URGENT MANHUNT: Prison service did not tell Met Police about missing foreign sex offender for six days after he was relased by mistake

PRISON staff did not tell police about a foreign convicted sex offender being mistakenly released until six days later it has been confirmed.

Another urgent manhunt is underway after the accidental release of 24-year-old Brahim Kaddour Cherif (above) who is an Algerian national.

Details of the mishap at HMP Wandsworth in south London have only just been released despite it happening on 29 October, only five days after the release of migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford in Essex.

The Met Police said: "Shortly after 1pm on Tuesday 4 November 2025, the Met was informed by the Prison Service that a prisoner had been released in error from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday 29 October.

"Officers are carrying out urgent enquiries in an effort to locate him and return him to custody."

The prisoner is understood to have been serving time for trespass with an intent to steal, but he was also convicted in November 2024 of indecent exposure relating to an incident in March that year. He was sentenced to an 18 month community order and placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years.

The Met spokesperson added: "He is also known to use other variations of his name, including Ibrahim.

"He is believed to have links to Tower Hamlets and is also known to frequent the Westminster area."

Commander Paul Trevers, who is overseeing the investigation, said: “It is just over 24 hours since we were informed of Cherif’s release. We launched an immediate manhunt and urgent enquiries have been ongoing since.

“Cherif has had a six-day head start but we are working urgently to close the gap and establish his whereabouts.

“We will continue to use all the means at our disposal but we are also appealing for the public's help to find him. We have seen in the very recent past how important alert members of the public reporting sightings can be.

“To assist with that effort we have released an image of Cherif and bodyworn video footage from an arrest in September this year.”

Anyone who sees Cherif is asked not to approach him but to call 999 immediately.

Anyone who has other information about his movements should call 101.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was not aware of the incident until the Met Police announcement, Downing Street said today, Wednesday.

His spokesman said: "The Met have released a statement I think in the last few minutes.

"One mistaken release is one too many, it is utterly unacceptable.

"It's important 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."

He would not say when Mr Lammy became aware of the error, after the cabinet minister refused to answer several questions in the Commons on the incident from the shadow defence secretary.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch wrote on X: "James Cartlidge asked the Deputy PM FIVE times to tell us if ANOTHER migrant sex offender had been accidentally released from prison.

"Instead of answering, Lammy lost his temper.

"Now we read it HAS happened again & he's been on the run for a week.

"This is a shambles of a government."

Mr Lammy said in a statement just released: "I am absolutely outraged and appalled by the mistaken release of a foreign criminal wanted by the police. 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.”

Also today it emerged a second prisoner is at large from Wandsworth Prison since Monday, the same day he was sentenced.

Surrey Police is appealing for help in finding 35-year-old William Smith (above), who goes by the name Billy.

A Surrey spokesperson said: "We are carrying out a number of enquiries at pace to try and locate him."

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.

He is described as White, bald, and clean shaven.  

Smith 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.  

If you have seen Billy, or have any information which could help us find him, contact us quoting SYP-20251105-0472 via:

• Our 24/7 live chat service available via this website (www.surrey.police.uk)

• Direct message us via Facebook - Surrey Police

• Call us on our non-emergency number, 101.

  Chair of the Justice Committee and Labour MP Andy Slaughter said: “Reports that two prisoners have been ‘released in error’ from HMP Wandsworth are extremely concerning, especially following the high-profile release from HMP Chelmsford last month.

  “Events such as this speak to a wider justice system at breaking point. Evidence taken by the Justice Committee has laid bare a crisis-hit prison system, starved of investment over many years which is facing multi-faceted pressures, including overcrowding and understaffing within a decaying prison estate characterised by chaos and instability.

  “The Committee visited HMP Wandsworth as part of its ‘Tackling drugs in prisons’ inquiry and found an institution with multiple failings despite the best efforts of its staff. The report published just days ago warned the use of illicit drugs and the trade in them across prisons has reached ‘endemic’ levels.

  “While the day to day running of prison security and public safety are paramount, the current spate of releases in error will be repeated until the underlying failures are addressed.”