A SEX predator migrant mistakenly freed from a bungling prison has finally been caught after days on the run.
Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, 24, was wrongly released from HMP Wandsworth in South West London on Wednesday last week – and days later another lag, fraudster William Smith, was also accidently allowed to walk from the same prison.
Algerian-born Kaddour-Cherif was serving time for trespass with an intent to steal and indecent exposure.
In a further embarrassment, the Metropolitan Police was only informed of his release at lunchtime on Tuesday (November 4) – nearly a week later.
Kaddour-Cherif was found by cops today before being re-arrested in Finsbury Park, north London, at 11.30am.
The double blunder is the latest mess to hit Britain’s prisons after a two-day manhunt was sparked when sex offender Hadush Kebatu was accidentally released from HMP Chelmsford.
The migrant, who had been locked up for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, was seen strolling through the Essex town on October 24.
He was meant to be transferred to an immigration removal centre but was instead set free.
Hunt for Kaddour-Cherif
Amid the frantic manhunt for Kaddour-Cherif, officers confirmed they were “carrying out urgent enquiries in an effort to locate him and return him to custody”.
The fiend, who also goes by the name Ibrahim, was convicted in November 2024 of indecent exposure and sentenced to an 18-month community order and placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years.
The Home Office previously confirmed he is not an asylum seeker but arrived in the UK legally on a visit visa in 2019.
Kaddour-Cherif overstayed his visa and was in the initial stages of the deportation process.
During the hunt for him, 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.”
William Smith
William “Billy” Smith, 35, was sentenced to 45 months for multiple fraud offences on Monday (November 3) – the same day he was also mistakenly freed from Wandsworth.
It is understood the blunder was made after his sentence was mixed up with another inmate else with the same surname.
He was sentenced alongside a co-defendant, a Joseph Smith, according to court docs.
As reported by the Mirror, Smith’s co-defendant, who was on bail and attended court in person, was given a suspended sentence which allowed him to walk free.
Meanwhile, Billy Smith was being held on remand in HMP Wandsworth appeared via video link, and was handed a custodial sentence.
It was reported their sentences were mixed up when put into the digital system, seeing the wrong prisoner released.
‘Absolutely outraged’
Following the gaffe, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy promised “the strongest release checks that have ever been in place”.
The news of the latest blunder emerged on Wednesday as he was asked during Prime Minister’s Questions whether any more asylum seekers had been wrongly released since Kebatu.
Lammy, who also serves as Justice Secretary, dodged the question several times.
The Sun understands he was informed about the wrongful release overnight.
He later released a statement saying he was “absolutely outraged and appalled by the mistaken release of a foreign criminal wanted by the police”.
The MP added: “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.”
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.”
