Overview
- Officials now say three prisoners are being sought after releases in error, following the discovery that one case was mistakenly counted.
- The Prime Minister’s spokesman said the cases are subject to live police investigations and urged the public to share any information.
- David Lammy faces intensified scrutiny as Robert Jenrick demands a full breakdown in Parliament of erroneous releases since April and how many remain at large.
- Recent cases include Brahim Kaddour-Cherif’s rearrest after an unnotified release from HMP Wandsworth and fraudster William ‘Billy’ Smith’s return after surrender, with an earlier Chelmsford error prompting an independent inquiry and tougher checks.
- Government figures report 262 mistaken releases in the year to March 2025, including 90 violent or sex offenders, while ministers cite paper-heavy, antiquated systems and have dispatched a digital team considering AI tools to reduce errors.