Sex offender mistakenly released from prison re-arrested
A major police operation was launched after sex offender Brahim Kaddour Cherif was mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth. The 24-year-old Algerian national has now been found and taken back into custody.
Details of the case
Cherif had been convicted in November 2024 of indecent exposure related to an incident that occurred in March the same year, according to the Daily Star. He was issued an 18-month community order and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years.
Police response
The Metropolitan Police confirmed they were informed of Cherif’s mistaken release on Tuesday and immediately deployed officers to track him down. Cherif was known to have connections in Tower Hamlets and frequently spent time in the Westminster area.
Arrest operation
“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,” a Met Police spokesperson said. “Officers responded immediately and at 11.30am detained a man matching Cherif’s description. 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.”
Investigation ongoing
Authorities are reviewing how the erroneous release occurred and ensuring similar administrative errors do not happen again.
Author’s Summary: Police recaptured Brahim Kaddour Cherif after an accidental release from HMP Wandsworth triggered a swift citywide search and prompted a review of prison release procedures.