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Four prisoners who were mistakenly released are still at large, according to information obtained by the BBC. The number of prisoners released in error in England and Wales rose to 262 in the year to March, up from 115 the previous year. The government is facing increased scrutiny following several high-profile cases of incorrect prisoner releases. Among those released by mistake was Algerian sex offender Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, who was arrested by police after being mistakenly released from prison.
The releases of Kaddour-Cherif and another man coincided with the mistaken release of Hadush Kebatu, a migrant sex offender, from HMP Chelmsford in Essex. The Ministry of Justice has assured that the majority of mistakenly released offenders are swiftly returned to prison, but criticism of the government’s handling of the situation is widespread. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick criticized the government for its incompetence in dealing with these issues, calling for transparency from Justice Secretary David Lammy and demanding a concerted effort to locate the unaccounted prisoners.
The Liberal Democrats also expressed dismay at the situation, emphasizing the need for all available resources to be deployed to find the remaining prisoners. In response, Lammy acknowledged the challenges faced by the prison system and outlined measures being taken to address the problem, including enhanced release checks and an independent investigation into underlying systemic failures. The government’s emergency release scheme, implemented to alleviate overcrowding, has contributed to the issue of mistaken releases as prisons struggle to cope with a rapidly expanding population of inmates.
The arrest of Kaddour-Cherif in Finsbury Park came shortly after it was revealed that four prisoners were still at large. Despite being legally in the UK on a visitor’s visa, Kaddour-Cherif overstayed and was in the process of deportation. A clerical error led to his release from HMP Wandsworth, where he was serving time for indecent exposure. The broader challenges facing the prison system show no signs of abating, with overcrowding persisting and staff shortages exacerbating the situation. Plans to construct additional prisons aim to address overcrowding concerns, but the complex issues at play in the current system present significant obstacles to be overcome
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