Peston: Why Wasn’t Kaddour-Cherif Deported?
Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, the Algerian sex offender mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth, had overstayed his visa. The reason he had not been deported highlights serious issues in how visa regulations interact with the criminal justice system.
According to official sources, Kaddour-Cherif was not expelled from the UK because there were ongoing criminal proceedings against him. The government policy generally prevents deportation while such cases are active, unless there is approval from the police and Crown Prosecution Service.
Why are foreign criminals being paid to leave the UK?
The key point is that none of Kaddour-Cherif’s sentences reached the threshold for mandatory deportation, which requires a custodial sentence of 12 months or more. Despite that, initial deportation proceedings—called a stage one notification—were initiated against him earlier this year because his repeated offenses were considered harmful to the public interest.
- In November 2024, he was convicted of indecent exposure.
- He received an 18-month community order for that offense.
- He was also listed on the sex offenders register.
This case underscores the complexities in managing foreign offenders whose sentences fall short of automatic deportation criteria but still pose risks to public safety.
Author’s summary: Kaddour-Cherif’s release reveals gaps in UK deportation rules where criminal proceedings and sentence lengths complicate the removal of foreign offenders.