Accidentally Freed Sex Offender Jailed for Assaulting Police Officers
A convicted sex offender, who became the subject of a nationwide manhunt after being wrongly released from prison, has been handed a 26-week jail sentence for assaulting two police officers in London. Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, a 24-year-old Algerian asylum seeker, was mistakenly freed from HMP Wandsworth in south west London on 29 October last year, sparking a political crisis over prison security.
Nationwide Manhunt and Arrest
Kaddour-Cherif was at the centre of an intensive search after his erroneous release, which was among several such incidents that have prompted government promises of tougher security measures. He was arrested in Finsbury Park, north London, on 7 November, while facing multiple live criminal cases and under investigation for another at the time of his freedom.
Assault on Underground Station
At Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Friday, Kaddour-Cherif was sentenced for assaulting two police officers at Blackhorse Road Underground station in east London on 20 July. The incident began when off-duty police constable Bradley Glynn witnessed Kaddour-Cherif take a mobile phone from a sleeping passenger on the Tube. PC Glynn intervened, retrieving the phone and ordering him off the train.
Prosecutor Kevin Kendridge detailed how PC Glynn shouted "thief" to deter Kaddour-Cherif from reboarding, leading to a violent confrontation. "Kaddour-Cherif punched him to the left side of his head with a closed fist, and the off-duty officer punched the defendant back," Mr Kendridge stated. On-duty PC Jason Norton attempted to assist, but Kaddour-Cherif threw several punches, managed to punch PC Glynn again, and bit him.
The court heard that Kaddour-Cherif slammed PC Norton against a wall and dug his face into the officer's arm, with PC Norton shouting "don't bite me." Photographic evidence showed bite marks left on one officer's arm, highlighting the severity of the assault.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
In a hearing earlier in January, Kaddour-Cherif pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting an emergency worker, though he claimed he did not know the men were police officers at the time. Magistrate Elizabeth Robb sentenced him to 26 weeks in prison and ordered £154 in compensation to the officers, describing the assaults as "serious, prolonged and quite nasty."
Addressing the court via videolink from HMP Pentonville, Kaddour-Cherif contested the events, accusing his lawyers of not reading his statement and claiming, "How could I fight two guys? It was two on one. I'm not that strong. They are lying." He also alleged he had been attacked and stabbed in prison.
Background and Previous Convictions
Kaddour-Cherif has overstayed his visa since 2020 and accumulated a string of convictions. He became a registered sex offender in November 2024 after being convicted of exposing himself in a London park. Prison authorities released him on 29 October 2025 after he was found not guilty of breaching sex offender register conditions, unaware he should have been held for a burglary trial.
Following his arrest and return to custody, he pleaded guilty to burglary and knife offences, as well as failing to surrender to court, receiving an additional 188-day sentence this week. This case underscores ongoing issues with inmate management and public safety in the UK's criminal justice system.
