happen.
He wants to get reassurances from leaders of the Prison Service that there are robust procedures in place to prevent this happening.
“This should not happen, end of,” he said.
“This is on the leaders of the service, not the staff on the front line, they just follow processes.”
Second manhunt in weeks a disaster for Starmer
14:59 , Athena StavrouThe Independent’s Whitehall correspondent Kate Devlin reports:
As the prime minister jets to Brazil for the COP climate change conference, his government is facing a crisis at home.
David Lammy has said he is “absolutely outraged and appalled”.
But the government is facing serious questions over how this has been allowed to happen.
No 10 also appeared to be caught on the fly, despite other parts of the government having been informed.
There is also confusion about what the justice secretary knew and when, and how they were blindsided by this to allow the Tories such an open goal at PMQs.
There will also be questions over whether or not there is a wider crisis in the UK’s jails after he was released from Wandsworth, only a few years after a former British soldier escaped from the prison while awaiting trial for spying for Iran.
All while the prime minister is on a plane heading half way across the world.
Chris Philp: Release makes 'mockery' of Lammy's claims of stronger release checks
14:48 , Athena StavrouTory shadow home secretary Chris Philp has described as “shocking” the mistaken release from prison of another defendant who represents a “danger to the public”.
“Justice Secretary David Lammy refused to answer five times at prime minister’s questions today whether any further foreign prisoners were recently released mistakenly,” he said.
“This makes a mockery of Lammy’s claims at PMQs to have introduced to ‘strongest checks ever’ on release.”
He added: “In my view all foreign criminals should be automatically deported at the end of their sentence. We will need to leave the ECHR (European Convention on Human Rights) to do that, but the Labour Government is too weak.”
No 10 caught off guard by news of mistaken release
14:40 , Athena StavrouThe Independent’s political correspondent Caitlin Doherty reports:
There was a sense Number 10 had been caught off-guard when they had to react to the news of the released prisoner moments after the story broke.
Amid repeated questions over who knew what and when at the regular briefing following PMQs on Wednesday, journalists were referred to the statement from the Metropolitan Police detailing the incident.
The prime minister's official spokesman told reporters "one mistaken release is one too many" and pointed to the review that has already been launched.
It is now understood that David Lammy was aware of the incident overnight, but we now know that the Conservatives knew around 15 - 20 minutes before PMQs started on Wednesday afternoon.
They have called on the deputy PM Mr Lammy to come to the Commons to answer questions on the matter.
Mistakenly released prisoner not an asylum seeker
14:29 , Athena StavrouThe Independent’s Crime Correspondent Amy-Clare Martin reports:
The prisoner released in error from HMP Wandsworth was not an asylum seeker, The Independent understands.
The 24-year-old Algerian national was freed from the southwest London prison by mistake last Wednesday.
Details of his criminal history have not been confirmed.
It comes after a total of 262 people were released in error from prisons in England and Wales in the year to March 2024, according to official figures.
HMP Wandsworth was subject to an urgent notification last year, with chief inspector Charlie Taylor warning “systemic and cultural failures” at the prison stemmed from “poor leadership at every level”.
In 2023 terror suspect Daniel Khalife managed to escape from the Category B medium security jail by strapping himself to the underside of food delivery van.
Number 10 condemn 'utterly unacceptable' release and pledge 'urgent' investigation
14:24 , Athena StavrouThe Independent’s political correspondent Caitlin Doherty reports:
Number 10 has described the release of the prisoner as “utterly unacceptable” and that the circumstances will be looked into “as a matter of urgency”.
Speaking to journalists moments after the story broke, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “We completely accept that this type of case is utterly unacceptable and needs to be dealt with, and the system needs to be reformed and the appropriate checks need to be in place to stop this type of thing from ever happening.
“The public will rightly view any mistaken release of a prisoner from custody onto the streets as unacceptable.
“It’s importance the police are given the time and space to bring him back into custody. And we will look into the circumstances behind this as a matter of urgency.”
Lammy knew about release before PMQs
14:14 , Athena StavrouDavid Lammy knew about the mistaken release of a prisoner from HMP Wandsworth before today’s PMQs.
The deputy prime minister and Justice Secretary found out about the error overnight.
However, he believed it would have been irresponsible to talk about the mistaken release of a second foreign prisoner while details were still emerging, it is understood.
He declined to answer repeated questions at PMQs about whether any further people were released mistakenly because information was still emerging about the "complicated" case involving multiple agencies, sources said.
Lammy urged to return to Commons to answer for second accidental prisoner release
14:06 , Athena StavrouThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
As the Commons heads towards recess, David Lammy has been urged to return to the House to give a statement on the second foreign national offender who was accidentally released from prison.
The Liberal Democrats urged both the government and the Prison Service to "own up to their failures and guarantee that these mistakes will stop happening once and for all.”
“The public deserves a full explanation about how this has happened again. That should start with David Lammy coming back before Parliament this afternoon for why he failed to answer this pressing question in PMQs as well as a full explanation of how it took almost a week for this to come to light”, said Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Jess Brown-Fuller.
Meanwhile, Kemi Badenoch’s spokesman said that Mr Lammy should come back to the Commons and “do a statement as soon as possible”.
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No 10 says minister's should 'answer as they are'
13:59 , Athena Stavrou"Ministers should respond as fully as they are able" in the chamber, the prime minister's spokesman said.
The official was quizzed by reporters about whether Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy knew about the mistaken release of another foreign prisoner before he refused to answer questions about the matter in the Commons on Wednesday.
The spokesman said "broadly" Government ministers should tell MPs what they know, but declined to say if Mr Lammy was aware of the issue before PMQs, pointing journalists to the Ministry of Justice and the Metropolitan Police.
Lammy issues statement on mistaken release
13:46 , Athena StavrouDavid Lammy has issued a statement after a prisoner was mistakenly released in London.
The deputy prime minister said he is “ absolutely outraged and appalled” by the incident.
He said: “The Metropolitan Police is leading an urgent manhunt, and my officials have been working through the night to take him back to prison.
“Victims deserve better and the public deserve answers. That is why I have already brought in the strongest checks ever to clamp down on such failures and ordered an independent investigation, led by Dame Lynne Owens to uncover what went wrong and address the rise in accidental releases which has persisted for too long.
“This latest incident exposes deeper flaws across the failing criminal justice system we inherited. Dame Lynne Owens’ investigation will leave no stone unturned to identify these issues, so we can fix them, improve safeguards and ensure the public is properly protected.”
Tories found out about release 15 minutes before PMQs
13:39 , Athena StavrouThe Conservative Party found out about the mistaken release of a prisoner some 15-20 minutes before the start of Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.
During the session, Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy repeatedly refused to answer questions about whether any other asylum seekers had been released early, apart from Hadush Kebatu.
A spokesman for Kemi Badenoch said: "If we knew, one can only assume the Justice Secretary knew."
The spokesman said James Cartlidge, who stood in for the Tory leader in the Commons, had given Mr Lammy "the opportunity to front up" but "he ducked it six times".
"In fact, he got quite angry, claimed he'd put in the toughest checks ever - which clearly cannot be the case because another one's got out accidentally," the spokesman said.
The Conservatives decided it was "not our place" to announce the mistaken release themselves, the spokesman said.
Mr Lammy should come back to the Commons "and do a statement as soon as possible", the spokesman added.
Full statement from the Met Police
13:34 , Athena Stavrou“Shortly after 1pm on Tuesday 4 November, the Met was informed by the Prison Service that a prisoner had been released in error from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday 29 October.
“The prisoner is a 24-year-old Algerian man.
“Officers are carrying out urgent enquiries in an effort to locate him and return him to custody.”
What we know so far about the released foreign prisoner
13:23 , Rebecca Whittaker• The prisoner was mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth on October 29
• The man, is a 24-year-old Algerian national
• Met Police said they were informed of the error on Tuesday 4 November at 1pm
• It comes days after sex offender migrant Hadush Kebatu was wrongly freed from HMP Chelmsford instead of being sent to an immigration detention centre
• Police officers are carrying out urgent enquiries in an effort to locate him and return him to custody, according to the Met Police
• The news came minutes after deputy prime minister David Lammy announced enhanced checks on prisoner releases
Watch: Lammy cannot say whether another asylum seeker has been accidentally released since Kebatu
13:15 , Rebecca WhittakerDavid Lammy told Shadow defence secretary to 'get a grip' when asked if there had been any further mistaken releases
13:14 , Rebecca WhittakerDavid Lammy refused to say whether any further asylum-seeking defendants had been accidentally let out of prison, after he was repeatedly asked at PMQs.
He told Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge to “get a grip” after he asked him multiple times whether there had been any further mistaken releases after Hadush Kebatu was freed.
Addressing Mr Lammy, Mr Cartlidge said: “He’s the Justice Secretary. He’s responsible for the justice system. He needs to take responsibility.
“And I’m going to repeat it once more for the avoidance of doubt, because he did not answer it twice.
“Can he reassure the House that since Kebatu was released, no other asylum-seeking offender has been accidentally let out of prison?”
Mr Lammy, who stood in for Sir Keir Starmer, responded: “Get a grip, man, I know I’m the Justice Secretary, that’s why I’m at the despatch box.”
“We know that there have been spikes since 2021 under his watch. When did he come to this House and apologise?”
Deputy PM says it's 'hugely important' to et to the bottom of what happened when Hadush Kebatu was released
13:10 , Rebecca WhittakerThe news came minutes after deputy prime minister David Lammy announced enhanced checks on prisoner releases.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, he said it is “hugely important” to get to the bottom of what happened when Ethiopian national Hadush Kebatu was wrongly freed from HMP Chelmsford last month.
However, he refused to say whether any further asylum-seeking defendants had been accidentally let out of prison, after he was repeatedly asked at PMQs.
The error comes after migrant Hadush Kebatu was wrongly freed
13:07 , Rebecca WhittakerThe release of the 24-year-old Algerian national comes just days after sex offender migrant Hadush Kebatu was wrongly freed from HMP Chelmsford instead of being sent to an immigration detention centre.
Met police officers are trying to relocate the prisoner
13:06 , Rebecca WhittakerA Met Police spokesperson said: "Shortly after 1pm on Tuesday 4 November, the Met was informed by the Prison Service that a prisoner had been released in error from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday 29 October.
"The prisoner is a 24-year-old Algerian man.
"Officers are carrying out urgent enquiries in an effort to locate him and return him to custody."
Prisoner mistakenly released, Met police say
13:05 , Rebecca WhittakerAnother foreign prisoner is on the run after being mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth.
The man, a 24-year-old Algerian national, was released in error on October 29.
