Prisoner Released by Mistake Arrested After Manhunt
A prisoner mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth has been captured following a major manhunt. Brahim Kaddour Cherif, a registered sex offender, was allowed to leave the prison in error.
Background
- Brahim Kaddour Cherif, aged 24, was convicted in November 2024 of indecent exposure related to an incident earlier that year.
- He received an 18-month community order and was registered on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years.
- Cherif is an Algerian national with known connections to Tower Hamlets and frequent visits to Westminster.
Police Action and Arrest
"At 11.23am 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 in the vicinity of Capital City College on Blackstock Road in Islington."
Met Police officers promptly responded and detained a man matching Cherif’s description at 11.30am. 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 relation to a previous unrelated incident. He has been taken into police custody. The Prison Service has been informed."
Summary
Brahim Kaddour Cherif was released in error from prison but quickly located and arrested, highlighting gaps in prisoner management and public safety concerns.