Prisoner released by mistake is arrested after manhunt

Prisoner Released by Mistake Arrested After Manhunt

Sex offender Brahim Kaddour Cherif was mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth, prompting an extensive police search. Authorities later confirmed his arrest after several days of investigation.

Details of the Release

The Metropolitan Police reported that the 24-year-old offender was released in error on Tuesday. Officers were immediately deployed to locate him after the incident became known.

Cherif, an Algerian citizen, had been convicted in November 2024 for indecent exposure related to an incident that occurred in March of that year. He was sentenced to an 18-month community order and was added to the Sex Offenders’ Register for a duration of five years.

Manhunt and Arrest

Authorities stated that Cherif was thought to have ties to Tower Hamlets and was known to frequent areas around Westminster. The manhunt concluded successfully after a member of the public spotted him in Islington.

“At 11:23 a.m. on Friday, 7 November, a call was received from a member of the public reporting a sighting of a man they believed to be Brahim Kaddour-Cherif near Capital City College on Blackstock Road in Islington,” a Met Police spokesperson said.
“Officers responded immediately and at 11:30 a.m. detained a man matching Cherif’s description. His identity was confirmed, and he was arrested for being unlawfully at large. He was also arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker in a previous unrelated incident. He has been taken into police custody. The Prison Service has been informed.”

Police Response and Aftermath

Following his arrest, Cherif was taken into custody without further incident. The Prison Service confirmed that it has been notified, and an internal review into the mistaken release is expected to follow.

Author’s summary: A sex offender wrongly freed from HMP Wandsworth was swiftly recaptured in Islington after a public tip-off, prompting a Prison Service investigation.

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Daily Record Daily Record — 2025-11-07

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